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Would anyone happen to know how to remove the 3 speed column shifter from the housing under the steering wheel? The 3 speed shifter in my truck broke, and a very nice guy an hour away offered to TIG weld it for me, but I need to remove it. I've got the wheel off, and I got the turn signal switch out of the way, but I still can't get the shifter out.

It looks like it is pinned in, what's left of the shifter still moves freely, but the "pin" isn't budging. One end looks sort of like a bolt head, but round and it has concentric rings on it, the other looks like it has a dimple in it like it has been hit with something or maybe flared so it won't come out.

Trying to figure out if I need to brute force this pin out, cut it off, or attempt to remove the steering wheel housing from the column. I can't tell how the housing attaches to the column either. Looks like it may be pressed on, but I think it's been painted over once so I can't really tell.

Anyone removed one of these before?

I'm also considering swapping the transmission, as I don't care for the three speed anyway. Truck is a W100 Town Panel with a Slant Six. The Slant in it appears to be from a car, but the 745 3 speed, bellhousing, and twin stick transfer case seem to be original. I've got a Poly 318 sitting in the garage, but its got an automatic on it, and I was told the motor was running hot. Don't really want to go to an auto, and I think the auto is too long to work with the T-case where it is now. I got some measurements for an a833, but I think that is too long as well.

Photo 1

The pin

Yeah, that's not working right anymore....

Well, I finally got it out. That pin doesn't seem to want to ever come out. I ended up drilling holes in the little dimples where they attached the mount inside the steering wheel housing. I cut the shifter handle off the remains of the shift rod, ground away a bunch of ugly old weld where someone fixed this once already, and pulled the remains out through the hole in the back of the steering wheel housing.

Long story short, I don't think these were intended to be removable. I see a lot of people looking at this thread and no one chiming in, so I thought I should update everyone that's watching.

On to attempt an np435 swap now.

I swapped the /6-A745 column 3 spd in my '67 shorty to a '66 poly and np435. Same bell housing/clutch. Big difference and fun to drive. As i recall, I drilled out the spot welds in the column housing and ground off the shifter rod pin at the top to remove it.