Auto shifter mod ( radical)

[Mike7447]

I absolutely hate the factory auto shifter. Way too faded, way too tall, and just too damn dorky looking for my taste.

So,… I removed it. And cut it up.

I shortened the shaft by 2.5”. Inside  that shaft is a little weenie actuator rod that unscrews from the gear selector part of the mechanism. Initially I used it as a reference for where that part would have to be cut, but ultimately unscrewed that dude, and discarded it. The conversion kit I bought uses a 1/4” diameter rod instead. 

The problem is that the base that the weenie rod unscrewed out of didn’t have enough meat to support a 1/4” re-thread. All It would accept was an 8-32 tap.

That meant I’d have to drill and tap the other end of my 1/4” bolt that now rides in the middle of the shifter shaft…..By hand…with just a regular hand held drill.

Ultimately, I managed to get it centered and straight “ enough” to put a short section of threaded 8-32 rod in place in the 1/4 bolt, so that I could screw the bolt into the base.

The kit is cheap. Purchased from a C-3 Corvette supplier it comes with an adapter to allow a conventional manual shifter handle/ball to screw onto it that screws onto a 1/4” shaft that controls the shift selector pattern. There’s also a sleeve that screws to the adapter that slides over the shaft to control the up/down movement of the handle…30 bucks.

https://www.speeddawg.com/universal-automatic-shifter-adapter-with-16mm-x-1-50-threads-polished-aluminum/#gallery

it only comes shiny……I don’t like shiny, so I painted mine. Hopefully that’ll last.

I also had to deal with the factory gear position indicator decal that was cloudy and peeling away from the back side. I just eliminated it, sanded it smooth and painted the back side black. The pattern decal that is on top, is from B&M, and comes with 5 other pattern decals that you’ll never use. Big waste as far as I’m concerned, but at least it gives some sense of the gear it’s in.

presently is no longer illuminated, but I may change that w/a small tiny light that will light from the side once the console is back on top. Also, the O/D button needs to be moved, and I’ll just relocate that switch to the console itself too.

supposed to be a vid,…but I don’t know what’s required here to make this work.

Edited September 2, 2024 by Mike7447

[psu_Crash]

Looking good!

[tux]

i like it.

 

I even cut down a manual sts because it sat too high

Edited September 10, 2024 by tux

[Mike7447]

Thanks guys…wondering if anyone was out there.

[LizardKing]

An upgrade from original for sure!

I replaced my shifter knob with a smaller and lighter one from an 80's Supra. I still have the original but it's faded (Maroon Interior) and a gummy feel to it. 

[Mike7447]

And now for the rest of the story……

Everyone who has an auto knows that the real problem with the auto shifter is what’s under the floor. Worn out bushings, and no source to factory replace the worn out items, leaves most having to cobble something together to make the shifter functional, until the next time the stuff fails.

I ain’t having none of that.

My solution is much more permanent although time consuming.

using the factory cross-shaft, I fabbed up the mounts to support rod ends to hold the thing in place, and mounted it to the factory location on the transmission. Whatever deflection that takes place as a result of driveline twist should be within the capabilities of the rod end. There is also a female rod end on the shift linkage. Side to side movement is stopped by a simple piece of 1/2” heater hose slid between the two rod ends.

If additional flexing happens and the linkage shows any sign of binding or the thing tries to change its own gears, ( other than normal automatic operation), I’ll add two more rid ends on the other linkage that goes to the transmission. But if there’s that much twist that the thing comes out of gear, I’d imagine I got mount issues. 

[kev]

Looks good!   The upgraded clevis shifter design should work great.  I don't think you'll see any problems with that, it's very robust.    Even my 68 mustang has the factory clutch z bar with one end of the clevis mounted on the frame and the other on the engine...quite common and that was on a 60s unibody with a big block that really did move/flex around a lot.