column shift linkage frozen

Posted by Fish'n Jim On 2013/9/19 15:18:34

maybe someone can shed some light. I've traced down my 3 spd column shift is froze, mostly, and can not shift gears from inside. The trans shifts if you manipulate the levers, so it's free. I also checked it when I had running and it goes forward, back, neutral.
I had the steering wheel off today for other reasons and I'm forcing penetrating oil down the inside of the shaft. It's moving a bit more now, but not barely an inch or two at the lever end.
The service manual calls for a long spring down at the other end of the selector rod that's supposed to hold the lever up. I don't know if somethings broke, just rusted or 64 years of hardened grease froze. I'm reluctant to tear it apart just yet. The steering wheel needs restored to continue. There comes a point where you're better off modernizing, if too many things need correction. After all a gorgoeus complete original survivor sold last year for under $25K. That doesn't leave alot of smart money to spend on restoration... I'm committed to leaving the interior stock.
They had a rigged lever connection, for lack of a spacer bushing, so I fixed that, but that's not the issue but who knows what else might be gamed.
1. Are there any suggestions on how to free, or common issues, I need to know?
2. When I took the steering wheel off, a big spring pushed out and a wire like retainer, came out, and I don't find any diagrams for under the wheel. Any idea where it attaches? It's not obvious. It's "M" shaped with two curled ends for attaching somewhere. I thought it might retain the spring, but it didn't do it's job. Thanks.