1957 Neutral Safety Switch

[knuckle47]

Best pricing I’ve gotten on the ones I am looking at will be around $5500 +/-. Self assembly, drip trays included, 4 casters to roll it around and sliding Jack plate, double locking mechanism on all 4 of the 9 foot vertical posts. These are wide body 108” + with 3’ aluminum ramps. Problem is I have no concrete pad yet or building to house the lift. I live on a very rural piece of wooded land with packed gravel parking area and I would need to get a building set up quickly( and that IS the easy part) but the town and other required talents move at a “pretty soon ” pace and I move at “ within the hour” pace. So since November, I just got the survey. Frustrating to say the least.

I was going to have it shipped anyway but then I would be tempted to erect it and use it …exposed to sand, snow, dirt and gravel instead of the security of a clean dry indoor floor. I ve got a lot of work to do and I ain’t getting any younger.

 

[KENN]

good luck on getting your building done. i dont have that option so i poured 4 16 x 36 x 4in thick pads when i moved it to the back yard

 

[calbears]

1957 with automatic transmission will not turn over in park, only neutral. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Dick Rupp]

The little birds only started in neutral. This was standard on automatic transmissions. I like to think it helps to stop from being stolen. You have it in park. Someone jumps in and tries to steal it. Not many people today know they only start in neutral. Car thief runs away, car is safe. You can purchase a switch that allows the car to be started in park from Tbird vendors.

 

[calbears]

Thank you for your replies which are completely correct. I looked in the car’s handbook as suggested and it was there in black and white that the car will only start in N. It pays to read. I just inherited this car. Funny thing is I have another 57, which I inherited years ago, however, it has a manual transmission.

 

[Ward 57]

Thank you for your replies which are completely correct. I looked in the car’s handbook as suggested and it was there in black and white that the car will only start in N. It pays to read. I just inherited this car. Funny thing is I have another 57, which I inherited years ago, however, it has a manual transmission.

Another trick to prevent theft is to unscrew the knob until it stops at the button. You can't push the button to get it out of Park. 30sec and you don't have to purchase the keyed trans lock frustrating a ner do well even more.

 

[doug7740]

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[JRH]

Any body have a diagram of the install on a neutral safety switch. under the car I can see where the bracket is bolted to but not anywhere the hookup for the rod and pin.

 

[cokefirst]

It was not just the Thunderbird but all cars and trucks prior to the 1958 model year with an automatic transmission were designed to start in neutral only. I am used to putting it in neutral to start, so I don't have a problem with it. I do think it is funny that some people get in to start it in park and tell me there is something wrong with the switch!

 

[doug7740]

Any body have a diagram of the install on a neutral safety switch. under the car I can see where the bracket is bolted to but not anywhere the hookup for the rod and pin.

Here is an article on replacing the neutral safety switch.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[JRH]

Being 65 with neck problems and working on jack stands does the rod on the switch go all the way in with the shiftier in N for the adjustment? I'd like to do it in one shot.