What have you guys used. I seem to remember issues with placement years ago for a unimatic with a Rod. I was also 18 and not the brightest then too.My Dad just had a triple byp*** heart surgery, and I am looking for options better than the low profile ratchet shifters I have. I am also on the lookout for a factory Automatic column, not exactly common, to give him an easier shifting and driving experience, and maintain seat adjustment.
Could do the junkyard route and use a Camaro shifter raised up. Those use a cable so they don't need to be mounted flat on the floor or directly to the transmission
Full size GM cars up to 1968 columns will work. My 1965 chev c10 has a 1968 Buick column, last year before column mounted ignition . A bit of fiddling to wire the turn signal , and replaced the rag joint with a u joint type coupler.
The Buick column , the shifter is factory on the column and detents for a TH 350 or 400,. GM trucks up until 1969 equipped with automatic transmissions should be similar.
What year Camaro shifter.bI am not adverse to using factory stuff, I prefer it . Like everything, what's online is too rich for me, so I need to scrounge. I have been looking for GM columns like the one Camer2 mentioned, but nothing so far. It keeps me entertained when it's too wet too work though.
I've become accustomed to column shifts. They work well, don't take up floor space, and they're reliable. If you really want a floor shift, Lokar is probably the best. Otherwise you can use a GM column shift or a Ididit, etc.
back when you could find 60s-70s cars in junkyards, I got a column from an early 70s full size chevy car, and it was pretty easy to adapt to the 66 C10 suburban I installed it in. It helps to add the cross bar and frame mounting bracket from the donor.
I'm a tight *** and in several of my hot rods I've used a Vega shifter designed for the 350 turbo. Good detentes and a built in neutral safety switch. Mounts to the floor and lever can be bent to suit. A little difficult to find but I just used one in my fresh deuce sedan.
A little floor shifter like that is pretty far away from you in an old truck...without building something for it to sit on.
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