4 speed trouble

I lined up the shifter with the pin. I put all three gears in neutral. I installed the linkage.
when the car is standing still all the gears seem to shift okay.
when i start to move I have no 1st or 2nd gear. feels like its going into gear but nothing.
I took the linkage off the 1st & 2nd gear and manually put it into 1st gear. the car moved fine. I know the trans is good.
I put the linkage back and play with it. Now i have 1st & 2nd but no reverse.
If i go back to lining the shifter and the gears I have no 1st & 2nd gear, ( i have revers 3rd & 4th)
what am i missing?
Hurst shifter. 68 charger with console,
it does not appear the linkage is hitting one another.

Does the shifter body have adjustable stops like this?

You still need to work on the neutral adjustment I think. If when you say you can’t get 1rst or 2nd that indicates the shifter is not going into the 1- 2 gate, which is a sure indication that you don’t have the shifter neutral gate correctly adjusted yet. If you can go into the gate OK but it won’t go forward or back into a gear that is more likely a transmission issue or a clutch that is not disengaging fully. When correctly adjusted and with the engine running and clutch pushed in in neutral, you should be able to move the lever cleanly across from reverse gate to the 1 - 2 gate and to the 3 - 4 gate without hitch or hang up.

Do all the rods have good bushings on the transmission and shifter levers. The metal one are better and last longer. When inserting a pin into the shifter body hole, does it fit reasonably snug and not loose? When inserting the pin there is also a hole on the other side of the shifter body the pin must go into to get everything in line. Be sure you’re engaging it too. And of course make sure your transmission levers are truly in neutral position and the rod end cleanly slips into the bushing when adjusting them. Also, the mounting bolts and holes on the shifter body and mounting plate all have some clearances that can let things move around if not tightened up securely.

And then as noted above, once the neutral gate is adjusted and you have all your gears engaging, double check your shift stops on 2nd and 3rd as if too tight it might not go fully into gear and want to kick out.

Richard Cranium said:

Does the shifter body have adjustable stops like this?

View attachment 1747970

Click to expand...

only one in the rear of mechenisim. it looks like an after market with the hurst name on it

scipione2007 said:

only one in the rear of mechenisim. it looks like an after market with the hurst name on it

Click to expand...

That's a shift stop. The one in the rear would be for R, 1 & 3. Back off the bolt a few turns & see what that does.

Can you post a picture of the shifter linkage?

I am having a similar issue. I purchased the 1970 SuperBee finished. It was always hard to get into reverse far enough. Now 1st and 3rd gear will not engage. I got under neath it and all mounting brackets are tight. There is a adjustment bolt and locknut loose in the rear of the shifter. It is the bolt highlighted in the attached picture but the one in the rear of the shifter. Is this what is causing the gears not to engage?

No, that is a shifter travel limiter bolt. They works on 3rd and 4th gear to prevent over travel on a hard 3rd or 4th gear shift to avoid unnecessary pressure on the shift fork and slider assembly. They would not have any effect on the problem you are describing which sounds like the shifter neutral gate just needs adjusting. The limiter bolts are set last by backing them off, put the transmission fully in third, tighten the rear bolt up until it contacts the shifter arm, back it off a quarter to half turn and tighten the locknut. Do the same for 4th gear, adjusting the front bolt.