[Junkyard Dawg]

I have a '71 Chevelle. It has the factory auto floor shifter in it, minus console. (someone stole it ) Anyhow I want to replace it with a B&M quarterstick but I'm wondering how do you remove the shifter? Is it bolted to the trans. tunnel or welded in?

Also on a '71, is the column supposed to move when the shifter is shifted? Why? I'm pretty sure my car is a factory floorshifted car. The shift indicator is not on the dash like a column shifted car is. Why is this?

 

[Tom's 68]

it is bolted to the tunnel
and the column will move because the neutral and reverse switch is mounted on the column and also to lock the gearshift selector when keys are removed

 

[Junkyard Dawg]

Actually on mine I think the neutral and reverse switch are on the shifter itself. The neutral safety switch wire is a big purple wire right? And the reverse switch wire is a smaller green wire right?

About the locking gearshift selector when keys are removed....that one does make sense though.

 

[Tom's 68]

yes those are the correct colors of the wires and yes the switch is on the shifter
sorry about that
but even my 4spd has that column lock and I need to be in reverse to lock the column and that sleeve moves on it also

 

[Junkyard Dawg]

Yeah it reminds me I used to have a '71 Nova with a 4 speed. The column moved on it and I could never figure out why.

I later learned that there was originally a linkage that connected the shifter to the column and like you said it had to be shifted into reverse in order to get the key out and lock it in place.