What powerglide shifter is this?

[Edward M.]

OK, got this PG shifter, and need to identify it. One of three options..

1. The initial version used in early-1956 had detents at the Park and Reverse positions.

2. The second version used on later-1956 through early- 1958 added a third detent for the Neutral position.

These first two versions used a sequence (front to back) of Reverse, Low, Drive, Neutral and Park.

3. A third version began in mid-1958, and extended through 1961. Its shift pattern sequence ran (front to back) Low, Drive, Neutral, Reverse, and Park. It used three detents.

Which ones is this?

[Alexander C.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

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[Edward M.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Subscribed

Yep, this is the one from Ebay. Got it cheap enough, now if I can just figure out what it is.

[Cecil L.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Ed, I have several shifters including a 56. I'll check tonight.

[Bruce B.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Ed,
The shifter appears to be for a 57 to 61 Corvette.

[Edward M.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Ed,
The shifter appears to be for a 57 to 61 Corvette.

Got to narrow it down further than that.

Late 56 to 58???
59 to 61???

Thanks

[Bruce B.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Ed,
56 and early 57 had park in the position to the front of the car, that would be the 56 shifter.
57 through 61 I think were all the same, cast iron, park position to the rear, etc.
62 was the first year for the aluminum PG and a 62 only shifter, with park position to the front of the car.
The suppliers (Corvette America) sell shift indicator plates that reflect the 3 shifters described above.
I'll check my supply of shifters and try and get some pictures.

[Domenic T.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

A little off the subject but in 1971 when I was working as a mechanic for a chevy dealer in CA I bought my 67, it was a 4 speed car.

Of coarse I was approached at home to do vette work on other cars.

I did some work for a guy that didn't have the money so he paid me with a powerglide tailshaft with the shifter mounting on it and a new sun & planetary gear with the shaft.

I kept it because I couldn't spend it and at the time it seemed that it might become hard to find.

I hate to say it but a lot of converting to a 4 speeds was going on then in all cars. Now that guys are converting back to what was stock it might find it's home.

If I get a picture of the housing with #s could one of you PG guys tell me what year vettes it fits?


DOM

[Cecil L.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Ed,
Your shifter matches the one I have that I removed from a 56 back in 72. One quick way to spot the early shifters is that I believe the opening on top of the shifter body is smaller than the later ones, besides the different detent patterns. Also note the steel spring cover vs the later open springs on the shaft.

[Edward M.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Ed,
56 and early 57 had park in the position to the front of the car, that would be the 56 shifter.
57 through 61 I think were all the same, cast iron, park position to the rear, etc.
62 was the first year for the aluminum PG and a 62 only shifter, with park position to the front of the car.
The suppliers (Corvette America) sell shift indicator plates that reflect the 3 shifters described above.
I'll check my supply of shifters and try and get some pictures.

I am still thinking there are three versions for 56-61.

1. Early 1956 had two detents at the Park and Reverse positions. Pattern from front to back is RLDNP.

2. The second version used on later-1956 through early -1958 added a third detent for the Neutral position.
Pattern from front to rear is RLDNP.

3. A third version began in mid-1958, and extended through 1961 and also has three detents. Pattern from front to back is LDNRP.

This shifter matches the one in my 56, so I am thinking it is a late 56-58 version.

[Domenic T.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Here are pictures of the tail housing I was wondering about.

There are 3 circles with #s.

The 1st is to the left is smaller and has a 1 in it.

The 2nd has a 63 with 4 lines.

The 3rd has the part # 3827141.

The 2nd picture is not so good

DOM

A little off the subject but in 1971 when I was working as a mechanic for a chevy dealer in CA I bought my 67, it was a 4 speed car.

Of coarse I was approached at home to do vette work on other cars.

I did some work for a guy that didn't have the money so he paid me with a powerglide tailshaft with the shifter mounting on it and a new sun & planetary gear with the shaft.

I kept it because I couldn't spend it and at the time it seemed that it might become hard to find.

I hate to say it but a lot of converting to a 4 speeds was going on then in all cars. Now that guys are converting back to what was stock it might find it's home.

If I get a picture of the housing with #s could one of you PG guys tell me what year vettes it fits?


DOM

[Bruce B.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Looks like a 62 aluminum PG tailshaft.

[Domenic T.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Bruce,
I thought the 63 in the circle was the year when I first looked at it.
The tail shaft that was given to me had the corse splines and I think 62 might have been the last year with the corse spline. So that makes sense.

Thanks

DOM

Looks like a 62 aluminum PG tailshaft.

[John H.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Bruce,
I thought the 63 in the circle was the year when I first looked at it.
The tail shaft that was given to me had the corse splines and I think 62 might have been the last year with the corse spline. So that makes sense.

Thanks

DOM

Dom -

The new '62 aluminum Powerglide was the first year of the fine-spline output shaft; as Bruce noted, the tailhousing in the photo is from a '62.

[Domenic T.]

Re: What powerglide shifter is this?

Thanks for giving it a name guys,

DOM