Customs Looking for a tall shifter for my t-5 transmision

I need some help. I can't seem to locate a tall shifter for my t-5 trans i would like it to at least come to the top of the dash in a 51 Chevy Styline. If anyone might know a website or have any ideas ? I would truly appreciate it. Thanks, Zombie

 

i was just thinking the same thing, may try to make my own but any help would ne good to.

 

I hear you. Thought I would take a stab posting it. We will see

 

You gotta make it homie Find yourself an old shifter, or bend up some bar stock, cut, weld...find cool knob..

Good luck

 

Thanks Homie

 

I second this. You can probably even find your needed round bar and material at Home Depot or Lowes since its only a few peices that you need.

 

Cut one from a big old farm truck. Cut, heat, bend, weld.

 

I made one for a '51 Chevy Pickup out of a shifter I cut off a mid '30s Ford box. Don't worry, the box had been under water and was not salvageable. I heated the end up and flattened it, then drilled two holes. With a few bends for style, and a fresh set of threads cut on the top, it looked pretty good. It had a really nice taper. Topped with a real cue ball. It was sweet.

 

You got any pics homie?

 

I will take a look.

 

I'm sensing sarcasm..

 

limeworks sell very nice one!!

 

limeworks do a swan neck shifter for the T5 http://www.limeworkspeedshop.com/store_hotrodparts_interior_swannecksfort5transmissions.html

 

I realize this is a style thing, but you do understand you won't be winning any races with a lever like that to move back and forth, right? I put one on my last car and shifting totally sucked with that long arm. Stylish, but super suckie. Gary

 

I built my own from a 10$ chromed used model A shifter. I suggest that you get an aftermarket hotrod shifter to mount it on. With the long shifter you lose a lot of feel. I actually hit reverse while trying to go into 4th gear the first time out. Fortunately I was not getting on it and I was able to tighten up the detents on the after market shifter to make it better. The stock shifter won't have that option.

 

I just walked outside in the 20 degree cold to take these pics. I made mine from half inch stainless rod and welded it to the stock base. Hope this helps. Yea, 20 degrees is cold in sc

 

Thanks everyone for the info on this. I do appreciate it. And thanks Edweird 20 degrees is cold. But that's what I have found is the folks on this site are very helpful and dedicated to the cars. Thanks Everyone

 

Ill go out and take a pic of mine in a little bit, the movie is almost over.

had to make it.

its not over the dash but can be.

 

oops, the battery is dead, have to charge it up it will take awile, any way mine is tall enough that i can use it as an arm rest.

 

I built this one. Got a Hurst shifter from my buddy and used an early Ford shift rod/lever. Im converting the toploader using a jeep shift tower and will build another shifter thats taller.

 

"You can probably even find your needed round bar and material at Home Depot or Lowes since its only a few peices that you need."

If you plan on doing some fast shifting you better not use cheap Chinese steel for the shift lever (Lowes). Shift levers are made from alloy steel because they are actually a highly stressed part.
Using an old shift lever or a piece of 4130 works very well.
Couple this with a short throw adaptor and you have a winner.

On my old hill climber I made the short throw adaptor so it would have an extremely short throw (4 inches 1 to 2 with a 12 inch stick). I button shifted and people used to ask me if I had a Lenco transmission because of the sound.

 

What is a short throw adapter? This is my first swap so I am trying to learn everything I can.

 

Took an S10 shifter, reversed it, cut it down and adapted an old Hurst stick for my Camaro T5.
Make it - don't buy it

Check out page 12 on my page below for my swap.
I also have links on there to others that actually HAVE a clue.

 

Checked out your pics nice work. Did you change the leopard skin. Just messing. yeah I think I will end making my own. I haven't found any that I like. i want it to be as tall as the dash but look kool you know.

 

I have an lever out of an s10 truck if your interested

 

I took an old handle out of a 54 Chevy truck that had an old four speed in it, turned it 180 and installed it to the original shifter base. Certainly not a good combination for speed shifting. Heres the only pic I could find as I no longer have the truck.

 

Lokar makes a swan neck bolt on for the T5. I haven't checked on price as I just became aware of it. I'm thinking it probably isn't "cheap" but just being to bolt it on has to count for something.

Frank

 

They are made commercially but I don't recall by who.
It is a 2 or 2 1/2 inch block that bolts on top of the box where the shifter bolts on
to raise the fulcrum point of the shift lever..By increasing the length of the shift rod BELOW
the fulcrum the throw on the upper end is shortened.
The commercially made ones have adjustable stops so you don't mash the guts of the transmission on fast shifts.

 

My shifter is about horn button height and is a 7 inch throw from 1st to 2nd.
That would be reduced greatly with a short throw adapter.
For those not in familiar with how they would work; If you redrill the pin location up by an inch and have a new base that raises the pivot point by the same about it will case the top to have to move considerably less to move the bottom the same amount. ( I think I explained that right )

Pin showen below

.

 

.......and what Pete1 said...

.