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Unconventional Shifter Position

bobs66440

bobs66440

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
I put this post under Bodies because it's really an interior topic, but you can move it if you like...

Anyway, I was sitting in the car trying to find a comfy spot for the shifter (B&M Sport cable operated) in the normal area in the middle of the floor. No matter where I put it, it was in the way of lifting my leg to get to the brake pedal. My knee would always hit the steering wheel. Plus it was always against my leg, so I would have to constantly hold my leg up off it. In any case, not a good situation.

So, looking around the cockpit, I wondered where I could put it out of the way. I moved it to the floor between my legs and that was very comfortable! Not in the way at all and I could still get in and out just as easy. Very odd placement for it I think, but way more comfortable and safer. Now I see why some guys really like the column shift, but it's too late for that. I have the column and shifter already...Thoughts?


 
bobs66440 said:
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Two come to mind.

I'm not sure what shifter that is, but does it employ a reverse lockout function?

The reason I ask is because the shifter appears to be close to the steering wheel and I would hate to see you get into a situation where you are having to do some fancy wheel work to get out of a situation and end up knocking the shifter into reverse.

Don't let that molded cover dictate what you have to do. The actual shifter is likely very narrow, so that opens up a lot of options for you. How about moving it back to center and tucking it in closer to the seats? Does that do anything for you? Is the shifter cable-operated? If so, you could even mount it sideways, which could open up some more options. If a new mounting position means losing the cover, you can always fabricate a narrower cover from aluminum. Can the shifter stick be shortened? That might help you gain some more room, as well.

If it were me, I would be looking at mounting a cable shifter just right of the tunnel, up against the toe board. Yeah, it might cramp the passenger a bit, but once they get the wind in their hair... ;)
 
baddawgcustoms said:
I'm with Mike, I would ditch the cover and tuck it in close in the middle up against the front if the seats. You could even just make a boot type cover for the entire shifter with some black vinyl to give you more room.
Click to expand...

I did just that, but also mounted the linkage enough into the passenger side to give me the leg room that I needed. There is still enough room for the passenger to sit.
 
As Mike and others have told you, you don't have to go with the plastic box. I did this for a guy who had a Handicap, you might like this.
Hook up all your trans bracket and cable, lay your shifter on the pass. side of the trans tunnel on your floorboard. Now, Cut several pieces of 2X6's, roughly the same size as the bottom of the shifter. Now, Start cutting the piece on a Angle, so the shifter is mounted to the floor, but the top of the shift lever is angled toward you, the driver. Once you get it pretty well almost hitting the hump, you can take measurements to build the mount outta metal, but if you take care, the wood is plenty strong to anchor it to the floor.
This fella, I mounted his like that, then heated the arm to match the curve of the tunnel. (Gotta disassemble it to heat the arm or you'll melt the nylon thrust washers). Theres only about 1/4" of clearence....but its plenty. It hugs the tunnel, the pass. don't seem to loose any room, etc. At the top of the tunnel, the shift lever is Horizonal, and has a ball on it....I TIG'ed up a Alum. housing for it with LED so He can see the Shift pattern at night, plus he can still use the Rachet action of the shifter. Reverse lockout, you just pull up a little to go into park. It was a B&M QuickSilver....

Some of our members have become quite clever in their placements, under the front of the seats, Horizonal under the dash, Potvin has a electonic setup on his dash....
 
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I would take the suggestions here on leaving it in the center. I have that same shifter.

Couple of other things to consider:

- Swap out that shifter handle, get a ball and an adapter (like the one in my avatar) that will free up an inch. It will also allow you to tuck it between the seats more.
- Adjust your steering wheel, just lifting it up another inch will make a huge difference.

2%20Jun%202013%20016.JPG_595.jpg
 
If your knees are hitting the steering wheel , I would suggest that your wheel's in the wrong place...
dave
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I took your advice and tried it again without the base and a ball instead of the T-handle. If I mount it a little off center it will work. Now it's out of the way and I can get to the brake pedal without a problem. I'll just fabricate a smaller base for it. The passenger's legs will be a bit more cramped, but not too bad. Thanks!



 
Mucho better.
 
On my ''T'' , I have a pinto floor shifter, pretty well in center of car . Some times it is under my right leg, if I lay my leg over the right. But it works great. Gets me by....
 
I like the new placement much better as well. Incidentally, I wasn't being facetious when I asked about a fire extinguisher. Mine is going right where you had the shifter at first, in front of the driver's seat. Just for comparison with the work you're doing, here's a pic of the shifter in a bucket I almost bought. This was built by Total Performance. They obviously had the same idea as you about getting the shifter out of the way.

p240077404-3.jpg



Jack
 
I had one like that in my bucket when I bought it. I hated it and it took way too much room. I ended up swapping to a Lokar unit that mounted to the top of the transmission. This only takes a small piece of real estate and it is in the middle of the car where you do not put your feet.
 
I would have liked a Lokar, but they are much more expensive and because it mounts on the trans, I couldn't put it where I want. With it mounted there on my car, I think it would be in the way of moving my foot to get to the brake pedal.
 
bobs66440 said:
I would have liked a Lokar, but they are much more expensive and because it mounts on the trans, I couldn't put it where I want. With it mounted there on my car, I think it would be in the way of moving my foot to get to the brake pedal.
Click to expand...

Here is a picture of my Lokar shifter and a fire extinguisher. As you can see, there is plenty of room and no interference with applying the brakes.



Perhaps this shot will give you a better idea of the placement of everything.



In over 15K miles of driving I've never had an interference problem.

Jim
 
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Thanks for the pics Jim. I tried it there, even with the bulky base off and it's still in the way. I think with your car compared to mine, because your steering column is up and out of the way, you are able to have your brake pedal a little more to the left, and in turn your gas pedal. My gas pedal is going to be very near the middle of the car, almost directly in front of where the shifter would be, because of the brake pedal position to clear the steering column. Also your trans tunnel is so tall that it moves the shifter way up and away. I mean, technically, yes, I could put it there. It just was very cramped and I had to kind of weave my foot around the pedals and shifter.
 
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Bowtie T said:
Hey Jim,
love the 8 ball shifter knob, did you buy it or drill it yourself?
Click to expand...

I'll be darned if I can remember where I got it but it is a true shift for a Lokar shifter. You push on the eight to shift.

Jim
 
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