Anybody ever use a Sparkomatic shifter?

I bought an NOS Sparkomatic 3 speed shifter off ebay, gonna use it when I switch my Ranchero to a 3 speed. It's a "triple pattern" shifter, you're supposed to be able to alter the shift pattern, or something.Is the different pattern just a narrower gate? Anybody know anything about these shifters? It's pretty cool looking, in a low budget 60's kind of way. Looks damn stout, I think it was a pretty nice piece in it's day. Any info?

 

My old Man had one in a 52 Ford and said there was a bolt or pin (can't remember) that broke everytime he tried to slam 2nd Gear...

 

used one in a 59 Chevy Biscayne a few decades ago.

 

Are these shift kits available still in some form? I have been wanting to convert my Plymouth from 3 on the tree to floor shift. Were the Sparkomatics the way to go? What other options are there? Sorry not trying to highjack..

 

Had one on a 54 Ford back in 60s, worked, not as good as a Fenton 500 or a Hurst.

 

buy a sparkomatic stereo at K mart so it will be a set!

 

way ahead of you.... got me a sparkomatic am/fm WITH cassette. $19.95. Seriously, though. seems like a cool old relic of a shifter, I just wanted a little more info on it.

 

If my memory serves me right, the Sparkomatic stuff from back in the day (speed equipment, not car stereo stuff) was manufactured by a speed company called Almquist. I'm not sure of the spelling. Anyway, the name was changed after one of the many buyouts that has happened in the aftermarket car parts industry. You know, kinda like the way Cal Custom became Cal Custom Hawk, then Mr. Gasket, etc., etc., etc..

I would think it will work out nicely. Anything has to be better than the old Ford 3 on-the-tree set-up. Good luck! E

 

I had a new one in my first car and wished I had saved for a decent shifter.

 

I put one in a friends car back in 1963... an early foray into hot rodding. It was cheap, but he never had any problems with it. himmelberg

 

For some reason I believe I've seen them still around. I remember them being about as good as the Hurst "Mystery" shifter.
Remember them????

 

I've used the spark O matic's in the 70's. Then i was in high school they were cheep, stuck and broke alot,but if you took care, and shifted like you should, adjusted them like thy were ment to, they did work to get you by. In no way were they as good as a Hurst or B&M. As for the money then, a Hurst Pluss was much easyer to shift never gave you problems and never stuck or broke. I think the Spark O went for $29.95 back then, I made about $35.00 a week. And the Hurst was about $69.95.

 

Looks like it should work out ok for what I need it to do. I think the old Falcon 3 speed is probably weaker than the cheapest of shifters.....

 

Ah Yes, The Spark-O-Matic shifter. Came with a bag of parts and would fit every car ever made fom 1936 to 1975 by changing brackets, never mind that the shift lever ended up where the front seat should have been. Nostalgic yes, Quality no.

 

A friend of mine has a bunch of these shifters if anybody is interested. I don't know his e-mail right now, but I can find out if anyone is interested.

 

I am interested as I have one in my 56 Studebaker Golden Hawk back in 1965/70. Some day I hope to recreate that car.

 

I had one in a 55 chevy in 65 i banged a lot of gears with it never had a problem

 

Lol. Had one in my first car. Not a high quality piece.

 

I would hold your breath since he posted that in ‘03


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This is a 18 year old thread, and Flatdog hasn't been here since 2009, so you probably won't get a response...

 

Unfortunately flat dog has not been on here in 12 years.
On another note, if their shifters are anything like their speakers.....run!

Edit: Damn, I type slow.......

 

Sorry fellas... Those are garbage!...

 

It should work long enough, till you save up for a comp plus...hopefully it lasted till he got a Hurst!

 

I had one in my 72 C10 short bed. It worked ok. Till I pulled it out of the floor trying to speed shift second gear. Still have the neat looking handle with wood knob.

 

That's a long time to revive a thread, 17 years!!! But, if it helps someone, then so be it. As far as those shifters go, I personally would't waste my time or effort on one; only Hurst as far as manual transmission shifters go. There's a reason Hurst shifters are still on the market, and all the others are long gone. JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Local speed shop display at a car show early ‘70s.....

 

Every time I hear "Spark-O-Matic" I think of the magazine ad showing one of their stereo heads installed in a Ferarri. I laughed at that one!

A friend of mine in high school somehow ended up with a box of Spark-O-Matic speakers; we hooked them up to an amp and had a good time blowing them out with his electric guitar.

 

On a positive note sparkomatic is how many young high schools kids with part time jobs could afford some kind of stereo in their first cars.

Me being one of those high schoolers working at a hamburger joint. Then the next year I moved up to Craig powerplays. In my early 20's, a real job I could afford pioneer super tuners....

So thank you sparkomatic!!

 

I saved up for the good stuff. Living in a big city has it's advantages, I could put the word out I wanted a Panasonic 8 track with FM stereo and I had $20 to pay for it.. Usually buy the next day I had it.. Somebody was always buying or selling car parts back then. I always stayed away from hot stuff, there was always a bunch of bad luck that came with that stuff...

 

I'm beginning to think there is a "bring a thread back from the dead" contest and I didn't get the memo....