I don't see the reasoning behind running a tall shifter in an automatic (or running an automatic at all ). The shifters in both my dad's truck and my truck (they are both late model Fords with manuals) are two and a half feet long and the have never come out of gear and I even have a fairly heavy knob.
yeah, three pedals makes a hot rod, end of story... i think we ALL struggle with space in channeled coupes and roadsters etc, but there is ALWAYS a way to make 3 fit... i have size 14 feet, and a channeled coupe and none of that stopped me from knowing i need 3 pedals!!! lasalle!! get a stick, end of story, the long auto0 shifters are for guys that wanna look like they have a stick setup anyways..
See, I agree with this guy. Apparently, our opinions aren't welcome in this thread, though. So, once again, why a tall shifter on an auto?
I dunno that 3 peddles make it a rod at all. I run an auto and last I checked I wasn't a poser. Least ways I haven't met anyone that would stand in front of me and say it. 3 peddles makes it a standard over an auto and for some of us it has nothing to do with being easier to set up. I guess I could run a hand clutch but that still wouldn't be 3 peddles now would it. As for the tall shifter I run a tallish Hurst in the Pusher because its easier than bending down to shift. I've run it hard about anywhere you want to run one never had it jump out of gear, and the Pusher does ride like a truck after all.
I think some of you fellas are TOTALLY missing the point. The debate isn't stick/auto - long or short shifter. Do what you want - after all it's YOUR car. I'm not gonna run around tryin got convince anyone how their car ought to look - which motor they should run, what paint pinstriping or whatever. Nope - those are fools arguements. Run what you like. The entire point of this post (as I see it) is to understand your parts - the effects those parts may have and what (if anything) you may want to change based on the bad experiences of others. But I suppose it really IS more fun to tell someone their car isn't a hot rod - 'cause - well YOU say so. What a crock! Someone wants a long shifter - more power to them - just make it SAFE.
Why do people put marine exhaust on car motors? Why do people put aluminum "bomberdier" seats in their car? Why do people run suicide front ends? Cause it looks cool. I've got a long shifter on my automatic and love it. What difference does it make if it's a manual or auto tranny? You build yours and I'll build mine. End of story.
I hate ford motors 3 pedals primer paint and pinstriping. I do get a woody over long shifters though......: Another post gone to hell.. Really im so upset now im gonna sell my fucking coupe cause its got a long shifter... Now what was this thread about.. Oh ya some ones shifter changed gears.. GOT THAT???? SHIFTER CHANGED GEARS>>> Just in case you forgot what the hell this thread was about.. Dave
This thread is EXACTLY why it takes a very optimistic person or company to sell a QUALITY hot rod part. With the great engineering and good materials that go into a quality product and folks will still find a way to bitch and moan about them. Maybe just go buy an old Checker cab, it's much more safe and reliable, all four tires are the same size, a nice, prudent column shift and sturdy bumpers to boot, oh yeah, paint it beige so it doesn't stand out, you don't want to make yourself a target after all. In the case of these LONG automatic shifters, it's us, the consumer that is showing the demand for them. These two companies are fulfilling the need. The mechanisms on both of these shifters (as different as they are) are as good as a mass produced part can probably be, they work great! Physics would dictate a long handle is going to add to the possibility of the tranny going out of gear or, worse, going into another gear. It doesn't take a rocket scientists to figure that one out. Gennie AND Lokar both make a quality product that fills a niche. However, I can't speak on the various INSTALLS with people having a problem. I'm sure some gripes are legit, some, definitely are not.
Holy shit, the same thing happened to me while I was driving my old '77 chevy big-block truck, back in high school. The dumb broad knocked it into reverse, and we were on a bridge over the Yellowstone river doing about 50mph. It wedged our heads in between the windshield and dash....hahahaha. I don't know how I kept it straight.
HMMMMMM.....Here goes my 2 cents worth, Some of the folks talk about having three pedals, and it won't "Pop" out of gear....WRONG... Sold my 40 Standard last year, flatty powered with a 39 Merc top loader. I had to keep my hand on the gear shift lever to keep it from coming out of 2nd gear when I shifted. If it didn't keep my hand on it, I'd go into the coaster routine. Now I can't say for certain which cars first came out with floor, or consul shifters, but they did, long before we decided to convert our rides over to floor sticks automatic. So...which floor stick to use?? They are probably both good as long as the installer installs them and maintains them as they should be. It seems to me this thread is similar to threads about tires, one person rants about how good Firestone's are, another has nothing but bad to say about them. All I know is what works for me, but I do listen and read what you other fellows have to say about various parts, what works, what doesn't. and I make up my own mind. I know, some of you probably wouldn't like what my rides look like, cause they have four wheels that turn, and the color wouldn't match your shoes. Oh well....My opinion..Just like ass holes, everyone has one!!!! HellRaiser
that isnt due to a faulty design... more like user error. if something isnt working right..... F.Y.F.S.
