Auto shift handle - has anyone tried this??

RE: My 68 and 69 Road Runner resto projects.

I just removed the plastic parts from the shifter and the turn signal lever so I can get them re chromed. It's one of those things I never had to do in the past and just now tried it to see what happened. My plan was to heat the metal part of the handle knowing the heat would conduct into the area where the plastic is attached and hopefully soften up the plastic enough so I could get things to move and see how it's held on. Success!! Part removed without damage!! As you can see in the photos it's a spline and pulls straight off. I had to work at it and heat the shaft until it was too hot to handle, but they pretty much came right off. Hope this helps.

ive changed these out on other cars ...just heat the lever and slide them back on when you install them...and cool with wet rag ...dont over heat them tho.

......And they were not loose after the re installation? I was thinking I would put a dab of epoxy when I reinstalled them. Cooling with a rag is a good idea - maybe helps shrink them on.

Meep-Meep,

I am trying to get the entire handle out of the column. The pin holding it in does not want to move, how did you do this?

It's a roll pin. Just get a pin punch and drive it out using a hammer from either side. I'd use a block of wood to back up the boss on the sleeve so you don't crack it. I may have done mine with the sleeve off the column in a vice. The most important this is to have a rigid setup so the force goes in to moving the pin and not the whole column sleeve. The handle just pulls out after the pin comes out. Good luck!

sweet, great thinking.....

The old golf grip installation trick...very clever 99..

It's a roll pin. Just get a pin punch and drive it out using a hammer from either side. I'd use a block of wood to back up the boss on the sleeve so you don't crack it. I may have done mine with the sleeve off the column in a vice. The most important this is to have a rigid setup so the force goes in to moving the pin and not the whole column sleeve. The handle just pulls out after the pin comes out. Good luck!

Thanks, I will give it a go!

I tried this today for the first time ! Worked like a charm, I wish I would nave learned this thick years ago ! Thanks Guys.