Have a floor shift car with a Turbo Hydramatic transmission. The steering column has an arm on the end closest to the steering box that appears to be intended for linkage. Is something missing from my car or is this just a feature on all columns to minimize production styles?

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that linkage is supposed to lock the shifter when the ignition is off, as well as possibly activate the reverse light and neutral safety switches mounted to the column.

So the linkage used on a column shift car is still required on a floor shift model? Is it the same or a different configuration?

If you watch the sleeve where the handle would attach on a column shift car as you move the floor shifter, it should rotate.

On mid--late 70s Camaros, this is to move the pointer on the dash and for the netral safety switch (like novaderrik said)

K

It is there so that you can only turn your key to "LOCK" when the car is in park, and so that you can't take it out of park when the column is locked.