hi i'm new to the site and i just bought a 86 monte carlo not ss, it has a 400 sbc in it with a 700r4 transmission. i was told it has no reverse but all foward gears work just fine. i have been reading up on here and someone said that the column shift monte carlo's had 3 speeds in them... and that the 700r4 trans is a 4 speed. could this possibly mean that the stock 3 spd column shift just passes up the reverse gear on the 700r and it might actually be ok? thanks for readin and any help would be great.

 

beign your car is a sc it originally had a th200 3 Speed, so you may be correct, one way you could check is put the rear end up on jack stands get some beer to bribe a friend or tell the g/f or wife u'll buy her somthing nice if she helps you disconect the linkage from the trans and have friend/girl start the car and then take a wrench small enought to fit where the tinkage bolts up, and run it trought the gears and see if it goes into revers if it does get yourself a floor shifter and then your golden!

 

agreed^^^

 

Thats exactly what i would do to check it. ALSO, make sure that who ever is working the pedals to make sure they put step on the brakes before you change gears from PARK-REVERSE and REVERSE-DRIVE and back again. Dont want to damage the trans if its just a linkage problem.

 

alright thanks alot fellas i'll give that a shot either tonight or tomorrow and if thats the problem..hurst quarter stick it is haha