Hot Rods laSalle Transmission question

I haven’t had much luck finding a usable top shift LaSalle for a project I’m working on but I do have a nice side shift LaSalle from a low mileage car. Before I try fabricating something does anyone know if there was ever an off the shelf conversion kit? Thanks

 

I think there’s a HAMBer who still makes the same ones he did decades ago, and has ads in the classifieds. Maybe King Shift is his name?

 

Hurst made one long ago. A friend had an Olds with one in it when we were in high school circa 1965. If I recall correctly, it was a syncro-lock and not a mystery shifter. Also, I believe they used the same clamp type arms as Chevy did. It wouldn't be too hard to fabricate one since the syncro-lock has changed names to Master shifter and some searching should turn up Chevy arms. Fabricating a mount plate and brace isn't that hard and shift rods can be shortened for your trans. Good Luck!

 

@KingShift in NJ I believe has his version for those side shift trannies. I had a Hurst kit years ago and kick myself now for not making templates to reproduce the pieces.
@Neilb I sent you a pm.

 

Also, @Eddie in GA. might know where a 37 is.

 

A few years ago, someone from Canada, I believe, was selling reproduced Hurst style mounting brackets for the '38-'53 transmissions. Like someone already mentioned, the shift arms are the same style as the ones used on 1949-65 Chevrolet three speed transmissions, and pretty much any Hurst three speed shifter will work.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I think I have a Chevy 3 speed somewhere so I’ll definitely take a close look at that route.

 

I sold a NOS Hurst side shift conversion a few years back. Still kind of kick myself for letting that one go. I've got a side shift LaSalle with Hurst shifter on the shelf.
Will try and remember to grab some measurements and pictures for you.

 

I have run the Hurst Mystery Shifter on a '50 Olds 3 speed, same transmission with short shaft, I liked the way it shifted better than the '37 top shift but I like the stick placement in the '37 better, plus it's a much more aesthetically pleasing stick, to me anyway.
tough call.

 

here is all I could dig up in my file. Gives you an idea of the bracket you could make. Of course this shows it for the closed drive line application but I am certain you can engineer around that. There is also a support bar made from flat stock that connects the bracket to the trans bolt into the bellhousing. I have one somewhere. I will get a pic to you of it.

 

here's a snapshot of one on a spare transmission
I have correct rods, arms and stick somewhere..

 

Thanks again guys. The images will be very helpful for me and others. It gives me a good picture of how I can go about it. The most unusual part of my plan is I’m hoping to actually put it behind a hot rodded Cadillac flathead.

 

a '40 flathead with '37 transmission, sometimes I wonder why I let them get away..
can't keep them all I guess

 

Looks like something went awry with the picture upload. Note the water pump facing backwards. There were two of these side by side facing backwards in the tank. They sat at an angle so the carb mounting surface on the intake is canted. I badly wanted to mount the engine in a car on an angle, take it to a show, and wait to see if anyone got the joke.

 

Thread like this are so cool. I do not ever see myself using a LaSalle but the knowledge is priceless! thanks guys!!!!

 

Try Mark Shephard, 1-860-884-6833, days. He used to do a lot of Lasalle transmission conversions. He had mounting plates made for the conversions. He may still have some mounting plates available.

 

I made up this shifter for a Chevy 3 spd w/OD from an old Hurst 3 spd shifter, another combo that's hard to find a shifter for. I used some old random rods that I had. Note that the arms are just heavy wall tubing with levers welded on, easy to make. Set screws attach them to the shafts, flats were ground in the shafts after everything is adjusted.

 

Looks rugged enough!

 

'49-'50....Oldsmobile-Cadillac-LaSalle-9 bolt bottom cover....M/S CL-3854

 

That looks great. Very clean looking job.

 

Thanks, I think I had less than $50 in it and two or three nights work. I really needed the shifter to move towards the center of the car and up to fit better in my ‘31 Tudor, so buying one, no matter what the cost wasn’t really going to get me what I needed.
You can sometimes buy good Hurst shifters for cheap when the seller doesn’t have the rods and levers. I lucked out and found one with the bolt on handle for $25. I was going to modify a stock old Ford handle but I never got that far. It was a fun project.

 

my neck hurt so I fixed this for ya