May be as simple as loosening the bolt holding the upper adjustment on top of the steering column, just behind the steering box and sliding the bracket up or down a bit until the cross-over to 1st-Reverse gate is complete and free of binding. If that doessn't do the trick, you need to check the rear or bottom end of the cable where it bolts to the transmission at the top near the cover. Make sure the bracket there is not loose, and that the cable hosuing is calmaped properly, and the cable itself is firmly attached to the cross-over actuation lever.

=13.6pxHANDY SHIFT
=10.4pxConstruction
=12px"Handy Shift" gear shifting mechanism is
=12pxoperated from a control lever located just
=12pxbelow the steering wheel. This lever is
=12pxpivoted in a housing that is attached to
=12pxthe upper end of a tube placed just above
=12pxand parallel with the steering column.
=12pxThe backward and forward movement of the
=12pxgearshift lever (1) Fig. 204, imparts a
=12pxrotary motion to the tube (7) and lever
=12pxwhich is welded to its lower end. This
=12pxrotary motion moves the control tube to the
=12pxtransmission rod (27) and shift shaft outer
=12pxlever (24) backward and forward. The shift
=12pxshaft is fastened in the transmission case
=12pxand is operated by this outer lever. An
=12pxinner lever mounted on the shift shaft
=12pxmoves the gears into their different posi-
=12pxtions.
=12pxAdjustment of the Handy Shift Operating
=12pxRod is made by placing the gear shift
=12pxcontrol lever in neutral position and
=12pxremoving the cotter pin and clevis pin from
=12pxthe steering end of the rod (7).
=12pxThe transmission shift lever (24) and
=12pxthe Handy Shift lever (1) must be in the
=12pxneutral position. Loosen rod lock nut (32)
=12pxon rod (27) and turn clevis (33) in or out
=12pxuntil the clevis pin will drop into the
=12pxcontrol lever tube lower lever (34).
=10.4pxHandy Shift Cross Shifting
=12pxThis is a sidewise shifting movement
=12pxenabling engagement of the gears desired.
=12pxA wire cable (17) operates the shift
=12pxselector lever outer (26) Fig. 204, which
=12pxis mounted on the shift selector shaft.
=12pxAdjustment of the Handy Shift Cross
=12pxShifting is made with the hand control
=12pxlever in the extreme up position which is
=12pxbetween the low and reverse positions.
=12pxLoosen bolt (35) at the lower end of the
=12pxsteering column and pull the casing
=12pxbracket (5) upward until all slack is out
=12pxof the casing and the shift lever at the
=12pxtransmission is fully over to the low and
=12pxreverse side. Check this position at
=12pxtransmission.
=12pxTighten the bracket capscrew (35) in
=12pxplace. The anchor (22) in control wire
=12pxshould have clearance at the top and bottom
=12pxof travel.
=12pxHANDY SHIFT CONTROL TUBE UPPER BRACKET
=12pxAND CONTROL LEVER REMOVAL
=12px1. Remove horn button and steering wheel.
=12px(See "Steering Gear Section").
=12px2. Remove control tube upper bracket (10)
=12pxclamp bolt, using a Phillips screwdriver.
=12px3. Remove upper bracket (10) and fulcrum
=12pxbracket ring (6).
=12px4. Remove control lever fulcrum screw
=12px(4).
=12px5. Remove lever (1) and anti-rattle
=12pxwasher (3).
=12px6. Remove control wire anchor (22) at the
=12pxbottom of the steering column and push end
=12px(14) of push rod (12) upward to expose
=12pxcontrol lever push rod end, upper (13).
=12pxTo reassemble, reverse the procedure of
=12pxremoval. Apply a small amount of viscous
=12pxchassis grease in the bracket (10) before
=12pxinstalling.
=12pxHANDY SHIFT CONTROL LEVER FULCRUM
=12pxBRACKET REMOVAL
=12px1. Remove front seat cushion and install
=12pxanti-grease covers of front seat back.
=12px. Remove accelerator pedal by removing
=12pxclevis pins from anchor bracket and bell
=12pxcrank link.
=12px3. Remove the screws holding the kick
=12pxpad to the dash also the floor mat trim
=12pxclips and remove the floor mat.
=12px4. Remove transmission opening floor
=12pxcover.
=12px5. Remove horn button and steering wheel.
=12px6. Disconnect control rod (27) at•
=12pxsteering gear end.
=12px7. Remove control wire casing anchor
=12pxbracket bolt and wire anchor (22).
=12px8. Remove jacket tube bracket cap.

