You can step up and pay a gazillion bucks for an aftermarket floor shift, or you can get a floor shifter out of just about any old (70 to mid 80's) Chevy or from an early Mustang and make it work. If the stalk is too short, take the knob off, pull out the flexible inner peice that activates the detent in the rachet mechanism. Then go to the nearest "metal supermarket" and buy a peice of steel tubing with the same I.D. and O.D. and weld it onto the existing floor shifter column. (grind a 45 degree taper on the outside diameter of the existing floor shift column, and on the peice you are adding, so that after welding the outside can be ground smooth again and still have enough weld left for strength) Drop the internal flexible part back into place (its made of plastic and looks a bit like your spine) then drop a 3/16" diameter steel rod equal in length to the peice you added to the shifter column down on top of that (coat both parts with a good quality white grease first), and re***emble everything. It works great, the only "sticking point" is that the peice you add on has to be straight---(the 3/16" rod won't bend around a corner like the flexible spine will)
Tempo/Topaz are similar but somewhere in the middle lengthwise. However the newer ones are all plastic whereas the 60's Fords were chromed potmetal. '67/'68 Cougars had rectangular chromed bases that are unique too. Stu
2nd gen Trans-Am and Z28 have simple push ****on auto shifters that will only upshift one gear at a time if you slap them at a 45* angle. Theres a couple of little tangs that the shifter arm catches on when the side spring is forced off to the right. (Hmmmm...Hard to explain...) Works better than the expensive aftermarket ratchet ****, doesn't wear out and you can get them at the boneyard...but you will need to make a cover for it. Just for the guys who might overlook the cooler looks of a tall shifter for a cheap, reliable performance edge...that also locks into park until you press down on the ****on. All Camaros and Firebirds didn't have the feature but it might have been an option. How do you tell? Try it while its in the car!
Man, I am glad to hear that! Anytime I can save $200+ and use it for tother necessities I love it. Thanks!!!
aerostars will work well.. I had started hacking one up and then decided to start with a 5 buck mr gasket universal shifter. I'm kinda regretting not using hte aerostar bc the mr gasket doesn't have any gating...
No problem! I failed to mention the upshifting trick works when you start out with the shifter right back in 1st gear. You don't just leave it in drive and slap it to the side to make it shift! Put it in 1st and slap firmly to the right and forward at the same time. You'll only get 2nd. Do it again and your into 3rd. If there's no catch between the gears by doing that you have the basic shifter and not the good one. Once you find the good one, also grab the cable and the transmission lever + cable bracket (bolted to the pan rail) while your under there.
When Using An Aerostar Shifter,make Your Tunnel Like The Aerostar And You Can Use The Shift Indicator As Well,hook Up The Lights To Your Dash And Your All Set.no Pictures As The Car Isn,t Here...........
I took a '67 Mustang floorshifter and extended the arm. Machined the extension from stainless with a 5/16" hole bored inside. Next I removed the tee handle and the plastic mechanism. I attatched a long 5/16" bolt to the cable for the ratchet release and ran it up through the extension. Ignore the grenade knob, it's temporary The Mustang shifter mounts on a flat surface so it worked well for me and the lever underneath is for a c4, which is the transmission I'm using. Flatman
Old golf club shafts make good long, cheap, tapered shift levers(of course you have to fit them to the base of an old auto or manual shifter)and they are pre-chromed!
YES AREOSTAR VAN,REMOVE EVERY THING FROM THE FLOORBOARD.LINKAGE CAN BE FABBED FROM STEEL ROD AND HIEM JOINT.OR SPEND THE BUCKS ON A LOCAR ****ER LINK KIT..I MADE THE ONE FOR THE PLY OUT OF ROD.......NERO
BTW anyone reading this the above factory shifter for camaro/firebird was called a "slap-stick" just for reasons mentioned above. It was a factory option and was a step between the factory "standard" shifter and the famous factory "his/hers" shifters. I'm sure the slapstick was built because it was easier and cheaper to manufacture. I've had the factory pontiac slap-sticks and they work well once you get the hang of them.... ...
My dad had a '76 Nova that had the top ****on console shift like a camaro. The steering column collar still turned when you moved the shifter as if it were a column shift. I guess just to make the gear indicator needle move. Always thought that was kind of funny.
These Ford non-console units were kinda the go-to for rodders rocking an auto-trans before the after market caught on.
The Jalopy Journal
