Fall Ride

[husker]

Got the GTR out yesterday and went on a 100 mile ride with a group of cool old cars and hot rods in the Omaha area. Picture is of a 3 mile preserved section of the original Lincoln highway near Elkhorn, NE. (later became US 30). A few stops at biker type bars along the way and even the old Harley guys will check out the GTR ask questions and thinks its pretty cool that it's been fixed up and is being ridden. I'm having problems with it not wanting to shift down. I can get it to 3rd gear and sometimes it won't go any further until I stop, kill the motor, and reach down and by hand giggle the shifter while rocking the bike back and forth. If I remember to shift down when the rpms are higher it will usually shift ok. At times I'm leave a stop sign in 3rd with the clutch squawking. Any thoughts?

[BRT-GTR]

               Sounds like a great rideout, the GTR will always attract attention, maybe that's why we all get so hooked on them  .

   With regards to the shift problem, could be a number of things but because you can get the lower gears by jiggling the pedal there are two things that 'spring' to mind.

    1) Change shaft return spring not centring properly. (should affect all gears)
    2) More likely, would be a sticking ratchet pawl or pole spring on the right hand end of the shift drum. Make sure the stopper plate goes back the right way round.

   Could also be something has come loose / broken on the shift mechanism but my money's on the springs. Bad news, both right side covers, clutch, carb, oil pump have to come off to get at them. While it's stripped and before the side cover goes on, check you can get all gears by manually turning the shift drum. This will show if you have a sticking/bent 3rd gear shift fork, that would be a complete strip down. Not a 5minute fix I'm afraid.
   
  Try to keep the clutch plates in order when removed and if you can, make sure they go back in the same slot position.  It will be interesting to see if you have any broken plates after those 3rd gear starts 
        Brian.

[husker]

Thanks for the input Brian. Sometime this winter I will pull off the right covers and hopefully find something wrong in the exposed mechanism. I put in all new springs when I assembled it earlier this year. The fork guide pins and drum guide bolt were all in good shape. The fork the moves 2nd gearA had a little wear on the tips. Hope the plates are ok as they are the new reproduction plates! A lot of times even starting out in 1st gear they will squawk a bit.........Rod

[slawsonb]

I really like the white Chevy wagon in the picture. Once a Chevy guy always a Chevy guy!
...bert

[husker]

My nephew organized this. Called it the Hot Rods of Omaha Reliability Run. Was around 80 cars and bike on it. Several old original survivor type vehicles. Was a fun day!  Another pic of the wagon Bert.

[slawsonb]

Lookin' Good on the GTR and thanks for the pic of the wagon, Rod. I have a '65 Impala Convertible, but there's something just cool about old hot rod wagons!
...bert

[srpackrat49]

i had a 1957 FORD wagon in high school....... if i went out to pick up my date.... there parents were not reel happy about the car... and yes.. i did have a bed in the back.... if i showed up on my 175 dt.... well it wasn,t much better!!!!       we don,t like you going out with boys like that.  but thats all i had!!!