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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.

Virtually identical linkage so I wouldn't be surprised if you don't have the same problem I did with my 47. Mine was fairly well corroded and almost a solid piece. If it isn't already rusted completely, you may have some success with penetrating oil at the problem spots but I wouldn't count on it totally freeing up without disassembly.

Whatever you do, do not try and force it free with the inside operator lever. Someone in my car's past did and broke the pot metal upper piece. I was able (I think) to repair mine but time will tell if it was a success.

When the linkage seemed to freeze on my 48 I found an oil hole on the steering column under the hood near where the shift leavers exit the steering column, I stuck one of those little plastic straw applicators in the oil hold and the other end to a can of PB Blaster and squirted a generous amount, seemed to free things up for me.

I wish mine would have freed up with just the oil hole but it was not to be.

There are some detailed photos and explanations in my project posts on why the oil hole alone may not free an already frozen linkage. Basically it is because the oil hole just has oil run down inside the tube where there isn't much going on. Some might dribble out the slot to lube the lower lever but never reaches the top shift lever splines unless some runs down on the outside when trying to hit the hole.

Sounds common.
I filled that hole up first thing too. I use the foamy kind that seems to work better and not run out right away. I'll try and find those project posts.
I'm hoping for the best but know I'll get the worst.
Any comment on that spring? Does it bust or rust easy? Most of all the other orig springs I encountered didn't make it.
Thanks.

The inner spring to return the lever could possibly rust but it's fairly substantial. The rod has 3 rubber anti-rattle bushings inside the tube which could have swollen and be binding the rod but would take a lot of swelling. There is a bushing affair at the top of column which could be causing the problem if it has dried up. Here is a photo of the disassembled lower end. The oil running down inside the tube only goes as far as the tongue affair and maybe out the slot to wick onto the splines to do any good. The rest just runs out the end of the open tube. My shift levers had almost completely corroded to the shift tube. If the tongue tried to move one, the other came along for the ride.

Other than the size and shape of shroud, I can't remember for sure how much difference there is between the 47 and 49. I think they are pretty much the same inner detail wise. At the wheel end, the large spring goes between the wheel and the upper bearing to keep bearing parts in place and quiet. I think the M shaped wire you mention is the same as this piece in the 47. I believe it's purpose is anti-rattle. That round post affair the wire presses against comes off with persuasion and under is the area where the bushing mentioned earlier is located and could use oil.

If you need to remove the column, the spring around the shaft presses against a part of the upper bearing (arrow) that usually has to come off before trying to remove the column. The shape of the ring compresses it against the shaft and acts as a retainer otherwise.

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Talk about a God send, H! Pix worth a thousand $$$...
There's no end "bushing" piece in the shifter shaft end on mine, where this shows the M wire connecting. Probably why it's in midair. But now know where the ends go. Surprised it didn't short the turn signal... You convinced me it's gotta B pulled apart... Thanks.
Maybe I shoulda bought those other 4 cars for parts, but my thinking is you end up with that many more things that don't work and have parts missing...Things like this try men's patience and thin their wallet.
After hearing they want $1100 to refurbish my steering wheel and $2800 to regrain my trim, this resto maybe forced to a hot rod mod. Epoxy is cheap but takes more time. Maybe I'll just whack off a 2x4, drill a hole, beat it on there, and go back to pre Packard tiller steering!
Looks like a frantic weekend walking the swap meet for the impossible part...

After more study of the parts diagram, not sure how I missed that plate before, it almost has to be the lever selector froze to the levers - cast to cast or the stub is broken off and jamming.
I can't move either lever (much) and at least one or both should be free if it's in neutral.
The diagram doesn't show that end bushing/anti-rattle, so now I'm not sure if that's a '47 thing or what, but (clue) I have the M spring.
I'll go down and disassemble the lower end and see if I can free it.

It looks like that missing end bushing is the end cap P/N 3.3255. Any leads on where to obtain? Kanter doens;t show, I'm checking the rest of the usual suspects.

It looks like that missing end bushing is the end cap P/N 3.3255. Any leads on where to obtain? Kanter doens;t show, I'm checking the rest of the usual suspects.