[sadarian]

I have a 1969 SS, 350, 3 speed automatic with the horseshoe-shaped shifter on the center console. The other day when I put it in park and took my foot off the brake, the car started rolling forward. It jerked and I could hear a thump every time it moved. I'm very much an amateur DIY'er - can anyone advise what the issue might be, and what the proper fix?

 

[buenymayor]

Welcome to the site! Sounds like the transmission isn't fully going into Park. Probably just a cable adjustment. IIRC, the cable can be adjusted down where it hooks to the transmission lever.

 

[sadarian]

Doing some more research, it sounds like I have an issue with the parking pawl. Still any advice on a fix is much appreciated.

 

[sadarian]

Ah, thanks for the quick reply! I'll give that a try.

 

[yellow69RS]

I had an issue with mine that I hit the linkage underneath on the high center of my driveway. After that I had to adjust it under the cover of the console. the is not much adjustment but it fixed my issue.

Jeff

 

[sadarian]

Thanks to you both for the replies. Looks like it can be adjusted at either the transmission linkage or the left side of the horseshoe shifter. I ended up making a small adjustment at the shifter and it worked like a charm!

 

[rsb0719]

Thanks to you both for the replies. Looks like it can be adjusted at either the transmission linkage or the left side of the horseshoe shifter. I ended up making a small adjustment at the shifter and it worked like a charm!

I glad it work for you, my suggestion is when you put transmission in park, keep foot on brake and then put emergency brake on. This way the transmission is not holding the car but the emergency brake taking the stress off transmission.

 

[BillK]

my suggestion is when you put transmission in park, keep foot on brake and then put emergency brake on. This way the transmission is not holding the car but the emergency brake taking the stress off transmission.

That is the way I was taught when I first started driving. Do the same thing to this day. I just don't trust that little park pawl to keep a vehicle from moving. Its amazing how many people never use the parking brake.

 

[sadarian]

Yeah, I definitely plan to after this, thanks again!

 

[SoCal805]

IMHO always use a parking brake. Have a friend who spent way to much $ on his 69 that has no parking brake (4 wheel modern disc swap) foot parking brake or any of the cable under the car involved with a parking brake. B&M shifter with NSS bypassed so it will start in any gear. That led to his first custom bumper and garage door mod (ouch)


His driveway is slopped so with just park pawl holding the car and no parking brake his fix was use a block of wood behind tire "in case" pawl breaks....but he then can't get it out of park sometimes after parking on a slope because there is to much car weight against the pawl to disengage park so a few people have to "push" the car forward some so he can get it out of park.

Yeah the car is all shiny and has tons of high $ parts on it but so many necessary items (parking brake, NSS, horn, etc) are not installed making the car, in some cases, a real problem.

IMHO have a functioning parking brake regardless of auto or stick car.