1950 Pontiac manual floor shifter

Hello to all. I have been a reader for some time and now am in need of help. I have a 1950 Pontiac straight 8 with a 3 on the tree. the shifter is really sloppy and gets locked in gear. Im lookin to put in a floor shift. Any help would be awsome.

 

Might be in your best interest to read this.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18

 

That is a selector type of transmission, to the best of my knowledge there are no floor shift conversions available at this time.
KK

 

I was looking a the Spectre shifter and thought maybe that would work, but wasnt really sure. Thanks

 

Outside of fixing what you have now, another option would be to find a 37-38 Pontiac trans if you can find one. Same trans but floor shift. If your trans is good you just need the top plate with the shifter.

 

This was posted the other day. It might help.

http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=721144

 

Check this thread out: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=531247&highlight=selector+transmission

 

Neat. So the small arm basically selects what the big arm is doing, and the big arm does the actual shifting.

First gear: both arms forward
Second gear: both arms back
Third gear: little arm forward, big arm back
Reverse: little arm back, big arm forward

Is that right?

 

Question - are newer front drive (thinking Cavalier etc) not selector shifters? Once cable selects, the other cable shifts, no? Could one of these be adapted?

 

seems almost easier and cheaper to just put in a t5. but i did like that early ford top conversion posted in that thread.

 

Someone did offer a floor shifter for the "selector" style trans,.... I like that topshifter idea from 55 Chieftan.. Definitely won't have any linkage issues with that.

4TTRUK

 

Hey,if I can put my 2 cents worth in. Back in 1962-63 ,my buddy Jerry Williams and I made floor shifts for our cars in high school auto shop. He had a 53 Olds.and I had a 55 Olds. There was an article in Car Craft (?) about a company that was making conversions for these cars. The pictures where very clear,and we just counterfeited the design. I don't it was that hard to do. I can't remember what issue it was,but i think they put it in a 57 Olds. Hope that helps.

 

Got an e mail from a tech a SPECTRE parts and was told that SPECTRE shifter part # 6413 will work for me. Anybody use one of these. Dont wanna buy junk, I can wait to find a factory 37-38 set up.

 

Let me look back into some older info I had. I was going to buy a 37-8 trans for my 41 from a Hamber. I'll pm you the info when I find it or let him know about this thread it to see if it's still available.

 

The T5 swap may be better in the long run because it will also keep the eight happier at highway speeds with the overdrive gear.

 

Would a 1955 Pontiac Hydramatic bolt up to the straight 8? I got a line on one for $ 100.00 total rebuild.

 

Yes, it would probably work, there's not a ton of difference in the two. Will need a ****** cooler. Trouble with those Hydros is not many guys know how to rebuild them these days, there's always the chance it's not done right.