Technical Anyone build a manual shifter for an auto trans?

Curious if anyone has taken a manual shifter and converted it over to work on an auto trans to give the car a manual trans look to it?

I have thought about this thru the years. Thought it might be a fun endeavor to convert that hurst plus 4 speed shifter to work on a hydro.

Thought a Mr.gasket straight gate would work good with its reverse lock out lever and use that as a park lock.

Any pics?

 

A great idea considering the availability of used Hurst Competition Plus shifters and the lack of the Auto Stick shifters, no other automatic shifter has "the look" of a four speed shifter.

 

B&M Unimatic?

It's a really crappy shifter, but could be mistaken for a 4 speed.

 

I've build a couple shifters for automatic transmissions, they look nothing like a 4 speed shifter, but work pretty well.

 

I use Model A shift levers and the rest of my home made shifter is kinda like a Lokar--kinda. Made one for my C6 and two on turbo 350s

 

I did that on my old 40 Ford sedan, I just used reverse/first gear leaver and connected the linkage to the automatic transmission.

It took a little time playing with the linkage to get everything right but it work good. HRP

 

In the thread HRP started “Do you prefer manual or automatic “ someone posted a pic of what looked like a Hurst stick with the ball knob on it. With the shifter boot it looked just like a manual

 

Simple enough considering linear back/forth shifting, but without detents/lockouts, I think you're asking for trouble.

 

Make sure to hang a clutch pedal to seal the faux deal.

 

...it will still be an auto when it it all said and done. One more for my “I don’t know why” collection.

 

they suck when you power shift into 3rd!

 

Using the original column shift it is pretty light and I never had it drop out of gear, it seems the transmission detente was enough to keep it in the desired gear, that is if it is not accidentally knocked out of gear. HRP

 

Yes, I did exactly that for my '39 Chev coupe build this year. I looked all over at what was available, and they all sucked. Nothing looked traditional, or correct for my needs, so I decided to build my own.
I started with a old Hurst shifter, and using one of the two mounting holes as a pivot, I tacked on 3/8" thick 1" wide flat bar. Just enough tacks to hold it. Then I mad up a mounting plate with a hole drilled to pivot on, and made up an operating rod from 3/8" rod and threaded it for 3/8"-NF threads, and bought two heim ends to adjust where it sits.
I drilled several holes in the flat bar to see which gave me the travel between detents I liked. Then once I got it figured out I pulled it off, and cut the excess off, and welded it up solid.
Don't have a good picture, but you can see it here:



I bought a round plate, with leather boot, as I liked this look better than the usual rubber accordion boot on shifters. It works just great, and I only have about $20 in it for the plate/boot, and two heim joints.

 

I had a Unimatic shifter in one of my old pickups...it was exciting the time it went into reverse while I was driving down the road. I was pretty careful with it after that.

A reverse lockout would be a good idea

 

I think it could be done easily enough, a factory shifter has a button on the side or on top, a lever like my old B&M Star shifter could handle the lockout

 

that's a neat picture of the star shifter....here's mine, in my 59.

 

Google LOKAR.

 

I have used the shifter for a standard transmission on an automatic. Nothing to it really, you just have to mount it to the tail of the transmission and use only one shift rod instead of 2 or 3. Dine the same with 3 on the tree. it is called using what you got to get by. LOL

If you just want one Hurst makes one is called an indy. or you can use the one that @squirrel showed too if you do not like hurst parts. The Hurst unit runs about 50 bucks which is cheaper than a 3 or 4 speed shifter as a rule.

 

Lokar never made a manual trans shifter, but you knew that!

 

Hurst beat you to the punch. They brought out the Autostick I. It looks and feels like a four speed. The gates are very positive, it bolts to the transmission and has solid linkage.. I think its the cable that makes most automatic shifters feel sloppy..

Theres a decent one on e-Bay right now for the Turbo 400/350. But they made them for Fords and Mopars too. A change in a few brackets is all thats needed..

 

When i bought my 61 it still had the clutch pedal swinging and had a rinky dink automatic shifter on the floor with a hurst t handle on it. shifter had no locks to keep from hitting reverse, a couple friends tried to drive it and hit the clutch to the floor and couldnt find first or reverse. it wasnt safe, it wasnt cool

 

I made a Uni Matic tighter and with gates for a 1964 four speed Super hydro but it was nothing like the Hurst.. But it wasn't bad. If I could of made some kind of solid linkage between then I think it would of turned out better.. But I ran into a Hurst Autostick right here on HAMB and sold the Uni..

 

Lokar never made a manual trans shifter, but you knew that! @DDDenny

Did I miss something? I read it as wanting a shifter to make an auto "look like" a 4-speed.

 

I made this Mustang II auto shifter look like a manual one.

 

most cables are way too long

 

Some really cool stuff here.

Budget36 and squirrel thats why I thought the mr.gasket straight gate shifter would be a good candidate, it has the lock out lever that could be used to be a park lock.

Willys nice job converting the mustang shifter.

I was curious about using the manual shifter from the point of view, something different, use what I got, and more importantly "what the hell lets see if it can be done! "

 

The thing about automatics is that they have weak detents inside them, and you need to have strong detents/lockout built into the shifter to prevent unplanned shifts. Just think about that, and figure out how to make it work, and you should be fine.

 

Ha! Mine may be a year or two older. I put this in my ‘57 in 78 or 79. My buddy who had one a few years before used to give me hell about it, I think it was something to do with a sticker or engraving/casting. Too many years

 

mine is from 79, I made an aluminum lock out handle and pointer, and added a couple switches to the handle.

 

Lokar muscle car knob ....
I know ... plz dont flame me for using the word ...
but it does look like the handle from a early 60's corvette or a Impala SS
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Spee...nd-Muscle-Car-Shifter-700R4-Brite,266824.html