Jeem I'm not real big on Locar or Gennie parts myself, just too tight to let loose of the cash I think. But you are absolutely right friend. They build a quality part and we are the one's installing and useing them. I think the point on the tall shifter has been made, make sure you have a proper install, and everything is adjusted right you should be fine. Do a crap job or just happen to get the one in a 100,000 that's not up to snuff and you're probably going to have a problem.
The funny thing about opinions, is that people are ALWAYS willing and ready to give you theirs, but never want to listen to yours...
Notes from the Muscle car guy... So, I have built cars with both the Lokar and the Gennie. (and a whole bunch with my favorite, the B&M Megashifter. me likey ratchet...but they aren't for Hot Rods, I.M.O.) pros and cons. The Gennie is a quality peice, but it's fatal flaw is one of thier shining parts- the detent. "Buttonless is better." well, if you aren't making alot of power, they're alot of fun. however, if you make alot of torque, the Gennie can become a handful- the Gennie has a little bit of detent adjustment- but not enough to make up for a hard launch. see, the motor torques over a bit , and when you add that to "thrust", it can slide back a gear or two. same goes for the Lokar! you don't need to push the button to downshift a lokar. just slide it over like the Gennie. the ones I have had the most trouble with is the floor mount versions- if you have a rubber mounter big block, that bastard WILL twist enough to pull the shift lever up or down a notch (typically, into neutral.) that can get hairy because typically, when this happens, you are in the middle of something that requires more concentration than a mis-shift allows. these are scenarios I have dealt with no less than twice in the last year from both manufacturers. the "fix" has been to install heavy springs, urethane motor mounts, and make the hole for the shifter larger than reccomended (both "teams" send you templates for installation.) and tighten the friction Detents as tight as comfortable. so far so good. as far as Automatic versus Standard, that particular argument goes nowhere. there are multitudes of reasons for both. go fast guys won't have a standard.- too inconsistant, and they don't have quick enough shifts. (well, drag race guys, anyways.) Me? I'm about to install a 4 speed where a 400 lives now because I don't like to torture my motor with a 3k stall speed on the street. a standard "stalls" where ever the heck you want it to stall at. I'm sure I will miss it at the track, but it's my answer to raising gas prices. point being, telling somone a hot rod isn't a hot rod without a standard just doesn't hold water. and long shifters are a function thing,by the way. alot of overdrive truck transmissions got installed and just never got cut down to "car" size, and after a while, it came into vouge, just like big and little tires, rake (which I am sure was caused by putting a large motor where a small one once lived) and alot of stance changes. I am convinced Taildraggers ended up that way because the guys building cars in that era were NOT buying new cars with stellar suspensions- they were buying cars used-and some of them probably hauled a coule of loads of gravel in the trunk...or bricks, or motors, but after a while, sagging happened. point is, alot of what we refer to as fashion is leftovers from budget builds that got noticed.
that isnt due to a faulty design... more like user error. if something isnt working right..... F.Y.F.S. <!-- / message --><!-- sig --> __________________ Exactly!!, the product was ok, but it was the operator. If either one of the products in this tread were that bad, then the lawyers would have a field day with product liability. HellRaiser
HAha, I love it. I sure never said a hot rod has to have a manual tranny, I just questioned the point of a tall shifter on an automatic. I still question the point, especially when you add in the shifter popping out of gear when you gas it. Tall shifter on an auto trans = fauxmobile valve covers on your small-block. Why not just get a PT Cruiser? That's my opinion and you all know what that's worth...
These are Jesus!!! never let ya' down...just kinda ugly...but hey: So am I. I don't want to die. they ain't that 'spensive, and they work great.
Thanks to DirtyThirty, HotRodHell, and the other guys who've actually posted info about making shifters work correctly, and for moving this thread along a useful direction. I'm not interested in "my car has a 4 speed so nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah" bullshit. I can go watch the Oxygen network and get all the drama I can handle... But I've just typed and deleted several paragraphs, including one where I tell all y'all to go 'pull the little string and cram a fresh one up there before hitting the "reply" button'. So time to go take my own advice... -bill
The Jalopy Journal
