I have studied this problem to death & still haven't come up with a solid solution. I want to put an electric on-off switch, rocker or push button, on my '56 Ford shift lever to operate the overdrive solenoid. I have looked at piggyback cruise control switches, tried to figure how to make a box to house a switch that would clamp on the shift lever that would look good. I thought about replacing the shift knob with a late model Ford shift knob with an overdrive button built into the end of it. I really like that idea but haven't exactly figured out how to do it. Any ideas or solutions would be appreciated, pictures too if anybody has done it. I did it years ago on a Hurst floor shift lever but that was a piece of cake...

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

EJ

I too want to do a similar thing but would happy just to mount toggle switch on a small panel hanging from the dash to activate a solenoid mounted to the rear of the overdrive to engage the lever. Tension is nil some thing simple with a return spring for insurance would be easy. That said your idea sounds great on a stick shift, and would work on a hollow lever to hide the wires.

Is your idea for a column shift or floor shift, can't recall. Regardless I would appreciate a photo of the solenoid on your overdrive.

Richard

I once ran around briefly with a dash-mounted OD relay/gov. switch so I could freewheel around town in the higher gears, and thus save wear & tear of the solenoid constantly kicking in & out. But, a recent tech. advice/reply in the T-Bird club mag. has made me reconsider the wisdom of that. Turns out, freewheeling with the cable out (and driving aggressively) could very likely accelerate OD wear. Those parts are getting much more expensive & hard to find. A lot more labor involved changing them also, compared to swapping solenoids.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Oops,



Make that "freewheeling with the cable IN".




6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Dan, I've been drag racing since 2005. I think I can shift easier freewheeling. My only problem is losing the oil out the rear seal. I have to keep an eye on it.

  Dennis in Lititz PA

No doubt. I never pull the cable out since I likely wouldn't remember how to drive anymore if I couldn't freewheel to a stop. Nonetheless, I may pay the "leadfoot" penalty someday when the OD's more delicate gears let go. The most cautious won't push the cable in until they hit cruising speed on the highway.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Richard, mine is column shifter & not hollow but I just figured I'd cover the wires with heat shrink. If all you want is a switch that would be a piece of cake, just make a bracket & bolt it under the dash. I want my switch on the shift lever. A floor shift is easy too because you can just mount a push-pull knob like a truck transmission. My wire will just come from a 12V source to the switch to the solenoid. Oh yeah, the planetary gears for a T-85 are scarce & cost nearly $500.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL