'57 ford fairlane

O

old1957

Junior Member
I recently acquired a unusual problem. I have a 1957 ford fairlane 500 2-dr. hdt. with a 312 engine and 3-speed manual trans. with overdrive. This spring I replaced the solenoid and the governor....all was working fine. All of a sudden after driving the car some miles, I cannot pull out the overdrive lever. If I let it set for awhile (the time varies) I can pull it out and have "normal" drive. As I have analyzed this in my mind it almost seems like "temperature" may be causing the problem. Can someone give me help ?
 
574185


1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Victoria
 
Just guessing here, does the cable run near the exhaust? it might if you have dual exhausts. Probably corroded cable that needs replacement.
 
Based on what you said, the cable assembly is the problem, and the solenoid, and govenor switch are fine. You have to be in freewheeling to get the overdrive unit to work. Either rust, or the exhaust has cooked the cable, and it is glued to itself within.
 
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Hi Gene F.....thanks for the reply/opinion. I will check this out, but the whole system had been working just fine...and then out of the blue this happened. I do have a new cable but the old one pulled just fine, and will have the solenoid and governor checked as per "how to check" them. The thing that puzzles me the most is that I can pull the lever out of the "overdrive" position when the vehicle cools down. I got this vehicle from a classic car dealer in Davenport Iowa. It came from a collector in Illinois that traded it for a '57 T-Bird that he wanted. I was told by the collector in Illinois this vehicle was done by a rebuilder in Arkansas that separated the body and the frame and rebuilt what was needed (looks great underneath) and re-painted (looks originally awesome). The 312 engine was totally overhauled.....040" over-bored and with improved cam. I don't know for sure, but it appears that this vehicle has set in display much more that driven. The engine sounds and runs very well. when this problem is solved I want to sell this car...I am 80 yrs. old and it's time to quit !! I have papers for all the work done to it.
 
Hi Gene F.....thanks for the reply/opinion. I will check this out, but the whole system had been working just fine...and then out of the blue this happened. I do have a new cable but the old one pulled just fine, and will have the solenoid and governor checked as per "how to check" them. The thing that puzzles me the most is that I can pull the lever out of the "overdrive" position when the vehicle cools down. I got this vehicle from a classic car dealer in Davenport Iowa. It came from a collector in Illinois that traded it for a '57 T-Bird that he wanted. I was told by the collector in Illinois this vehicle was done by a rebuilder in Arkansas that separated the body and the frame and rebuilt what was needed (looks great underneath) and re-painted (looks originally awesome). The 312 engine was totally overhauled.....040" over-bored and with improved cam. I don't know for sure, but it appears that this vehicle has set in display much more that driven. The engine sounds and runs very well. when this problem is solved I want to sell this car...I am 80 yrs. old and it's time to quit !! I have papers for all the work done to it.
 
To diagnose the problem, warm the transmission until the cable won't pull out. Promptly disconnect the cable from the lever on the transmission and try to move the lever and the cable. The results will be obvious.
 
I hate to be Captain Obvious, but you need to have someone underneath the car looking at the cable and lever on the transmission while you try to pull the cable out. This will be step number 1 in diagnosing your problem. Repeating that it worked before and you didn't change anything will get you exactly nowhere.
 
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