Technical Lockar shifter, altering it's length ?

Hey guys and dolls, I just bought a '47 Ford with a very tall Lokar shifter, I've never had one and don't know how it's put together so I'd rather ask fist and not get myself into trouble. So, here's what i'm asking, has anyone shortened one before or is it not a good idea, they are too expensive to just replace. Thanks for the help. BigO (Michael)

 

Inside the lever is a cable. Not sure how you shorten it?

 

Be hard to do. You may be able to buy just the stick thru them.

 

As I recall the cable is actually the wound outer cable used for all kinds of applications. All it does is push on the locking mechanism. I don't see why you couldn't cut both it and the shifter the same amount and rethread the tube for your knob.

 

Call lokar,
They will sell a shorter stick or any other part of the shifter ***embly you need.

Where's that little bracket, for the shifter?
I don't know you had it.
Doesn't matter, I need the damn bracket - look for it.
I've bee looking for an hour and it ain't anyplace I've looked and it damn sure ain't where it's supposed to be.
Awe ****- call lokar and order it up.
2 days it shows up on the brown truck.

A week goes by and then his old lady found it in the dryer.

 

My life it seems, I'll spend 4 days looking for something, know in I have 3 of them instead of going to town and spending 4 dollars.

Of course I come across them about an hour after buying one.

 

I have an American Shifter which is a cheap copy of a Lokar and I shortened mine by 5 3/4''. I removed some from both ends and as for the cable just trim it to suit. Weld it up with a TIG. JW

 

That's a good thought, thanks.

 

Ok, that's reasonable, thanks.

 

Haha, that sounds like me , that's Hot Roddin, thanks I'll contact them and go from there.

 

Hahaha, gotta love it.

 

Thanks, I just didn't want something that should be simple to turn into... well you know.

 

Thanks guys for all the help so quick, I love the HAMB.

 

Before. JW

 

The Lokar "stick" is pretty basic. It's a hollow tube with the cable/stem running up through the inside. The problem is the tube is tapered, 3/8" threaded at the top and 5/8" or 3/4" (I forget the size) at the bottom. This probably means you won't be able to shorten it by half and cut new 3/8" threads at the top with a die because it will be a 1/2" +/- in girth. You might get away with shortening it an inch to inch and a half but no more. (If you're pretty handy and have a well-equipped shop, you maybe could fabricate a male/female adapter to transition back to the 3/8" thread at the top.)

Some other good options are to trade the long one you have for a shorter one someone else has. The other guy is going to want to also trade your cable for the reverse/park interlock too. Another option is to get rid of the Lokar shift knob and replace it with something radical and funky that you want sitting up high and proud. Lokar has adapter kits for aftermarket knob installs.

*****I just happen to be one of those guys with a short Lokar shift lever who is looking for a longer one. I haven't done my install yet so I already have a new, long, uncut cable. All I want is the outer lever. I'm your best answer. Send me a private message and we'll talk.

 

And after. I retained the thread for the Knob by removing some from below it and welding it back on. It very easy to do. JW

 

I cut mine and rewelded it so the splice was inside the leather boot. Just be sure not to have the weld penetrate through the tube as to prevent the cable from freely sliding.I then cut the cable back so it worked. Was actually pretty easy.

 

Good point about the weld/cable interference as I had that issue and the weld was so hard I couldn't drill it, cut the weld out and did it again but better. JW

 

wound copper wire around a tube the size of the channel,inserted it in the tube with single strand of it sticking out the bottom.Did the weld at the cut pulled on the strand till it all came out.

 

Just buy the shorter stick. It comes with the cable. Swap it out, sell the long stick to recoup most of the cost, and done.


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

When I had to cut mine it was already the shortest swan neck one. That was what I wanted
so I had to cut it, was trying for an early Ford look..well kind of. JW

 

Thanks , that's what I was afraid of. Great info for me and others.

 

Thanks, that can work.

 

Thanks for that good point about the weld penetration.

 

I bought a shorter stick for mine off e-bay for a decent price, cheaper then from Lokar. I still have the long lever if you mess yours up and need one. Both ends are threaded and the cable could be cut easy enough.
Joe

 

Thanks, thats good to know. Appreciate the offer.