this is beating the fun out of the A

OK, 28 A sport coupe. Boxed A frame. Everything has been moving along at a comfortable pace. Find a problem, fix the problem, NO PROBLEM.
Until now.
327 SBC, Muncie 4 speed, narrowed t-bird 9", no problem.
But NOW there is a problem. SHIFT LINKAGE for the muncie 4 speed.
I've seen articles with A's with muncie's, none of them mention how the tranny gets shifted ! And there-in lies my problem.
Engine/tranny is back far enough to get the 2" blower belt on, that puts the shifter mounting holes on the tailshaft housing UNDER the seat, right smack under the hat channel at the front of the seat. I DO NOT WANT TO CUT. And I'd like to use the stock bench seat.
HOW have you guys done it?
I've thought about rocker arm linkages, and cables, and a separate handle for each link on the side of the tranny, (yeah I know).
I'm at a wall to tall to get over......
Any ideas, or solutions?
and NO AUTOMATIC TRANNIES !!!!!!!!

 

Somebody makes an adaptor to move the shifter forward give me a minute and I will see if I can find it.

 

There is no reason you can not make your own mount and shorten your rods. Gary

 

Try this: http://www.hotrodscustomstuff.com/OLD_SITE/TFshifter.html

 

i was going to do that. BUT, it also moves the shifter closer to the driver's side door leaving even less room for me and my legs. yes, i know it's not a luxury car.
And with that idea i was thinking about bending the shifter handle to the right and then up again, sorta like a 69 camaro with a console. I'm still thinking,,any other ideas?

And at 450.00 + dollars, nice idea looks like a quality piece but, um, no.

 

Get the Hurst shifter assembly designed for a Muncie in a '55-57 Chevy with a stock bench seat.

I had one in my '55 2door HT and it worked great. The handle bent forward and around the bench. It's more expensive than the straight handled equivilant, but worth it. Here's a link:

http://www.hurstshiftersonline.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=13&idcategory=5

 

Y ou can buy just the hadle if you already have a Hurst shifter In the $100 range .

 

Just make a C or offset (swan neck) shaped shifter.

 

If it was as simple as a 567 chevy shifter handle, I wouldn't be asking for ideas.
I'm going to try my two cable idea. I'll let u know how it turns out.

 

I would get this in a minute. Nice ,clean and works, you can't cheap out on some things.

 

That's good information K13. Thanks for the link. Dick.

 

No doubt! Some things are worth it. That is a nice looking piece and it appears to have quite a bit of engineering into it.

 

Is it a matter of time or money witch one do you have the most of?? I read a post a couple days ago , a guy in France made a nice looking four speed column shifter for his A, it looked like there was a lot of engineering and a lot of time went into it, I'm sure

 

So, the "fun" is back. I'm learning how to make cables, something i thought i'd never have to learn, i've got the 1-2 shift pretty much done, now it's on to the 3-4 side. Makin' small parts to get all the big pieces together. Yup, the fun is back.

 

or you could put a T5 in it and sell the Muncie to the muscle car guys

 

Are you using high quality lined cables? If not hen you'll regret it.

 

Take photos, that may be the makings of a tech article.

You might be able to rob a set out of a front wheel drive rig and use them or at least look at them and figure out how to do yours. My 92 Geo Prizm GSI beater uses them as do most fwd cars. Get the brackets and clips if you decide to use fwd ones from pick a part though.

 

Perhaps the combination of a Hurst 67 - 69 Camaro shifter base and a 55 - 57 Chevy stick? The Camaro base will move the stick towards the center of the car, and the 55 - 57 Chevy stick gives the C-shape to clear the seat.

I used a Camaro Competiton Plus shifter base with a Hurst stick for a 58 Pontiac 3 speed in my 34 Chevy. Didn't have a seat clearance problem, just needed room for my right knee.

 

Damn! I'd get that just to sit on my coffee table in the den. Sweet piece!

 

Yup, it's a genuine "MORSE", from an old rear engine dragster project. It WAS 16' long. Made/making my two cables out of it.
Yup, I'm taking pictures.

 

Behind a blown 327 ?

 

Ok, you can call me a puss if you want. I give the fook up! The munchie and scattershield are for sale to finance the auto tranny. My self imposed limitations are the straw that broke this camel's back. Oh well.......
One last thought, is there a top shift conversion for a top loader ford 4speed ? Like the ones in 60's mustangs?

 

I don't know why you just don't order the nice shifter that the link was posted for.

Why give up and change to an auto ? I'm using an auto for practical physical limitations, but it seems to me you have been given your answer with a beautiful piece of engineering.

 

Think about it,you have to have flex plate,trans ,conveter(you can't buy one of those off the shelf cause of the blower???),you have to figure power band, rpm, ect,ect?????)and probably have to move trans mount, and still have to buy a shifter ,just saying-----Jack

 

I had the same problem with my '35 Chevy pickup w/ 455 pontiac and munci. I bent the shifter arm forward until it cleared the seat and it works great.

 

I faced the same issue, spent hours studying hurst part #s and pics and ended up using a first gen Camaro shifter and a swap meet handle out of a $10 auto floor shift (mr gasket) After all that work, I sat in the car with the stock bench and thought how crazy it is to be hand building a car that I sat all crunched up in. I cut out the package tray and moved the seat down and back (actually trashed the original for a lower bench). A year later I chopped it 3 inches and was really glad I'd made it more comfortable. If you've done all the work up until here, this really shouldn't be an issue....step back from it for a few days and it will engineer itself when you least expect it and you will say "wow, why didn't I see that earlier"....Been through this a lot!

 

There is a top mounted muncie shifter out there I was looking at it when putting my car together but I was able to use a standard hurst

 

i'm thinking like a truck shifter that goes into the top of a car ford top loader ?
THAT would be the answer to all my troubles. it would put the shifter forward, and over to the pass. side, (from the tail of a muncie), and ford toploaders are easy to find and tough as anvils.

and i am sitting back and taking a deep breath, even my wife says don't give up on the muncie. BUT if the tranny and shield sell, then............

 

Listen to the wife and go back to work

 

this is what I did, Blown model A with muncie and a Hurst vertigate.
I made my own bracket to raise the shifter and move it forward and I welded the extension/clutch pedal on to the reverser lever, because on the vertigate the reverse lever is at the rear, so I was having a hard time engaging it because it is right between the buckets.Now it is at the front and easy. Andy