=12px9. Remove jacket tube and control tube
=12px(7) from the steering column jacket tube.
=12px10. Remove control tube upper bracket
=12pxclamp bolt, bracket (10) and bracket ring
=12px(6).
=12px11. Remove control lever fulcrum (4),
=12pxcontrol lever (1) and anti-rattle washer
=12px(3).
=12pxNOTE: When necessary to remove the
=12pxfulcrum bracket (5), remove fulcrum bracket
=12pxset screw, mark control tube (7) and
=12pxfulcrum bracket to insure the bracket being
=12pxreinstalled in the proper position and
=12pxpress the tube out of the bracket.
=12pxTo reassemble, reverse the procedure of
=12pxremoval and be careful to replace the
=12pxfulcrum bracket (5) on the control tube
=12px(7), in exactly the same position from
=12pxwhich it was removed.
=12pxAdjust the casing anchor bracket before
=12pxthe final tightening of the control wire
=12pxcasing anchor bracket bolt. Proper clear-
=12pxance must be left at the top and bottom for
=12pxthe cable anchor (22).
=12pxHANDY SHIFT CONTROL TUBE LOWER
=12pxBRACKET REMOVAL
=12px1. Remove the steering jacket tube and
=12pxcontrol tube (7) as outlined under "Handy
=12pxShift Control Lever Fulcrum Bracket Remov-
=12pxal" steps 1 thru 9, inclusive.
=12px2. Remove the lower bracket clamp bolt
=12pxand slide off bracket (11).
=12pxTo reassemble, reverse the procedure of
=12pxremoval and make certain that the control
=12pxtube compression spring seat (9) is placed
=12pxin position below the spring (8).
=12pxAdjust the wire casing anchor bracket to
=12pxprovide proper clearance at the top and
=12pxbottom for the wire anchor (22).
=12pxHANDY SHIFT CONTROL LEVER PUSH
=12pxROD REMOVAL
=12px1. Remove horn button and steering wheel.
=12px2. Remove upper bracket clamp bolt to
=12pxallow removal of upper bracket (5) and ring
=12px(6).
=12px3. Remove control lever fulcrum (4)
=12pxcontrol lever (1) and anti-rattle washer
=12px(3).
=12px4. Remove wire anchor (22) at the lower
=12pxend of the steering column and disconnect
=12pxwire (17).
=12px5. Loosen wire casing anchor bracket bolt
=12px(35) and detach wire casing anchor (19)
=12pxfrom lower bracket.
=12px6. Pull lower push rod end (14) down far
=12pxenough to remove the key attaching push rod
=12px(12) to push rod end (13).
=12px7. Remove push rod upper end (13).
=12px8. Remove upper compression spring (15)
=12pxand seat (16) with a wire hook.
=9.6pxPAGE 184 =9.6pxTRANSMISSION =9.6px SECTION 9=9.6px SECTION 9 =9.6pxTRANSMISSION =9.6px =9.6pxPAGE 185
=12pxHANDY SHIFT CONTROL LEVER PUSH ROD
=12pxINSTALLATION
=12px1. Install the upper compression spring
=12pxseat (16) and spring (15) on the push rod
=12px(12) and install in control tube (17).
=12pxApply a coat of viscous chassis lubri-
=12pxcant to the push rod ends when assembling
=12pxthem in the control tube.
=12px2. Assemble upper push rod end (13) to
=12pxpush rod (12) with key assembled toward
=12pxfront of car.
=12px3. Install lower push rod end (14) on
=12pxpush rod (12) and assemble with key toward
=12pxfront of car.
=12px4. Install control lever (1) and anti-
=12pxrattle washer (3) with end of lever engaged
=12pxin push rod (13).
=12px5. Install control lever fulcrum (4) with
=12pxshakeproof lock washer.
=12px6. Install control wire (17) in lower
=12pxpush rod end (14) and install wire anchor
=12px(22).
=12pxHold control lever in extreme up position
=12pxand adjust control wire casing anchor
=12pxbracket (18) and tighten bolt (35) secure-
=12pxly.
=12px7. Install steering wheel and horn button.
 

Thank you, Ken, for your help I will try what you suggest and let you know how it works out.

Make sure that you lube the rod that travels inside the shift tube.  These get real gummed up and don't allow the rod to travel freely in between gates. If you look at the shifter yoke on the column, it is open in the back. Using a rag to catch the spray, flood the back side of the tube where it is open.  These are almost always gummed up and cause sticking and shifting problems. Also, verify the actual yoke is NOT loose on the tube, this will also cause erractic shifting concerns.  hope this helps

Thank you Doug,
I appreciate your advise and will be sure to check both of those. I will let you know how it works out as well.

Something I also failed to mention.   Whenever you have overdrive, you should try to make it a HABIT to pull the engagement cable OUT when not using and also when backing up. By design, there is a spring in the back of the O/drive that works against the main shift rail detents in the main trans. If all the parts were new, springs,shift rails, etc,.... then it probably wouldn't be an issue, but because of the age and use, we have found simply pull the cable out,  it really helps the shifter to stay in reverse when selected. Also, just as a safety issue, pulling the cable out.  Also when the Overdrive cable is pushed in[engaged], you lose engine braking capabilities, of course because it has a free-wheeling, one-way sprag in the O/drive. Hope this helps, Doug

Thanks again Doug, I do not have overdrive but hope to get it installed maybe next year.

Warren, lubing and oiling all the linkage is still required regardless equipped with overdrive or not. Pay very close attention to spraying some type of free-all,blaster and/or equivelent in the back side of the yoke inside the car. Use a rag to catch the excess running out.

[size=150]Getting excited about going to the 2021 Beeline Cruise-in Car Show in Payson, Arizona this weekend. Planning on driving my 1942 Hudson 164 miles up 77 to Globe, then 188 to 87 and Payson. Should be a lot of fun and some great October weather.  Hope to see many other Hudson's and car club members while at the show. I will be posting some pictures from my route on the way, as well as pictures from the show.[/size]