Floor shifter fun

Topic: Floor shifter fun (Read 1941 times) previous topic - next topic

Floor shifter fun

December 11, 2005, 01:44:46 AM

Well I've been thinking about doing this for awhile but I need some help. I want to put a floor shifter in my Bird but not a stock one. I want to use a B&M Quicksilver (pic included) but it presents some problems. That I was hoping you guys could help me out with.

1. I'm assuming that the shift lever on the transmission will still have to be flipped correct?
2. The shifter won't fit in a full counsol and I don't want to hack one up (cause they're rare) just to fit the shifter in. Any ideas on how to some how make a center counsol to hold all the switches? I don't think that modifying a non pop out cigarette lighter to fit a non counsol car will be too hard but I'm havig a hard time trying to figure out what to do with the center counsol because it's welded to the driver's seat. Any suggestions would be greatly appricated. Thanks :D .

Floor shifter fun

Reply #1 – December 11, 2005, 01:59:05 AM

Quote from: thunderjet302

Well I've been thinking about doing this for awhile but I need some help. I want to put a floor shifter in my Bird but not a stock one. I want to use a B&M Quicksilver (pic included) but it presents some problems. That I was hoping you guys could help me out with.

1. I'm assuming that the shift lever on the transmission will still have to be flipped correct?
2. The shifter won't fit in a full counsol and I don't want to hack one up (cause they're rare) just to fit the shifter in. Any ideas on how to some how make a center counsol to hold all the switches? I don't think that modifying a non pop out cigarette lighter to fit a non counsol car will be too hard but I'm havig a hard time trying to figure out what to do with the center counsol because it's welded to the driver's seat. Any suggestions would be greatly appricated. Thanks :D .

1. b&m makes an adapter kit for the aod. the arm should be no issue
using the stuff in there kit. make sure the shifter is compatible with the aod

2. I would keep the consolette and use the shifter enclosure with the shifter that way you have no switch problems.

Floor shifter fun

Reply #2 – December 11, 2005, 07:34:34 AM

The problem with using the consolette is that doing so would require putting the driver's seat all the way back and leaving it there. If you're tall this isn't a problem, but if any short person wants to drive the car they're SOL.

Whatever you decide, you'll end up having to put something over the hump, because the carpet under the consolette ain't pretty. You could cut the consolette off the seat and attach it to the floor somehow - this would probably be the easiest way to do it without using a console.

Personally, though, I would use a console. They're fairly rare in 85-88 cars, sure, but all 83-84's had the full console, so those ones are plentiful.

Floor shifter fun

Reply #3 – December 11, 2005, 08:42:21 AM

Plus isn't that shifter cable driven and not by rods? So you wouldn't have to flip the arm, just route the cable so it pulls it the right way and your all set. I was going to use one of those style shifters in my '88 bird but I just went with the 5 speed instead. freed up quite a bit of power from the car too. :)

Floor shifter fun

Reply #4 – December 11, 2005, 09:01:19 AM

I don't know what makes the aod any different, but b&m says you need this adapter kit, to make the shifters work.

Floor shifter fun

Reply #5 – December 11, 2005, 11:29:29 PM

I whish I could find an 83-84 car at the wreakers to get a console from. The oldest Cat/Bird I've seen at the wreakers was an 85. I've seen a few Turbo Coupes but they were all missing the console. I'm thinking my best bet as of now is to cut the consolette off the seat, fab up some brackets out of steel, and bolt the thing to the floor. The thing I'm worried about if I get a console is that I'de have to cut up the front pretty good to fit the shifter in it. Mabey I should just stick with the column shifter:mad: . It seems like going to a floor shift that isn't factory is a pain in the a$$.

Floor shifter fun

Reply #6 – December 13, 2005, 11:12:32 AM

thunderjet302,
I have an '84 Cougar full-length console that is in great shape. I only live about 3.5 hours south of you, in Marshall, IL. The only trouble is, my console is beige/tan, and I assume that your interior is gray. I guess you could paint it. You'd also have to come up with a console lid for it. I actually also have the bucket seats that go with that console, but again, they are a beige velour cloth. I just thought I would let you know what I had available. Let me know if anything sounds interesting to you.

Fordman3

Floor shifter fun

Reply #7 – December 13, 2005, 11:22:50 AM

Thanks for the offer but I'm still deciding if I want to do the full console or try to modify the consolette. It's a tempting offer but I want to see if I can make the consolette work. Kinda of a stealthy mod (but how stealthy can it be with a B&M shifter :hick: ). But this might all take a back seat because I just found a tear in my passenger seat which means it's time for a trip to the upolstry shop. Great because it's leather and will probibly cost a bunch to fix:mad: . Oh well thanks again for the offer :D .

Floor shifter fun

Reply #8 – December 13, 2005, 12:23:47 PM

I used a factory shifter, and am very happy with it. An aftermarket shifter offers you nothing more than looks in a street car

Floor shifter fun

Reply #9 – December 13, 2005, 01:17:59 PM

aint that my shifter shawn?

Floor shifter fun

Reply #10 – December 13, 2005, 01:23:16 PM

nope, i got that one from an 88 LS with a console and floor shifter

Floor shifter fun

Reply #11 – December 13, 2005, 02:27:39 PM

i like the looks of the stock 87/88 shifters

Floor shifter fun

Reply #12 – December 13, 2005, 08:40:46 PM

Quote from: Funky Cricket

i like the looks of the stock 87/88 shifters

Same here.

I'm actually working on a deal for an '88 5.0L Cougar XR7 with the floor shifter.

Floor shifter fun

Reply #13 – December 14, 2005, 01:03:15 AM

I know I could use the stock one but I wanted the B&M one because eventually when I get enough money to put a new engine in I'm going to race it. I figured that the shifter might help me when I'm trying to shift the trans manually when I'm racing.