# '69, TH400 Shifter Cable



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Howdy everyone! Long time....

How's everyone been?

I'm looking for a GOOD quality replacement shifter cable for my '69 -aka- 'the Beast'. The original GM 9791611 part number cables are discontinued, and the ones I've found on places like Ebay are "priced accordingly" - as in close to $200 each. The cable I have it in now, works - kinda - but not very well. It's an aftermarket cable I've had in it for a couple years now, and I don't actually remember the vendor/source. It has problems. It's too stiff, not the right length (just a little too long) and creates enough "slop"/play in the shifter to make things unpleasant. Moving from Park to Drive I have to "overshoot" it a little and then move it back forward while feeling for the detent on the transmission, and forget about trying to use the shifter in ratchet mode. The play is 100% certain in the cable. I've had the shifter out of the car, disassembled, and "worked" it to make sure that there's no play or slack in any of the joints or pins, so I know it's not the shifter.

I have an OER brand cable on order already from Summit, part number OER 498467, so I hope it's a better solution than what I have. Does anyone have any alternatives, or perhaps personal experience with the cable I'm getting?

Thanks,
Bear


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## p.rat75 (Oct 26, 2019)

You might look at the "Shiftworks" site for a replacement cable. Or "Inline Tube". Good luck!


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## Mine'sa66 (Oct 30, 2019)

You can get some of the slop out of it by fastening it firmly every foot of so. A real PIA, and probably worth paying for a new one instead. But, you can make it better. The slop is usually the whole cable/sheath flexing before the internal cable moves.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Mine'sa66 said:


> You can get some of the slop out of it by fastening it firmly every foot of so. A real PIA, and probably worth paying for a new one instead. But, you can make it better. The slop is usually the whole cable/sheath flexing before the internal cable moves.





Mine'sa66 said:


> You can get some of the slop out of it by fastening it firmly every foot of so. A real PIA, and probably worth paying for a new one instead. But, you can make it better. The slop is usually the whole cable/sheath flexing before the internal cable moves.


I "did some things" and now it's nice and tight, and hits every shift detent like it's supposed to. "Thing one" was to completely tear down the shifter and go through it, making sure everything was clean, well lubed, and also removing all the slop where I could. For example, there are several pivot points where parts are held in place by pins and clevises (clevii?). Over time the pivot holes had worn and gotten sloppy to the point where it allowed the shifter handle to move a good little bit without moving the shifter cable end at all. I found that I could peen the holes with a ball peen hammer and bodywork spoon to tighten them back up to remove said slop. 

Also on my '69 the factory shifter was supported only by the rear bracket. The front of the shifter was left hanging in mid air. It came from the factory that way - there was no bracketry or provision on either the floor or the shifter to secure the front of the shifter, other than the insides of the console, so the entire shifter assembly was able to flex a little up and down/front to rear. So for "thing two" I fabricated an additional bracket that let me secure the front of the shifter to the floor so that it can't do that any more. 

All of that, plus a good cable from Shiftworks, and it's working better now than it has in years - including manual ratchet mode.

Bear


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## BLK69JUDGE (Jun 10, 2010)

thank you for the great update


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## RRconductor76 (Nov 29, 2016)

Bear, do you remember the part number from Shiftworks that you purchased? I am in need of one myself and it is hard to find one that is the same length as the original.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

RRconductor76 said:


> Bear, do you remember the part number from Shiftworks that you purchased? I am in need of one myself and it is hard to find one that is the same length as the original.


I'm pretty sure that it was the 30" cable

Shiftworks Shift Cable

However as I recall, the boot/grommet that bolts to the hole in the floorpan is "different" than factory, and I may have swapped it out with the boot from my old cable.

Bear


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## Bopman (7 mo ago)

My sons 72 lemans has bucket seat and no shifter to be found.....we use the back lock system! And the people at the car show look and look for a shifter !! We get a kick out of watching them search ! We sit off from the car and watch, occasionally people will look around to see if anybody is watching and I will wave at them and they come up and ask " well where is it" and I tell them about the back lock system on the column and we all just have a big laugh ! 😂😂


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## RRconductor76 (Nov 29, 2016)

BearGFR said:


> I'm pretty sure that it was the 30" cable
> 
> Shiftworks Shift Cable
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info Bear.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Bopman said:


> My sons 72 lemans has bucket seat and no shifter to be found.....we use the back lock system! And the people at the car show look and look for a shifter !! We get a kick out of watching them search ! We sit off from the car and watch, occasionally people will look around to see if anybody is watching and I will wave at them and they come up and ask " well where is it" and I tell them about the back lock system on the column and we all just have a big laugh ! 😂😂


Now that's funny...


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## BLK69JUDGE (Jun 10, 2010)

I have spare nice original 70 GTO 30" th400 shift cable...
moves smooth
good boot

Scott
206 4six5 9165


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