I cannot seem to find any solid info on this topic. I am curious about the construction & length of the factory GS floor shift cable, and how it compares to the other GM A-body cars. From what I've seen, the GS is the only cable that has a rod on the trans end of the cable that uses a trunnion to make a final length adjustment. All of the other A-body cars seem to have fixed cable lengths, with fixed eyelets on each end. Does anyone know why Buick went this direction? And how does the mounting point to mounting point (clip to clip) lengths compare? And I suppose it makes sense to ask, were the trans end mounting brackets different - both the cable housing bracket and shift rod (input) bracket?
There were two different transmission cable brackets, depending on whether you had a THM350, or 400. AFAIK, the cables were the same. Why Buick went in the direction they did with the rod and trunion? Not sure, but it offers increased adjust-ability, and back then everyone had their own design before it made sense to consolidate. Never had the need to measure anybody else's cables, so no help there. Todd has the floor shift cable reproduction, https://www.stage1restoration.com/product/floor-shift-shift-cable/
Also I think the trunnion allows for the use of one cable for use with multiple transmissions th 350 ,400, and it was also used with the 2 speed automatic in 68.
It looks like all ‘68-72 console shift Buick A bodies took GM 1383520 and used three different brackets to attach it.* (Maybe changing a bracket and using one cable with three different transmissions was the logic?) I can’t find a modern cross reference for the cable. Parts Place may or may not have it, depending upon their catalog and who you get. I’d go with Todd’s. http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/parts-place-shift-cable-problems.50683/ Above are images from a ‘68 assembly manual. Patrick * ’68-‘72 T400 used1384208 bracket ‘68 ST300 used 1382857 ‘69-‘72 T350 used 1386731 The parts catalog mentions ST300 in ‘69 using the 1386731 from the T350.
