Just bought a 71 383 4spd car. Shifts fine in all four gears under normal driving conditions. Taking off normal and push the car to the floor, let up to shift and it will not shift to second at all. No grinding. If is like the shifter hits a stop before engaging second. A rock solid stop. the trans was supposed to be rebuilt and looks it but......... I am a muncie guy and have never seen a situation like this. Hurst shifter is adjusted correctly in neutral. Can slide a pin through the linkage hole.

Thanks for any help

 

Sounds similar to a situation that I used to have. There is a detent spring that is probably bad. The spring holds the reverse gear back to allow the tranny to shift into second. There is no grinding sound, it just won't let you go into second.
Try http://passonperformance.com/
They helped me out a lot, and you can call them and explain your problem to them. If your problem is what I think it is, do not worry. The part is cheap and easy to change.

 

Thanks, Nice to know. I notice that that the reverse lever on the trans had moved back
and it wont stay all the way forward.

 

It looks like a spring and ball. My ball is missing thus the lever being able to move. I pulled the reverse spring plug out and the spring came out but no ball. Did you do it yourself? I ordered the ball and plug gaskets.

 

The ball came out once I drained the tranny. I had a magnetic screw that was the drain plug, so the ball was stuck to it.

 

Is the magnetic screw on all a-833 transmissions? I bet mine is there as well. I think the mag screw came only on the hemi shaft 4 spds.

 

Well, is your tranny the 18 or 23 spline?

 

I bet it is the 23. Good news, I drained the oil out and used a strong magnet, dragging it along the lower case to the drain hole and there was the 3/8 ball bearing. Used a small magnet to retrieve it at the opening.

Thanks for the great advice! Billy

 

AWSOME! Let me know how it goes once you change everything.

 

Trans works great. Thanks so much for the help!

 

Awsome!

 

That a great link for manual trannys...