1965 Barracuda Trans help

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kcoyle

kcoyle

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Noob here needs help with his "new to him", first ever, barracuda.

Car: 1965 Cuda, 273 2bbl, 904 torqueflite, consonle shifter. Runs and drives fine in all gears.

Problem: when the shift lever is put in park, it still rolls front and back.

So far:

1)jacked up car, checked cables at trans. I have 2 cables connected to trans, both in poor shape with cracking and missing rubber housing.
Both cables seem too long and are wired away from the header which has probably melted one cable in the past. Trans is leaking somewhere around there too.
2)Removed console and found the shift cable attached, but other cable disconnected. It's just lying under the console. I can kinda guess where it goes and probably needs a cotter pin to stay in the shifter, but it's way too long.

Is this disconnected cable a "park" cable, and if so how does it work?

Thanks in advance for any help. I'm waiting on the shop manual now, I just want to get things started and try to pass inspection and actually drive this car more than around the block.

thanks,
Kevin and the Bondo-cuda.
 
I'm guessing that the cable that's disconnected is the longer one that goes to the back of the trans (the park cable). If you're looking for repro, Imperial Services should have both cables. I might have saved the cables when I disassembled my Dart GT - I won't be using as I'm using a later model transmission with the Imperial adapter (late model trans original shifter). Will ahve to check.
 
Thanks, Dartman, that would be great.

I just checked out Imperial's page and it looks like I might be broke sooner than I thought with this car.
 
that cable pull the park paw... there is ajustment at the rear of the trans were the cable goes in.. you must loosin the bolt and pull the cable housing out a little or in to ajust it.... to remove it there is a plug at the bottom of the cover were the cable goes in..you must release the cable from the paw threw that hole using a small pick or you can unbolt the cover and drop it slightly but not to much because there is a spring the cable goes threw to load the paw.and it get bent real eazy..you can get a new cable threw imperial services or A@ATRAN 317 831 3066 they also have that cover gasket...good luck
 
Thanks. I'm hoping to get to look at this in a few weeks. Right now my "park" is parking brake only.
 
did you fix this ? I have some cables from 62-64 cars-- if yours are broken,Lawrence
 
You need to hook up the park cable at the shifter. The cable actually pulls the pawl away from the "wheel", so if there is no tension on the cable, then the trans should be in "park". If the cable is slack and the car still moves, you need to see that all the "park" parts of the trans are in place. Very easy to do. Remove the cable from the tailshaft housing and then remove the "park" cable adapter. It is a simple system and everything will be very obvious.
 
wedgie said:
If the cable is slack and the car still moves, you need to see that all the "park" parts of the trans are in place. Very easy to do. Remove the cable from the tailshaft housing and then remove the "park" cable adapter. It is a simple system and everything will be very obvious.
Click to expand...
Thats whats going on. I figured a spring is missing or something.
So far I have the mangled shift cable out. I'll work on the park cable next chance I get. Thanks for all the help guys.
 
not to hi jack this topic,what is this adapter your talking about,, using the push button on a newer trany?? very intrested,, thanks you can e mail if if you have any info thanks again fstfish66@aol.com
 
Update for those interested:

Removed park cable and cover.
All pieces seem to be there, including the aforementioned spring which fell out, but I was careful not to bend it up.
The park cable transmission end is broken. The metal tip is not attached to the cable, hence no park.
If I move the pawl/lever by hand it locks the trans, that should be good to go.

Both cables were chewed up pretty good and leaked like hell anyway. I was going to sleeve them with fuel hose but I found a decent shift cable in the trunk of the car.
VDART, I could use a park lock cable.

Anyone know if I can get the grommets that go in the trans tunnel for the cables?
And how tough is it to get that loose spring back in place when I patch it up?

thanks
Kevin
 
here is a picture --- if the one's I have-- I'll get the length later--- The 1 with my feet in it is the park brake-- the other is the shifter cable------- that should give you an idea on the length--- I'm not sure if your 65 is the same-- i've heard it is a 1 year only deal.Lawrence
 
I have a shift cable I found in the trunk that looks good.
My park cable looks a little different.
The trans end looks the same but I don't have the long metal piece end on the shifter end like yours, mine looks just like the shifter cable. (if that makes sense)
It is about the same lengnth as your cable, approx 41 inches.
I put a call in to pat Blaise and he said he'd get back to me if he has the right cable.
thanks Lawrence.
 
Forgot picture, wife screaming, baby crying.

parkcable.jpg
 
kcoyle said:
It is about the same lengnth as your cable, approx 41 inches. I put a call in to pat Blaise and he said he'd get back to me if he has the right cable.
thanks Lawrence.
Click to expand...

I found a spare park cable, still attached to the cover (can't find my original cable for a floor shift). However I believe it's for a column shift as it's nowhere 40 plus inches long - about 30 inches or so. You're welcome to it if you can use it.
 
My '65 Signet has the floor shifter for the automatic. I was going to remove this anyway to swap in a 5 speed. I'll check it out tonight and see if it still has a decent looking cable.

Anybody interested in the floor shifter (no console)? I'll post some pics tonight...
 
65dartman, thanks, but i just double checked, its about 41 inches long.

Shishaldin, thanks, that would be great. This is probably the last thing keeping me from driving this car again.

Stupid question, is it me or do these cables present 4 more ways to leak? (2 "O" rings and 2 cables) Why not just linkage?

thanks for all the help guys!
 
kcoyle said:
65dartman, thanks, but i just double checked, its about 41 inches long.

Shishaldin, thanks, that would be great. This is probably the last thing keeping me from driving this car again.

Stupid question, is it me or do these cables present 4 more ways to leak? (2 "O" rings and 2 cables) Why not just linkage?

thanks for all the help guys!
Click to expand...


I looked at mine and said "no thanks" then went out and got a later model 904, of course that meant I couldnt use the shifter so I had to get a Hurst Pro-matic 2 and hide it under the original console (looks stock!) and then I had to get a driveshaft as I lost the Detroit (ball and trunion) flange with the old cable 904 and I also went to a 8 3/4 at the same time. So all in all, about 400, 100 for the shifter, 75 for the driveshaft, 150 for the rear (a steal!) and 75 for the salvage yard trans (it came from a totalled car so I knew it worked, and bought the 10 buck guarantee). If I could do it again, I wouldnt...jus the 8 3/4. ratchet Shifter was never as smooth or friendly as the original.
 
Yea, sure sounds like a lot of work. I'm just hoping to get this thing driving without leaking from various places.

i put a call and email into Pat Blais about a park cable but he never got back to me. I might have to suck it up and get a cable from Imperial Services for 160 bucks.

If I get frustrated enough I'm going to tap and die the park cable cover and plug it. Park? I don't need no stinking park.

I wonder if it'll just slam into park randomly? the cable was broken before and it never happened. Oh well, another fight with the wife over the car and money.
 
Thanks for everyones help.
I have it running AND not leaking AND I have park. I managed to have a leftover spring but all is well.
 
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