I received a PM this morning asking me if I ever installed the short throw shiftier in the wagon and I did and have really enjoyed how much better it works, I was under the impression that it would almost install itself and took a little longer than I thought. This is the replacement shiftier and assorted parts. When I talked to the members that had done this conversion I kept hearing the kit I used is just as good as the higher priced pieces and from what I have experienced they were correct, it shifts flawlessly and it is a big improvement, there is absolutely no rattles or shaking when cruising at highway speeds in 5th gear. It didn't just fall in place, the first thing I notice is when I cut the floor for the shiftier when we were building the car the opening was adequate but to remove the shiftier the hole had to be bigger and I had to resort to using tin snips to remove more metal, I also had to cut the carpet more than the shiftier boot would cover, Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead I would worry about that later! I measured the throw before I removed the original shiftier from the transmission and the throw was almost 13 inches from 1st. to 2nd. After removing the original piece I test fitted the new part and discovered two of the bolt holes must have been drilled off center, I just stepped up one size with the drill bit and relieved all 4 holes, everything fit as it should, I then tried to bolt my old Hurst shiftier handle to the new piece, that;s when I discovered the cheaper shiftier being made off shore the holes were spaced different that the original Mustang shiftier which I had modified my shift handle to fit. I ended up cutting the bottom of the shiftier off and fabricating a new piece and re-drilled it to match the threaded part of the new piece. This is in first gear now. Living with the new shiftier for a few months and it now has a 7 1/2" throw Brenda doesn't have to lean over to put the car in 5th gear anymore, so we both are happy with the conversion. HRP
Thanks for the update! I finally changed the shifter in my t5 car and what a difference! I used a hurst shifter and it is great, glad to hear the more affordable ones work well also. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've gotten several shifters from Kato King on here and passed them onto customers and to date have no negative feedback. Where did you get your shifter?
Gary, believe or not the shiftier was in my 63 1/2 Falcon Sprint and had been under the work bench for almost 50 years, I took the shiftier part apart and removed the Hurst stick out and fabricated the bracket to attach it to the original T-5 and then again when I installed the short throw shiftier. HRP
I am curious as to how they work, - do they “lift the pivot point” to shorten the ‘throw’ or are you just putting in a shorter lever ? Thanks.
I believe it raises the pivot point up shorten the throw. This is the original T-5 Ford shiftier This is the replacement, notice the height? HRP
thanks, HRP, - that’s what I thought, but wanted to make sure. (On my ‘39 ford box, I cut some of the lever off, bent it in a vise/vice to where I wanted it and put a new thread on it. Good enough for what I wanted).
It has been my observation that everything takes longer to do than to think about. Thanks for the excellent tech.
No problem Gary, I helped Dave install the one he got from you in the Confused Pickup, It works great also. HRP
I guess you could but it's only a few inches high, it is designed to be used in a pony car where you are sitting almost level to the shiftier not a 50's car. HRP
I ordered brass bushing along with the new shiftier but when I tried to install the shiftier into the bushing it was too small, I figured out they had sent the wrong one, I think it might be the one for the S-10 shiftier. I ordered the replacement plastic bushing for a mustang from Summit, it fit perfectly. HRP
That's what I originally thought but just didn't want to wait for another one and the possibility of it being wrong also I decided the original style plastic bushing had lasted more than 35 years so a new one should OK. HRP
If you were a Neanderthal, the long arms be necessary to reach the floor from a sitting position. HRP
It's to the point where if I can install an aftermarket part without having to modify it, I get real nervous...new throw looks tons better !
I did John, but I neglected to post a update on the installation, I had taken photo's but forgot about it until I was ask about it in a PM. HRP
That is my intent, when I built the car I don't think I took any photo's of the installation and to be truthfully I didn't think anyone would be interested, I wasn't sure it would work when doing it, but of course it has worked well for 10 years now. I would like to change it out before we go to Knoxville, Tennessee for the Nat's South, we will see. I have attempted to take photo's in the past but there are so many wires, air conditioning hoses that I will have to carefully remove thing to get to the quadrant, then figure out how I installed it and how to remove it. When I originally installed the quadrant there was nothing in the way not even a steering column. I'm sure it will be a PITA but it needs to be done. HRP
John, I just used what was available, The clutch in the mustang was activated with a cable and worked great in the mustang so there was no reason to think it wouldn't work with some modifications in the wagon, I originally tried to use the mustang clutch pedal but it was smaller than the original '54 clutch arm, I then cut the quadrant and mounted it to the clutch arm. The original piece is made from plastic and we all know as plastic ages it gets brittle, the replacement piece is made from aluminum and the cable that is routed through the firewall has some adjustability that the original cable lacks. HRP
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