I give up! I was given what I am told is a Bieber shifter. I left it at my buddies shop and went to find some info regarding assembly, exploded view, history etc...So no, I don't currently have a picture. It is a ratcheting type for Muncie. It has 2 chrome arms with wood grips. One for up-shift, one for downshift and a small lever for reverse. Anyone have ANY info on these??? I'll post a pic when I get a chance.
Don't quote me but try google for Biebar... I could be wrong..maybe Beibar Anyways, I did search google some years ago on that only because a vendor had one next to me at a swapmeet, like 1 million years ago, and I wanted to read about them. There were a few hits there. Very rare...translated: nobody wanted them..then.
see if this patent link works. Oh, you had the correct spelling.. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3636793.pdf
Its funny, I was doing a little research to see if I could offer any help on your shifter info......and I saw this post and was all "cool. someone on the HAMB board has some info"........and it was just your post asking for help
One of my friends had a Bieber shifter in his 57 Nomad Gasser in about 1970. The shifter had a large wheel with cam groves in it that moved rollers to control the pattern of the transmission shifts. It had the same two chrome shift arms with wood handles as you described. It worked well but the bolts kept working loose. The only complaint was that it was sort of complicated for most people to comprehend. After I quit working on the car, the next guy had him install a Hurst because that was all he could understand.
As already posted it is a cam operated shifter with two handles. One for uphift, the other for downshift. There are rollers that follow in the cam groves and when it rotates one roller/lever shifts the now engaged gear into neutral, followed by the other roller following the cam to engage the next gear. All you do is pull the lever straight back to make a shift the cam rotates only one gear selection at a time. Release the handle and it returns to the forward position ready for the ratchet to engage the next gear. To return the trans to neutral or first gear just ratchet the other handle through the required cycles and your ready to "go through the gears" all over again. Frank
Seems like it was called the Bieber "Changer", (more jokes to ensue) somewhere I've got an ad for one.
I remember reading those shifters didn't work very well. Based on your comments it sounds like the problems were confused users. Gratiot sold off the remaining stock of those shifters pretty cheap. As I remember that was in the early to mid '70s. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time with some money in my pocket.
I'm pulling this from memory,so take it for what it's worth: The guy's name was Carl Bieber,from Pennsylvania,was at some point in time associated/worked for Hurst. Those units were ok for a drag race application,not so friendly on the street. Basically,like a motorcycle shifter.
Looks to me like someone tried to re-invent the wheel...whew...way too much work to shift...and quite ugly in the interior of a '61 Impala (or any other muscle car)...!!! Can't say that I ever heard of them...so no help from me... R-
I know that some race cars, mostly circle track use a similar shifter but I can't say they are ratcheting though. I figure they are similar but not the same but couldn't help but notice some of the smilarties. Ones used in the race cars are seem to be very reliable. We had one in an old dirt track car....Don't know what they are called either but kinda neat.
Haven't seen one of those since the early 70's...Friend of mines brother had one in a '57 Chevy C gas car...Wonder where it is now...
51 BIRD - You have a pretty good memory ... According to the patent that F&J posted (see post #8), his name was William J. Bieber (from Doylestown, Pa) ... and he worked for the Mr. Gasket Company in 1970 ... NOTE: Mr. Gasket didn't buy Hurst Performance from Sunbeam until 1986-7.
I really truly love this place- there is no better conversation to be had anywhere, not even a bull session out at the airfield. I knew what the OP was talking about as soon as he started - I had completely forgotten those things. Never had one, I was a big "DragFast" fan - much like Hurst, but slightly different, plus, I think they were based in the PNW as was I at the time.
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