Neutral safety switch/reverse light switch ?'s

[GroceryGetter83]

I did it without the relay. I took the wires from the reverse switch that has the pink wire for run and accessory and spliced them into the shifter along with the backup light wiring.

I have to admit that a relay would be a better program, but also there is not much amperage requirements in my setups because I'm running everything, including fuel pumps, injectors, coils, etc., via an aftermarket ECU, either MS or Holley that is powering a series of relays. So my pink ignition wire is running a relay and the purple wire is only energizing the starter solenoid. The microswitch has done the job for that without issue. I believe the one on the Hurst is rated for 15 amps which is plenty.

Chris,
I can attach photos if you'd like - it's a PITA to access these two plugs on the column switch with the dash and column fully installed. But a piece of cake with the dash out. I have good photos as we are in process of swapping everything from one car to another. Also, what are you using for trans brake? The brake switch is in the same neck of the woods - we had to tie into that for TCC control and launch (even though we don't have a transbrake).

FWIW, this is necessity when converting a column shift into a floor shift column - along with the ziptie on the shifter linkage lol.

I still have the factory column shifter attached at the moment because I knew bad things would happen if I messed with it!

I have all the dash installed under the steering column and with my single car garage, it’s a mega pain to even try and lay in the car to see under the dash.

If the pink 10 gauge(ish) wire that runs to the “S” position on the starter is what I need to control with a 12 volt Bosch relay, I think I should be able to do that easily.

 

[fleming442]

Fleming is spot on with the issue here. The ziptie is required is on the lever where the shift linkage used to be attached on the column. It was held in place by the transmission lever. Once that is removed for a shift cable it will flail about wildly and either not allow the key to be removed or not allow the key to turn into the start position.

Bruce is the winner - 2 days in a row you have made me burst out laughing 🙂

If your backdrive rod is still there, you're wasting time and effort just to use the aftermarket switches. The rod only weighs a pound and you'll put a half pound of wire back in. Let it ride and be happy.

 

[Tony1968]

I am Freaking confused 😕
I guess I'll leave the stock column shifter in place until I figure out where to 'ziptie' it in place 🤔

 

[fleming442]

I am Freaking confused 😕
I guess I'll leave the stock column shifter in place until I figure out where to 'ziptie' it in place

There's a recess in the firewall where the column comes through on the engine side. The tab that connects to the shift collar is there. Ziptie it all the way clockwise to hold the collar in park (if you remove the backdrive rod).

 

[64nailhead]

The 'backdrive' rod is in the column? If the answer is yes, then I do leave those in place.

Tony,
I'll take a picture of the ziptie as Fleming is describing - it's very simple.

 

[fleming442]

The backdrive rod extends from the trans to the column and one of the first things to be ripped out by people that don't realize how important it is to making life easy- until you have to make room for clutch linkage or headers.

 

[Tony1968]

Thanks guys. I don't have the linkage to the trans anymore but the rod is still in the column and it's staying in. It never occurred to me to remove it anyway. It's not in the way of anything.

 

[Longroof79]

Tony,
Bruce is right regarding zip tieing the column in place. When I had my aftermarket Hurst shifter in, I also removed the backdrive rods, I locked the linkage tab from the column using a piece of bent angle metal, turned the column collar to the park position, and fastened the metal piece to the firewall. Also to do it this way requires that you splice into the leads for the neutral safety switch and backup light circuits by making your own mini-harness. Still the best and cleanest way to do it, is by using the factory shifter rods. No hacking up the wiring harness. Everything should function the way the factory intended it to.
I've since removed the Hurst shifter and went back to using a factory floor shift.

Sorry Bruce, I noticed that you already mentioned pretty much what I said.
My bad.

 

[mikester]

I had a similar issue with my 81. I used a B+M shifter and a column from a floor shift car installed into a car that was originally a column shift.
I bought a park/neutral relay from Painless to solve the issue. Wires go right to the micro switch and tie in with the purple wire/starter connection. Easy after I found out how to do it.
Got a lot of info here on the forum.
The tangs on the switches needed some tweaking but thats done. Not sure how your shifter is set up compared to mine though.

 

[64nailhead]

That looks very similar to my giddyup. These ^^^^ are great pictures for reference.