FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

G'day everyone.  Hope you all had a good easter and didn't have to work like me, damn hospitality industry!!

I was wanting to know if it is fairly easy to convert the standard 3 speed gearbox to a four but keep it column shift as i don't want to loose a seat.

Cheers.

Hi Oz Man.
First, I know what it means to be in the hospitality industry, a bugger, isn't it!!

Secondly, I am no expert in this sort of thing, but I would confidently say, it will not be easy, but nothing is impossible.
I have thought about this myself, as I was planning a similar set up in an FB ute. I wanted a 4 speed, hot 6, but total originality on the outside & interior. I found out that Toyota has a four speed column shift in the "Lite Stout" flat tray range. These were late 60s cars. If they could do it, I assume we could to. Bit if stuffing about & a LOT of measuring & maths (Not my scene!!).

Goodluck,
Rob J
(aka: 4 hammers or "Rob the Baker")

Mk I and Mk II Cortinas also had 4 speed on the column.

I think you will find this an extremely difficult thing to achieve.  If what you want is to keep the bench there have been a series of articles about relocating (forward, obviously) the shifter on an Aussie 4-speed to allow this.  But if you want tree-mount for its own sake I think you'll be looking at very complicated engineering.

cheers
RET

1950's Austins were 4 speed column shift. I also think MK 2 & MK 3 Zephers were also, can't be sure.
Lots of possibilities there, good luck.
Colin

Actually i think i might have to opt for a column shift auto.

I am very tall and when i went to have a look at an fc yesterday their didn't seem to be sufficient room (i didn't realise that the shifter moves so far as i didn't run it through the gears the first time i sat in one.)

Of couse the other possibility would be to move the seat runners back a few inches but i don't know if its possible.

If anyone knows how big a job it would be to change the box to a 4 speed column shift (my dad said that his hq had one) can they please let me know (i'll match it with the 192 red from the same car).

Alternatively if you know about moving the seat that would also be appreciated.

Cheers everyone for tolerating my questions. :) :) :)

hopefully i'll have an fc on friday!! ;D

actually i might have been a hz i'm not sure.

I don't think Holden ever did a four speed manual column change, definitely not in the HQ to HZ range.
Might be woth checking that your steering column / box has not been changed to a later model as they are 4" shorter than the FC unit and therefore bring the gear change closer to the left knee area.

The seat can be raised and lowered by about an inch with the inserts between the seat runners and the floor.

John M

Thanks for the reply.

i'm not sure about the column shift manual but i think they did have a 4 speed column shift auto.  

If anyone has put one of these in or knows if you can it would be great. The other thing is that the lady who owned the car had the peddles lifted off the floor so she could reach them, how much movemnet is there in them as she didn't seem to know?

cheers

Its good to hear that i can move the seat as well.

Three speed column auto, trimatic gearbox, FC don't have a built in pedal height adjustment , HQ had some adjustment.
She must have had a custom adjustment done (read oxy on pedals or packing of pedal box of the firewall).
Sounds like you need to buy a holden workshop manual, plenty on EBay at the moment

John M

Hi Guys,
Late VN to VS Commodore were available with a 4 speed auto on the column.

Many of the euro cars of the 60's were available with 4 speed manual on the column, e.g. Fiat. maybe something like this could be adapted???? ???

Hope this helps,

Cheers,
Graham.

I don't suppose you've considered getting your legs shortened? ;D

As someone else mentioned, it might be worth checking that your car has an original steering column and not an FB/EK one, which is about 4 inches shorter.

In summary, originally, you had the following options:
- Seat slides fore and aft
- Seat can be raised using spacers, but not lowered
You couldn't:
- Adjust the pedals
- Adjust the column/steering position

It would be interesting to know what this "little old lady" had done to the car.  But for what it's worth there are a few 6'+ blokes I've known in our club and elsewhere who've never mentioned the shifter as a problem.  Just how tall is "very tall"? ::)

cheers
RET

Put it this way, you wouldn't miss me in a crowd. I'm 6'7"

Yeah its a damn shame that i hate basketball and love cars and motorsport!!

I am going to be looking at one fc on friday i was trying to find out if it could be done before i go and buy one.

Thanks for the replys everyone.