I just purchased a 65 Mustang, have driven it a few times. Admittedly I'm a beginner at stick shift. However, it is now sitting in my garage and I'm having a problem with the stick. I can't seem to shift into different gears. When I try to move from gear to gear the stick is blocked from going into 1,2, 3,4 etc. But, I think it is in gear as when I lift up the clutch the car moves forward slightly, but it seems like it's in neutral when I'm moving around the stick. I can't idle without the clutch depressed. Any suggestions would be appreciated. The owner is a friend and never had that happen to him (but is in a different city so can't come over & check it out).

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is it an original shifter with the reverse lock out?

 

Shifter linkage probably needs adjustment This is a good time to go get yourself a Factory Service Manual to learn how. Lacking that, set the front on jack stands and come back here for an explanation.

 

hmm, perhaps the clutch linkage is out of place? i know my clutch is on its way south...sometimes it makes my transmission slam fist gear becasue itdosent clear allthe way.

when you have it in "gear" how much sideways movment is there in the shifter? if its just a little, id say thats normal for the shifter. I am assuming that your car just dies without any gringing when you take your foot off the clutch when in Neutral?

 

If the clutch wasn't disengaging completely, you'd still be able to shift gears with the engine off. You'd also get grinding when trying to shift gears with the engine running, not a completely blocked shift.

 

Please set all FOUR corners on jackstands. Your new at the whole clutch thing per your first post. I'd really hate to see you make a mistake with the shifter/clutch/linkage and dump it off the stands and damage either yourself or the car.

FWIW.

 

Sounds like the linkage is either hung up or out of adjustment!! Go get a book on it as now is a good time to learn and I agree with blue66mustang,if you have never worked on something with a stick either jack all 4 corners or at the very least get someone to help that knows what they are doing!! I would like to have you around for a few more posts not DEAD because a car fell on top of you!![8D]PS WELCOME!!

 

Take it easy on him. You don't wanna scare him away!!! But seriously, Indy65 get yourself a book. That way you can learn about your whole car. Keep asking questions, lots of useful and iformative guys on here that enjoy Mustangs.

And WELCOME TO THE SITE!!!

 

Sorry, I assumed he knew enough to block the back wheels before jacking the car up. You don't really need to set it on 4 jack stands. I never rely on the tranny staying in gear to keep the back end from rolling while I'm under the car.

 

A lot of good suggestions here for you follow. One more thing you could try is double clutching. Depress the clutch and shift out of gear. Release the clutch and then depress it again to shift into the next gear. This is not necessary on a car where the clutch and transmission is operating properly, but in my old 69 years ago I had to do it for a while to get around a problem with with syncros. However, my problem was two fold - it was difficult to get into the next gear AND I would sometimes get a gear grinding noise as it went in. I am tending to lean towards the loose or out of adjustment linkage suggested by the others here.