Need 4-speed help / advice

[scoutdrivinrebel]

1970 Cuda, 440, 4-speed. 

Drove the car about 2 miles from the house yesterday, ran through the gears once, no problems, nice easy driving.  Stopped at a light, started moving again (nice and easy), went 1st to second ok, shifted to third and I had no gear, shifted to fourth, same thing.  Engine just revs where 3rd and 4th should be, no engaging. Shifter moves freely up and down from 3rd to 4th, 4th to 3rd, feels like it isn't connected to anything.  Limped her home in second and put her up on the ramps.  Linkage looks to be ok externaly (everything moves as it should), but the gears simply won't engage.  It's like they aren't even there, definitely not connected to the linkage.  Never heard any noises of any kind, and again, I was driving her easy, had my 10yr old in the car with me.

What happened?  Any ideas?  I've got 1st, 2nd and reverse, no 3rd and 4th. 

[72cudamaan]

The linkage moves freely but are you sure the linkage is attached to the stud
properly? Should be a pair of flats on the stud and the bracket should fit snugly on it.
Maybe the nut holding the linkage is loose enough for the linkage to not engage
onto the stud?

[scoutdrivinrebel]

The linkage moves freely but are you sure the linkage is attached to the stud
properly? Should be a pair of flats on the stud and the bracket should fit snugly on it.
Maybe the nut holding the linkage is loose enough for the linkage to not engage
onto the stud?

Thanks for the response.  I'll check this next.  So hard to get under the car, even on ramps.  I'll squeeze under it tomorrow afternoon and check it again.  Any other ideas if this is not it?  Anyone?

Have to figure this out and get her back on the road.  Driving us crazy.

[MY J0B]

  That's what it sounds like to me.

[scoutdrivinrebel]

Ok, thanks guys.  I'll check it tomorrow.  So frustrating not being able to get under these cars w/o a lift.  Been working on IH Scouts for the past 20 years...used to being able to get under them and work on stuff w/o a problem.

[4 speed fish]

I would put 2 jack stands under the rear end.You will enough room to play with the linkage.Disconnect the 3- 4 rod from tranny.Shift the lever on the tranny by hand.If it goes into 3 and 4 then it is probably not the tranny but might be the shifter or the linkage is not lined up right.