1950s '54 series 62 gear shift lever broken/missing spring?

[Julien Abrahams]

Since I purchased the car last year, I noticed that the shift lever is quite "loose": it can move backward and forward (towards dash and towards me) without any spring pressure to push it towards the dash (like in my '67). So I think there should be a spring in there somewhere which has either moved or broken.
So my question is: how can I fix that? I don't know where the spring actually is or how I can get to it. I have seen pictures of it on ebay and in the glove compartment there is a piece that looks like that. If the part on ebay is correct, it looks like a bent piece of spring steel, not like a coil spring. In the shop manuel I could not find it.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Nickl]

Hope this two pictures help you

[Cadillac Jack 82]

To replace you'll have to pull the steering wheel but outside of that its an easy fix.

[walt chomosh #23510]

Julien,
  We have a CLC member who has a stash of those springs. If interested let me know and I'll dig out his name and contact....walt...tulsa,ok

[Jay Friedman]

My friend the Caddy Wizard (Art Gardner) and I wrote an article on how to obtain and replace the broken spring in the steering column that causes shift lever "floppiness".  I don't know how to post it to this forum, but if you email me at jaysfriedman(at)yahoo.com, I'll reply with the article attached.  As Cadillac Jack mentioned, it's not particularly difficult.

[CadillacFanBob]

@Jay Friedman is your how-to article listed in the Self-Starter technical section?

Bob

[Nickl]

My friend the Caddy Wizard (Art Gardner) and I wrote an article on how to obtain and replace the broken spring in the steering column that causes shift lever "floppiness".  I don't know how to post it to this forum, but if you email me at jaysfriedman(at)yahoo.com, I'll reply with the article attached.  As Cadillac Jack mentioned, it's not particularly difficult.

Would be interested in the article too

[Jay Friedman]

@Jay Friedman is your how-to article listed in the Self-Starter technical section?

Bob

I looked and didn't find it. 

[Nickl]

My friend the Caddy Wizard (Art Gardner) and I wrote an article on how to obtain and replace the broken spring in the steering column that causes shift lever "floppiness".  I don't know how to post it to this forum, but if you email me at jaysfriedman(at)yahoo.com, I'll reply with the article attached.  As Cadillac Jack mentioned, it's not particularly difficult.

Wanted to send you a mail but I always received a notice that the mail Addy is not correct

[Julien Abrahams]

@ Walt: I searched the glovebox only to find a cable clip that when you look at it quickly, it resembles the gear shift lever spring. But it was not...
If you could send me his contact details, that would be great.
@jAY: I got your article by mail. Thank you, it is very helpfull.

Once I get the spring, I can then replace it.

[Julien Abrahams]

@ Walt: Do you have the contact details from that CLC member who has these springs please?
Then I can send him an e-mail and order the spring. Thanks in advance.
Regards,

Julien Abrahams.

[Jay Friedman]

@ Walt: Do you have the contact details from that CLC member who has these springs please?
Then I can send him an e-mail and order the spring. Thanks in advance.
Regards,

Julien Abrahams.

I only have his address and phone number, as written in the article on replacing the spring.  I looked in the CLC directory and there is no email address listed for him.

[Julien Abrahams]

While looking on e-bay I found one of those springs for abour $22,- (excluding 25 dollars in shipping).
After doing a Google search I found this thread here on the forum: https://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=125025.0

It describes the dimensions of the spring and that it is just made of simple springsteel. Then I found this local company who make spring steel and asked if I could by a small plate (about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide) to make the spring myself. The company was very willing to help and they will send me a piece of springsteel for free! I ordered the piece in 0,1 mm thick as I figured that this spring is not under heavy tension (as it only has to push the shift lever back). Once it arrives, I can make the spring myself using the dimensions described in the post stated above.
I will keep you guys posted.

[Nickl]

While looking on e-bay I found one of those springs for abour $22,- (excluding 25 dollars in shipping).
After doing a Google search I found this thread here on the forum: https://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=125025.0

It describes the dimensions of the spring and that it is just made of simple springsteel. Then I found this local company who make spring steel and asked if I could by a small plate (about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide) to make the spring myself. The company was very willing to help and they will send me a piece of springsteel for free! I ordered the piece in 0,1 mm thick as I figured that this spring is not under heavy tension (as it only has to push the shift lever back). Once it arrives, I can make the spring myself using the dimensions described in the post stated above.
I will keep you guys posted.

I have 3 of these as spare part in my garage.
Can make you a drawing of the exact dimenson if you want

[Julien Abrahams]

It certainly would not hurt.
I guess the dimensions that are stated in the post are straightforward. The total length of the small plate is 48 mm and it is 19mm wide. Once bent, over a 10 mm rod, the distance between the two openings of the "u" (the spread) is 25 mm.
A drawing would be great.

[CadillacFanBob]

All great information here, I will look for a business that has parts shipped on pallets and get the old strapping from them to make my own.

Bob

[Julien Abrahams]

Well, the envelope with 3 pieces of spring steel arrived (instead of 1). I think they are samples, but I am very happy that they sent 3. 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm thick. The 0.1 is really thin so I think 0.2 or 0.3 will work best. Hopefully the old spring is still in there and then it is also easy to compare and measure.
Perhapse that is a nice job for over the weekend .

[CadillacFanBob]

I received my NOS shift lever spring today from Joe Alcorn

It measures: 51mm long X 20mm Wide X 1.47mm Thick

Bob

EDIT: Spring opening 23mm

[Julien Abrahams]

Those measurements seem about right. I made my own yesterday based on the dimensions of the old broken spring. The original spring measures about 19 mm wide, 50 mm long but it is 0,7 mm thick. The spring steel that I ordered was 0,3 mm thick (I ordered the spring steel before taking it apart). The description I got from Jay was very helpfull and with a few adaptations it is a relatively easy repair which can done in about an hour. 
The original is 0,7 mm thick and the one I have in there now is 0,3 mm thick, so it has less resistance. I might change it in the future to the 0,7 mm thick one because now it is not as strong as I would like. I think the steering wheel has been taken off in the past. The gear indicator scraped passed the letters (loosening and moving the hold down screw for the pointer just a small bit fixed that) and the the horn ring would rattle a bit.
When I put everything back together, the horn contact made contact with the inner inner side of the splined shaft. So I put a small piece of plastic hose (about 1/2 long) over it. Now everything is back together and working nicely. The horn ring also does not rattle anymore and the shift lever works nicely.
I do have some pointers if people are intereseted and plan on doing this job in the (near future). So if anyone is interested, I can post a message here describing some tips and tricks.

[Caddy Wizard]

Here is the article Jay Friedman wrote (with my input) many years ago.  The particular car was a 1949 Cadillac, but the same principles apply to a 1954 Cadillac.