Dan,

Did it get stuck in two gears? If it did, the shift lever may be in 2nd gear, but the first-reverse arm has slid into first or reverse. In this case, you should be able to move the first-reverse arm to its middle position (neutral). There must be no force on the transmission when you do this. If there is force, you might not be able to move the lever. To be sure of there being no force, you could jack up a rear wheel until it is not touching the ground, and release the hand brake. I've had this happen to me in several makes of cars having the "two arm" transmission (as found in Hudson after 1951), such as Plymouth, Dodge, Chevrolet and Packard.

Per

Could you be a bit more specific? I assume of course that this is a manual transmission. Is it an overdrive, as well?

Under what conditions did this happen? Was it behaving just fine and then suddenly locked up?

Or were you noticing a sporadic difficulty in shifting, before this happened?

Did it happen one morning when you first started the car, or did it happen as you were driving?

Another problem, of course, is that the clutch is mis-adjusted or that you need to add Hudsonite.

Car has 27.000 mile but has been parked since '98.It is an automatic

Is the engine running now? On a HydraMatic transmission, placing it in reverse engages a parking pawl. It might not unlock unless the engine is running and building pressure in the transmission.

Hey Dan! 27,000 miles and hasn't been driven since '98? That's a shame! I did watch that 'vert go for 75K. Transmission locked up and needed more than the obligatory polishing it got before the auction. Amazing. I watched with my mouth open collecting flies. Would love to see some pics of your '53!

As far as your transmission goes, try what Dave suggested and then exercise your cars!

When my friend bought this car in '98,the trans was locked up,the car was running and he just put it away and never got back to it.I just bought the pair and haven't started yet,and didn't know if there was a fix without pulling out.I knew about reverse lock,just like my '55 Coupe DeVille.

I will check mine in about an hour, but if that is correct about the engine being running before you can get it out of R (park) then I will NEVER put it into R-Park. How can you get a roll-back if the engine won't run and you are miles and miles from home--flat spot rear tires??

Hey Russ,I think the price of everyone's Hudsons should go up after that '53 went so high! I just got this pair and can't wait to give them some exercise,it snowed here three weeks after I got them and had to put away till it warms up(no heat in the barn) if it ever does.It has snowed here every weekend for the last two months! I'm planning on changing all the fluids in both cars before I do anything.The '54 was started 5 years ago and run fine.The '53 hasn't run since '03,the carb is being rebuilt with one of WRP's kits for this damned Ethynol we have here for gas.The tank was cleaned and I have fresh gas to the carb.I know she'll run,was running good when parked. Check out both my rides in the gallery..I'd like to know how many cars had that crazy pink and blue interior.

Richard,I just talked to my transmission guy,and he said that pulling the car should unlock it unless moisture got in there and who knows if the fluid was every changed with so few miles on it.We put oil on the rollback under the tire that was dragging to get it out of the barn and it slid back off too.I'm probably going to pull it after hearing that .I never had a problem with the Cady locking.

If one rear wheel was turning and the other was locked up, the problem isn't the transmission. Sounds like a seized brake drum/shoe.
F

[quote="Frank Hughes" post=9437]If one rear wheel was turning and the other was locked up, the problem isn't the transmission. Sounds like a seized brake drum/shoe.
F

This sounds more likely. Also, is it a Borg-Warner or GM hydro?. Neutral is at the top of a Hydro, Borg has a "Park".

More likely and much easier to deal with, especially since the entire brake system will need an overhaul anyway.
Frank

Frank, I thought the same thing at first but the car rolled backward when we where pulling it on the rollback and would not roll off.The guy with the rollback has had lots of old cars and said he had seen it before when the trans was locked up.I haven't even pulled a wheel yet just trying to get an idea what I might be up against.Spring not far off and I can't wait to tear into these two.Luckily,I found all new wheel cylinders,shoes and drums in my parts stash.It is a GM trans,no neutral

Dan, this is actually common with brakes that are hung up. If the brake shoes are applied andf/or stuck, they will somewhat release going backwards, but will not allow you to go forwards. Just my experience in the past.