Tech: Cheap replacement T5 Shifter

Well I got the S-10 T5 in my car (this would also apply if you've installed the S-10 tailshaft housing on a WC). Whipped up a quickie shift lever out of some s**** to get by, but had bigger plans. The factory shifter wasn't going to cut it.


The advantages I saw to an aftermarket "short-throw" shifter to me didn't involve only the tighter shifts, they included the shift stops so I couldn't overshift (I hear T5's are picky about that), and the ability to have a bolt-on shift arm.

I didn't want to spend a lot on a shifter though. It's just a rat rod anyway, right? So I jump on eBay and find these brand new shifters for some Ford T5 for like $35 a pop. Cool...a lot cheaper than any S10 shifter I was able to find. I figure can make this work.




Pretty close. The ball is the same size and length. Main body is just about the same width, with an obvious difference in length. Bolt pattern width is off, but not by much. So I whacked off the offending portion and sized it up on the transmission.




Dis***embled the shifter so I could keep the mechanicals clean and make it easier to fit. Trimmed down the cut-off piece, cut, filed, and fit both pieces until it worked out. "Adjusted" the bolt pattern width with a round file. Destroyed the original shifter to use the base plate as a jig.


Took it to work, sandblasted it and had the boss man weld it up for me. Got it back home and filed the weld underneath flat.




Re***embled the shifter, bolted it on and it fit like a glove. But the provided shift arm was far from a permanent solution.


So I acquired an early Ford shift lever. I love the "swan neck" shape of these, and the gradual taper along the entire length. A little help from a hot wrench got it closer to the shape I needed.


Cut it down to the proper length....here's what was left...


Drilled and cut a piece out of some 1/4" plate to bolt to the shifter....don't mind the complete lack of squareness, I was trying something that didn't work. Weld one to the other and call it a day.


In 1st, 3rd, and 5th...


And 2nd, 4th, and reverse.


Topped it off with a custom shift knob. No, it's not a beer tap handle, br*** knuckles, or a grenade, sorry. It' only cost $.25 too.


A cover for the new trans will be in the works soon, and a boot will keep it all hidden from view. Next stop, chrome shop for the lever. Thanks for looking!

 

Good stuff. I may have to rip off your idea!

 

nice ...this will help these guys get an idea on their shifter problems.

 

nice word, dude....
thanks for the tip on the ebay shifter.....

 

Great solution.

You can also cut the shifter base down the middle about an inch (visualize splitting a log in half) leaves a nice flat spot to bolt or weld to. Do the same, but the opposite side on the shifter and bolt them together.

 

Cool post Eric. I was thinking those e-bay shifters might work, now I know. This will be duplicated in the C10 for sure! I hate that stock T5 shifter.

Do I have to use an Illinois quarter?

Thanks for the post!

 

Good tech! I thought the same and have all the parts piuled up. Looks like one could drill out the aftermarket base without welding on that other piece?

 

Thanks for posting this. I had alluded to doing this very thing in another thread, but could not find the pictures. The only thing I did differently was to heat-n-beat the end down flat, and drill it.

 

Very nice Eric !

 

Yup, you could and that was my original intention. On this one though, that hole would have been drilled right in the middle of the step between the thick edge and the recessed center. You could grind the raised edge flat and have a good surface to drill on, but some engineer somewhere probably figured out a reason for why they made it as thick as they did. I wanted to stick with the same thickness throughout so I cut and welded it. Here's a better view of the top of it showing the recessed area...



Lee - since the truck did come from Texas, I think you have an obligation to use a Texas quarter. I can sell you one for $9.95 plus shipping!

 

That looks like the same shifter used on a TKO, except one of the cutoff bolt holes might be slid over a quarter inch. Factory TKO shifters are great and built like the aftermarket shifter shown. And you may be able to find an even better deal. For every hurst sold there's a stock shifter without a transmission......

 

Hadn't seen the TKO shifter before, but yeah looks like it would do the trick too.

 

Yup, We need a link please! Great job, I printed it to show to a friend this weekend.

 

Dave has it....so it's closer to $40...plus shipping. But anything else I've found is $100-$200.

 

Damn tech week eric ,,,I like what youve done here! haha. Solid actions ,,shorter shifts,extra gears ,what more could you ask for ,,Good job ,,,C.D.

 

I used the exact same shifter for mine. I simply redrilled the plate and filed the raised areas so the new bolts would sit flat. Not as nice as yours but I'm cheap and have no access to heliarc.

I do recommend tightening the shift detent screws if you add a swan shifter handle like I did. The factory settings were not strong enough with the added leverage of the long handle. I actually hit reverse when going from 3rd to 4th. The long handle takes away some of the feel. After that adjustment mine has worked just fine.

 

Very cool, thanks for posting. Another great tech article.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=372973

 

I had seen your post before cosmo. But I still wanted the positive stops. Two ways to skin a cat...

 

all tech week to the top 15

 

FWIW every one of these I've taken apart.... the positive stops have come loose and backed down to where they're not stops anymore

 

I haven't noticed them backing out any so far. However, in anything but 3rd and 4th gear the handle doesn't really make much contact with the end of the stud. I'm procrastinating on actually doing it, but as a solution I'll swap the studs out for bolts run from the inside out. Loc***e and the lock nuts should keep everything from moving.

 

Bump for Rocky

 

Thanks, Trent....found one on ebay for 35 bucks plus $12 shipping...comes to 47 smackers to my door...bought it

 

Great tech tip.........thanks!

Ray

 

Nice job

 

Is there anyway to see these pics? This thread is exactly what i need but none of the pictures show up.

 

Contact the OP, they are still on the HAMB

 

x2