autostick to full manual (super)

[purplemyth]

when switchin out an autostic, don't we need to switch the shift rod too?
it's the baja,, it's acting up. He switched the shifter with mine awhile back and had a short throw kit in it. Owner didn't like it. Hubby took the kit out, but now the shifter sits weird and won't engage in the forward gears 1st n 3rd. It backs up fine though
just a reminder, it's a 74 super.
thanks guys

(this bug just doesn't want to leave here )

[jaransonT3]

I converted a 70 Autostick 'Vert to manual once and had to change out teh shift rod. IIRC, the Autostick shift rod is shorter than the manual one.

[purplemyth]

Thanks John!
I thought i read it some where a couple years ago when we first got this bug, but couldn't find that info again~
that explains why the shifter sits straight up r,2,4. and forward in neutral.

I did get it to go in gears fwd, but it's hard to tell. And i just know, it'll come back , thanks~

[busguy71]

I somehow got it to kinda work by grinding the hole larger in the shift tunnel for the shifter..... but I dont know if I would recommend it. It was a long time ago and I forget if it even helped. I was using a bus shifter

[purplemyth]

hubby thought about doing that, but I think it'll be much easier to just take the time, drag a jack out in the back field and pull one from another car, another super.
silly car's been here so long and body work was the main issue this sorta got missed,,,
thanks guys~

[ConductorX]

I am confused....

Are you trying to convert an autostick to manual? I would think the shifter and shift rod is different because the autostick has a different pattern.

Are you have problems after removing a short throw kit? Make sure the reverse lock out plate is still there. The shifter actually has quite a bit of play and you can loosen the two tunnel bolts and play with moving the shifter around and the tightening the bolts until you find the sweet spot where everything works good.

[purplemyth]

it had an autostic, we took that out. With the thro kit, it was a very tight pattern, getting it in rev was a bear. owner said it was not comfortable, wants more of a pattern to it. So hubby took kit out, shifter now sits forward, and I just know, if it's uncomfortable for me, the owner will grumble too. Hubby thought about doing the grinding, but when I talked with him at work, says he'll just switch the rods and go from there. I've driven a friend's 74 super , and was was sweet, this one just feels, um,,, chunky? He just wants to fix it, and sit down to watch the race tonight~
I have a feeling switching the rod will fix it...
will post back with results

[purplemyth]

just to update and maybe this can get tossed in the tech bin.... will post pics in a few minutes.

For those who get the infamous autostick and want to switch a full manual transmission, this is info you need. first, what do you need to do in order to make the manual work? well, the shift rod is about an inch too short. Your shifter will be farther forward than before, so you need to remove it. Here's how~~ thanks to quick replies by raydean , we saved the glitter bug baja from a torch!

ok, crawl under the front of your car. You will see a pan, 8 bolts hold it in place. The sway bar fits snug under it, but you won't need to remove it, unless you are changing it anyway.
(pic

If the front apron has not been wrecked in the past, lucky you . You will probably have to push, pull and pry this pan now to roll it out from the sway bar.


Once out, you will see a square opening.
(pic
now, go disconnect your shifter rod from the back seat. And start pushing the rod forward, go to shifter hole and continue , long needle nose pliers are a big help on this.. Once the rod pops out the front opening, you will probably have to push the apron nose up to get it out, like us, it bent, oh well shit happens. But now the rod is out.
If you have another rod, as long as it's longer, youre fine, go in reverse. If not, or you don't want the hassle of doing this to another super or a bug period, do this...
make a mark, line, so you can keep the ends inline. Now cut the tube. A piece of 1/2 in emt (electrical conduit) will fit nice and snug inside the rod. I suggest a long pc at least a ft long for added strength. now space the two ends about an inch apart, weld, grind smooth, and reassemble.
(pic
the shifter now sits straight and goes into gears like it should......
now we wait for owner to take this bug home!!!!

[Ray-Dean]

This might also be a good time to replace the shift rod bushing. It can be a bear to have to do this twice instead of knocking it all out at once.

[purplemyth]

thanks for the addition raydean, if we had had a bushing, it wouldve been in. This thing is snug and comfy now, i wouldnt mind taking it for a drive now.!

[Ryan]

personally, i love the autostick.... when they work.

i have been working on this local girls car (its now coming to my house tomorrow so i can work on it when i can.) bastard is giving me more trouble than any of the autosticks i have owned. i have replaced the vac. lines and the control valve... still nothing. time to replace the servo next. it will now go into gear but wont engage the gear. fun fun fun. and this thing is a fucking rust bucket too.

i told her if this doesnt work we are going to manual

[ConductorX]

My daughter's autostick works great and she loves it. (knocking on wood) She just wishes her Dad (me) would finish painting it so she can drive it.

[Cobey]

Just finished installing my spare autostick trans in Edel (the original finally died after 34 years, 300k+ miles, and 3 motors).

Crack Monkey - you may need to adjust the servo, which operates the clutch.

Purplemyth - was the autostick operating fine before the conversion? If so, I may be interested in some of the smaller parts (the whole thing is too heavy to ship.) You will need to replace that reverse lock out plate (aka stop plate) and shifter during your conversion. BTW, did yours have the clutch cable tube, or did you have to go another route?

[purplemyth]

Cobey, it was a almost 2 years ago when hubby first switched this, I doubt even he remembers. Don't know how well it worked before, it was brought of on a dolly, dropped and drove into garage, then the tear down. I'll ask hubby what he plans to do with it.
The plate, I think he has it in, cuz before we fixed the rod, you could just pull it down to rev, but now it's normal, push down and pull.

edit~ he says it went forward and rev,Didn't run it far enough to know any more , has everything that came with it. send me a pm.
He changed the stop plate out of mine at the time, I have a new one. Tube, this car had it installed from factory.

[Cobey]

LOL. No worries. I would take a gamble on them. :)