joshs78sleeper

Are there any aftermarket shifters that will bolt up to a 700r4 and fit in the stock console of a 78? I want an aftermarket shifter - something with either ratchet or gate style shifting so I can have a reverse lockout and shift manually more efficiently, but I dont want to have to cut up the stock console. Any ideas on what to use?

If there isnt a direct bolt in what have some of you guys used? How much modification did it take?

norvalwilhelm

I looked at custom shifters and took my stock shifter and welded a gate on it, or a series of gages that allowed me to have 4 detents for forward gears plus neutral , reverse and park. With a little work, a small amount of welding your stock shifter can be turned into a gate shifter.

The Money Pit

I used a hack saw to carve the Grand Canyon in my stock console top,then fabbed an aluminum plate to cover the hole.Used a B&M Megashifter for a 82 Camero/Firebird.Wasn't too bad to do,and I've got some pics on my website of the install.

Jvette73

I filed an extra notch in the detent at 2nd gear. So from 1st to 2nd you just slam it forward and it stops in the right place everytime. Then its a slight depress of the button to get it over the notch and into 3rd. Its pretty effective and dont cost a thing.

BSeery

I used the stock shifter and added a few notches.

You can get the aftermarket kit that modifies the stock shifter for 700R4 usage. It gives you a new shifter gate and bezel and the correct indicator.

joshs78sleeper

Ive got the aftermarket conversion kit so Ill probably just use mine. However I think my shifter is messed up...because I can move the shifter from 1st all the way to reverse right now without ever having to press the button once. When I had the shifter out it looked as if the spring inside was worn and wasnt allowing the shifter to stop where its supposed to.

Where is the shifter supposed to stop normally? Is it normal to go from 1st all the way through reverse without ever having to hit the button? Do you guys who modified your stock shifters have any pictures of what you did?

Jvette73

Yur shifter has a spring insid plus a spring under the button or it should have. On the stock shifter you should not be able to toss it up to reverse without pushing the button. It should stop in neutral. For filing new notches I just placed the shifter in 2nd and made a mark just in front of where the spring loaded detent latch was. I then removed the detent and filed a notch that gradually went deeper to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch. As you throw the shifter forward the latch drops into the notch and stops forward movement. I didnt file a notch for the 2 to 3 upshift. The car was much less squirrely during that shift and its not to har to get it right without an extra notch there. But the 1st to 2nd shift is a short throw and the car was really torquin hard so it was hit or miss on that one. So the notch is really helpfull there.