shifter boot question...........pics

Ok,i channeled the floor 4.5 inches then installed my gennie shifter.I tried to keep the opening has small has possible. Never the less now my opening is to large to install a off the shelf boot. Any sugestions are maybe a few pics of some custom work to get me going in the rignt direction UPFRONT THANKS

 

how large is the hole?

 

I made these two rings for my shifter and emergency brake out of some sheet stainless steel. The shifter is in a curved area of the hump so I rolled it to fit. I buffed them out to look like chrome.

To make the boots, you can cut some vinyl into long triangle shapes and then sew them up inside out to make seams in the four corners, making sort of a tall pyramid. Make it out of paper first to figure out the pattern. For the top, you can roll over the vinyl to make a sort of a tubed cuff that rolls inside the hole at the top with a short opening in it at the front. Then you use a nylon cable tie to pull the top shut. If you make it right, the nylon tie is hidden. Or I made one once that had velcro going up the middle of the front with a flap that folded over. I think one of the upholstery books written by Ron Mangus showed how to make a boot.

You want to get a pretty snug fit between the boot and the shifter because if it's loose, you'll get a blast of hot air from the engine compartment shooting up through there.

Those flimsy boots and stamped rings that come with some shifters are pretty lousy quality, and it might be easier in the long run to just make your own from scratch.

 

13x8 any ideals thanks

 

13" X 8", no shite, that's too big for any shift ever made.
What you need to do is make up a cover which will reduce that monster hole to shift boot size, perhaps with a large sheet cake pan? Then cut a small hole for the shift stick and install a boot like an early Mustang(square pleated style), Early V8 Ford(bulb style with rectangular end) or Model A(round smaller bulb style than V8).

 

Yeah, you definitely need to fill in your floor pan and make a smaller opening, are you covering the floor with carpet, if so it doesn't have to be a real pretty patch. Like was mentioned you can make your own shift boot, have an upholsterer make one, or make the hole small enough that an off the shelf boot will fit.

 

when you channel a car ---floor stays in same spot --only the body goes over the frame---dont understand why shifter would be in a different spot----

 

Hotrodder3, most of these severe channel rigs don't have floors to begin with.

 

Some really good ideals guys,thans for the help

 

First pic shows a Gennie Shifter ring and a boot the upholstery shop made up for the E-brake.
He matched the vinyl on the doors etc.





2nd pic shows a 3/4" thick veneer plywood ring.
Veneer because it has no voids like regular plywood, is a pleasure to work with and doesn't cost that much more.



You can knock one of these out in no time.
Sabre Saw, Sander, Drill.
Bolt to floorboards with four 10-24 or similar, use nylocks so the plywood doesn't get crushed.
Four short stainless #10 metal screws hold the shifter ring on.

Makes for a nice adapter and things are a little easier for the upholstery guy.
Tell him not to glue both sides of the chrome ring though, somewhere along the line you may have to access the shifter.

The ring done when I went from a B&M comp shifter to a Gennie Shifter at Sweeties request.

Like you'd think, that was 6-7 years ago and she's driven the car twice....