History What's the scoop on tall shifters?

Exactly. In my truck the floor is so far away the stupid B&M that was in there was like trying to put your shoes on while driiving to shift. So now my 32" shift is right where I need it. I know this has nothing to do with the orig question, sorry.

 

Oh I get it, but I don't want it. And believe it or not, short shifters were around in the 50's and are also traditional. Hurst didn't start making shifters in the late 60's or 70's; they were founded in 1958.

 

Over the windshield isn't a problem in my car. I'm not going to cut a hole in the roof for a shifter.

As for them being hard to shift or slow, if you drove as many 60's and early 70's beater trucks as I have, you've driven lots of rigs with way tall shifters.
I used to grab them about half way up and power shift.
An old truck with a 350 or 390 isn't winning any races or anything, but a kids got to have fun.




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"The Choppers"---1961

 

I think Grabowski had the tall shifter to show off his shift knobs. By the way, Norm didn't take off in second gear. Ed Burns (Kookie) in the TV show 77 Sunset strip always took off in second so he didn't have to shift right away. Norm said it pissed him off that Burns was so hard on clutches. Norm enjoyed the car being on the show but he said it did get beat up on a regular basis.

 

I like 'em. I recall growing up in Detroit in the late 50's standing in line to see some matinee show when a chopped 49/50 Merc drove by & just caught a glimpse through the tiny side windows of the guy shifting it like a Roth cartoon. Way cool for a 10yr old.

 

Not sure but I like em

 

Dreddybear you hit the nail on the head. Hot rods are supposed to be obnoxious, scary, fast and sexy, and I might add, different from everybody else's. When my dad was growing up they used to take Model A's and strip them down as far as they could, find the biggest engine from anything, put straight exhaust and call it a hot rod. Today it might be called a rat rod, but in it's day it sure fit Dreddybear's definition.

 

who was that girl on here who went flying out of a t bucket when the tall shifter moved into reverse after hitting a bump in the road?

 

I don't care for them. In a car with no seatbelts or just a lap belt, I'd hate to be in an accident and have my forehead catch the edge of a Budweiser tap handle.

Bob

 

I think tall shifters in a hot rod are cool and very traditional. Tall shifters in a hot rod (or anything else) hooked to an automatic trans.....not so cool.

 

Bullshit. I have a bad left hip and can't shift a manual trans. May one day have a hip replacement. My RPU is getting an auto trans for a very good reason.

 

chevygirlrox

 

Your foreheads likely gonna be thru the windshield or smashed all over the lip of the roof if it's chopped. and yer teeth embedded in the steering wheel if yer driving and not impaled on the shift knob.

 

ya can save money on under arm deodorant,tho

 

Mopar's came with some tall shifters in the 60's and early 70's . . .



Note the pad on the dash - 3rd can be a bitch

 

Well, we've definitely determined that "some like 'em, some don't"...lol. And that's fine and as it should be. But to call other people's preferences "stupid" isn't necessary...and you just set yourself up for perceived transgressions in return. Mellow out, be respectful, and try not to be so quick to offend...and you won't be so easily offended. My philosophy, anyway. Though I can be guilty too sometimes.

Blue One...modela25 didn't say automatics aren't cool. He said tall shifters on 'em might not be so cool. Whatever, I'm sure nobody cares if you run an automatic some day...especially if your hip is hurting. Now I think maybe I know why you often tend to be so surly...lol. Seriously, pain can make anybody irritable. I hope you feel better soon. They're gettin' real good with joint replacements these days.

Let's not forget that a big part of hot rods and customs is not only performance, but also style. And even though style preferences are subjective, I think most of us can agree that there's something about being able to see the exposed "workings" of a car. Many like to see the engine...the suspension...the steering...the shifter...working. And that's why no hood or fenders and stuff like tall shifters can be kinda neat...it makes the mechanicals more visible. "Watch me shift this mutha"...lol. We're gearheads. We're hooked on machinery. Yet, sometimes it's nice to see everything covered in sheetmetal...it's just another style. Sometimes it's form, sometimes it's function, sometimes it's just for kicks.

"It's all good" as they say.

And btw...Now I think I know where all the hot chicks are.
They're all in Bad Bob's Merc...with their hands on his ka-nobby!

 

Thats why they build them REALLY tall. If you put them above your head, you wont hit them

 

Thats why you ALWAYS have reverse lockouts on automatics. Safety and looks are NOT one and the same. If your shifter doesnt have a reverse lockout, short or tall, ITS NOT SAFE.

 

Me surly LOL, yes I admit it, this morning was particularly bad as far as pain goes and I try most of the time to not let it get to me however my response was somewhat influenced by how I have been feeling.

I don't agree with the hotrods have 3 pedals crowd, I just can't shift the darn things.

I have had this issue since 2007, it was and is so bad that I sold a 2004 Supercharged SVT 6 speed Cobra Mustang that was my baby.

I also had a manual trans ranger truck as a DD that I traded.

Auto all the way for me now.

I have a Lokar shifter for my 26 RPU - C4 but it will have a 10" handle.

And yes I am hoping to replace this bad hip now ASAP.

So I apologize if I come off as the grumpy old man at times

 

You're gonna be real surprised when the doctor says, "Ok, to fix your hip, we're just gonna install this long shifter..." LOL!!! All the best, Blue One.

 

In the pick-up if the shifter was any shorter than 30" you couldn't find it! I like the shifter height to be at the same height as the center of the steering wheel, move your hand to the right 10" and it is right there!

 

I can't agree with this one. I don't understand why they lean the bars forward (like your pic) but if you run the bars back, close to the same angle as the forks, they work great for us riders with shorter arms. The average Harley was designed for a 6' tall rider and the bars always left me leaning forward in the seat. When I ran 18" apes ( at the right angle) I was able to lean back in the seat and cruise. Sure you could run pull-backs but they take away from the lines of the front-end. Today I ride baggers so no apes for me but the 60,000 miles I put on bikes with apes sure felt comfortable to me.

 

Unless you hold that shifter from the center they are just awkward, but I will say as impractical as they can be there are just some cars I can't imagine any other way.

 

Its funny to see how many of you get so worked up on the looks of OTHER PEOPLES hot rods

 

Hey, why not? If you can't raise yourself up, bring everyone else down. 'Cause if you don't have anything nice to say, say it loudly, on the internet, a lot.

 

I know they can do some ugly things to a pretty little red head's cheek when topped with a fake piston and she isn't paying attention to the massive powershift your about throw and leans forward... Pretty sure most everybody thought I hit her.

 

Ya mean she was sitting next to you? Bet you got a tongue lashing...

 

I'm putting one in my 54 cause its just fuckin bad ass!