Anyone ever use Gennie shifters??????

Ive used both for as long as they have been available. I much prefer the funcion of the Lokar shifter over the Gennie. The Gennie works as they say like a column shift mounted on the floor. Downside is with a longer stick (more than 12") the detents are less crisp and speed shifting, if you are inclined to do so, is not as acurate. I have also noticed with the longer sticks and novelty shift knobs with added weight will pull into a lower gear over rough road conditions. You can tighten the drag on the shifter to compensate for this condition but at the expense of less detent feel.

I know there are some strong opinions here in favor of the Gennie, thats fine man. Pepsi vs Coke, Chevy vs Ford etc. But I think the Lokar is a superior shifter with its albeit hokey yet functional push ****on detent.

 

Good product,good people.
Like them better than Lokar.
They don`t have the ****on,you can use any knob.
Had neutral safty problem with Lokar.
JR...

 

Ryan,
I've used them on three different cars with no major trouble. The only down side for me was you really can't "bang gears" with'em. Went right past Drive and into Neutral more than once..Ouch!!

 

Ryan, I've got a Gennie shifter in my sedan. Been there for over three years now and not a moments trouble with it.It has the taller shifter and I've never had it move out of any gear I've had it in. I can also use any shift knob I want to when I decide to change them.

 

I haven't personally used them, but a friend of mine has 'em in 2 of his Rods. Never heard him complain.
If there's any specific's you lookin for I can ask him.

Later, Mark

 

I use one in my 32 roadster, my friend uses one in his 28 roadster.
Mine is the Swan shifter model, works fine and is about the right size.
Things fall naturally to hand as the British sports car types like to say.
My friends 28 uses the short straight stick.
I've driven his car and the shifter works just as good as mine and the shorter stick is also an easy reach.

The Gennie's are a lot more intuitive than the shifters with the ****on on top.
Finding any gear is no big deal and running through the gears manually works fine.

If your access hole for the shifter isn't too large, it can be a struggle installing the T-400 shifter.
From what I hear the T-350 Gennie is a little easier to install.

One small caveat though.
When you do the install, tighten up on the friction adjustment a touch more than you think you want.
It doesn't take long to break in and be just right.

I left my shifter as is friction-wise and now it's a little looser than I like, but still, no problems driving it etc.
I should adjust it and probably will later, but the problem is, the upholstery guy who replaced the center section of carpet glued the shifter boot trim ring top and bottom.

Looks like I'll have to get a new trim ring and maybe a boot cuz once the removing starts it looks like things are gonna get bent up a touch.

You can get an approximation on hole size in the pic.
I made a circular plywood trim ring and screwed it to the floor so the new carpet, boot etc. would have something to bolt to.
The Gennie replaced a B&M comp shifter and that's why the rectangular section of missing carpet.

 

I've had the same one in my truck since '93. Thousands of miles.
T350 version
never had to reset the neutral switch once it was right. Yes it over-leverages the detents for shifting through the gears, I don't know about heavy knobs but I have a skull on mine that's heavier than the stock knob with no problem.
Chrome is still good.
It even tells me when I need new motormounts because the lever hits my p***engers in the side of the knee when the driver's side mount goes...

 

Got one on a powerglide with the long handle, and the ****** has been modified to a maual shift. Works good, but I've never used another brand to compare it to. Shifts crisp and stays in gear, but you can go from drive to neutral if not careful...

 

I have a Gennie in my merc and a Lokar in my 32. Gennie in the merc has never once given me a problem and is fine. I put the Lokar in the 32 because I was driving a 32 my Dad had for a while with a Lokar and my big foot buddy turned around to look behind us and kicked the car into reverse and so I do not like them in a small cab...but thats just me and my big foot clown posse.

 

someone REALLY needs to make a good HOT ROD shifter, something that has decent traditional looks, but with the durability and detents to really bang the gears, and not have silly little ****ons to push. is that so much to ask for?

how about this for an idea, an automatic shifter, gated like a 4 speed manual, it would basically be a push****on shifter, maybe solenoid actuated, with a switch at each gear position. you'd row the gears just like a 4sp, just no clutching.

 

i have both a Gennie and a Lokar.i like them both,no problems with either

 

We carry Gennie shifters at the shop.Have sold hundreds.Never once have a heard about a problem.Have put several into cars we have built,and the customer always likes 'em..I like the fact that you can use any knob you want. .02
(They also treat us right and fill orders timely.And that counts for a lot in my book.)

 

one more good word on the gennie shifters. had two since '91, the only reason i changed it was i liked the swan style when it came out.

 

The ****on on the Lokar shifter is a pain in the ****. And you are limited to shift knobs. I have a gennie in my roadster and it is fine I have to admit it is a little soft in the detent department when you want to run through the gears. My 40 coupe came with a lokar and I'm going to change it and put a gennie Swan neck Style in it's place.

 

For a more OEM feel-I vote Lokar for tight precise shifts[yes you have to adjust the neutral switch properly] and also I really like the sturdy mounting and linkage.

 

I have been using one since 95 without a problem. I have mine set up backwards. park towards the seat Low gear towards the dash you know for head room. Tim

 

ryan I have used a few gennie shifters and like them both . I have one now in the merc and love it . and it was super easy to hook up . of course the motor was out of the car , but still it was a snap , and I am a caveman . Costomer service was pretty right on the money as well . seemed like real nice people and were really easy to deal with .

 

Have had mine for 7 years without any trouble. Lokar just seems so big business. I'd rather support the small guy. I'm probably wrong, but it looks like Lokar just ripped off Gennie's design and added the ****on.-stick

 

I've got the swan neck waiting to put on my C4 in the '36 once I get to that point. I thought it looked better visually than the Lokar and I didn't like the Lokar's lockout ****on on top.

 

Ill probably use a gennie shifter in my A (C4)
They retail for AUS$450 here (swan 23" ultra shifter)
seems really high for a pretty simple part..I can get a rebuilt C4 for that!
what do they cost over there?
the mark up put on stuff here ****s me no end.

 

Ryan

Gennie is the way..., But I do recomend doubling your detent spring in the ****** for the longer shifter!

Mark

 

I've never owned a Lokar but have installed a few. I've had a Gennie in my '32 for over 3 yrs. and not a single problem. I've had people complain about the Lokars for various reasons but I've yet to hear a complaint about the Gennie shifters. As already stated I think Lokar just took a cool Idea (Gennie was the first TRADITIONAL shifter for automatics) and added what IMO is a pain in the *** ****on and got on the bandwagon (money) WO having to come up with an origional idea.

Frank

 

Ryan,just seen this post,I have a gennie shifter in my coupe ,The detent system was NOT hardened right.It jumped from park to reverse,cost me a fender.May have been a early ****er.They were not nice ,but admitted the problem to me.My day # 973 627 6110 if you want more info.