FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: Jb427 on November 10, 2021, 06:03:43 AM
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has any one seen or ran a reverse pattern shifter in a 66 67 fairlane with a console my old man is not having a good time with the 4 speed so its coming out for now and auto is going in so he can enjoy the car too.
I would like to keep the console factory looking but with reverse pattern shifter anyone here done or seen a fairlane like this?
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Years ago, when I ran a C6 in my Fairmont, I modified a factory Mustang/Fairlane floor shifter to work with my Art Carr/Ford Motorsport reverse pattern transbrake valve body. I just ground down the detent between the original "D" & "2" position. It then essentially the same as a Hurst 1/4 Stick shifter. Low gear was where D would have been originally, to go into 2nd you just pulled the handle down until it hit the detent between the factory "2" and "L" position, and for 3rd, just push the button in the handle, and pull down. Worked great, looked factory, the detents had the correct spacing (unlike most GM based aftermarket shifters), no cable to melt on the headers, and it worked with the factory neutral safety switch. (even the backup lights worked.)
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I'd consider a B&M Pro Ratchet since the shifter basically sits straight up, should be somewhat easier to package. It's a solid reverse pattern unit that will take a beating over years. Mine gets whacked with 90 lbs of air pressure twice per pass, has for many years.
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I have the factory '67 console shifter and simply cut down the "step" for manual second. This allows a simple "pull back" into second and "push button" and pull into third. The first second shift comes fairly quickly and the modified shifter allows a confident shift into second. NHRA compliant because the factory neutral safety switch is still used as well as reverse lock out as the button still has to be pushed for reverse. Obviously still looks stock .
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I hate cable shifters and wanted to retain the stockish look so made a new detent block with a tall one that slides. It essentially locks it in the forward gears. No button slap shift into 2nd and button in slap against detent for 3rd. Pull lever, drop block and your into N, R, P.
(https://i.postimg.cc/SxyKXwZQ/IMG-0284.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3dchVb5z)
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I hate cable shifters and wanted to retain the stockish look so made a new detent block with a tall one that slides. It essentially locks it in the forward gears. No button slap shift into 2nd and button in slap against detent for 3rd. Pull lever, drop block and your into N, R, P.
would you mind posting more photos of your set up 66FAIRLANE i like the look of that.
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Sorry mate. I have never taken any. Every time (not very often) I have had it apart for something I mean to take pics and a little vid but always forget.
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Have done this with mustang shifters for years . Tech doesnt care for it but I like it a hell of alot more than a cable shifter.... Just some rework on the gates.
Just noticed you got a sexy lock out there,,,, but the damn steering wheel is on the wrong side , howd that happen ? 8)
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Have done this with mustang shifters for years . Tech doesnt care for it but I like it a hell of alot more than a cable shifter.... Just some rework on the gates.
Curious why Tech would have any issue with a factory shifter. I ran my modified 69 Mustang shifter in my Fairmont drag car for over 10 years, including NHRA National events and divisional points meets, at 8 different drag strips, and never had any Tech guy give me any trouble about my shifter. Several other Ford racers in the Northwest used the same style shifters, including Ross Childers from Oregon, who had one in his mid 80s, ex Bob Glidden Pro Stock Thunderbird, that he races in Super Gas. In the extremely unlikely event that I ever had to return to racing a Ford with an automatic transmission, (amputation, becoming paralyzed, suffering a stroke, etc),That would be my shifter of choice again.
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No reverse lockout . And thanks for reminding me that its not just paranoia when I feel the entire universe is fighting me..... 8) 8) 8) I never went so far as to ad that sexy little lever there like the man with the fairlane did. The thing that makes the mustang shifter nice I guess could make it a bit unsafe in those regards...Ive never had a reverse issue as I was always shifting away from reverse until I went to bump it into neutral after the beams... Just had to be aware...Did you have a lockout worked into yours ? If you did I would love to hear about how you did it.
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On the stock Ford shifter , reverse can NOT be engaged without pushing the button on the side of the T handle. That qualifies as a reverse lockout in anyone's language.
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Nope , must require two hands....
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My sliding detent is higher than the shifter will lift with a button press. This effectively locks it in the forward gears until the lever is pulled.....can do it all with one hand though. As for the steering wheel I just woke up one morning and there it was ;D
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Have done this with mustang shifters for years . Tech doesnt care for it but I like it a hell of alot more than a cable shifter.... Just some rework on the gates.
Just noticed you got a sexy lock out there,,,, but the damn steering wheel is on the wrong side , howd that happen ? 8)
I'll bet he drives on the wrong side of the road also!
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On my modified 69 Mustang shifter, I had nothing added as a "reverse lockout", nor was I ever asked to . It is a factory shifter, if NHRA required a 2 handed reverse lockout, even a bone stock 17 second street car would be technically illegal. As gt350hr mentioned, to engage reverse requires pushing the button in the shifter handle, besides, if you have a 5 point safety harness, and are properly buckled in, trying to get both hands on a floor mounted shifter would be rather difficult. I have seen some people add something like a gate latch, or door hinge as a interfering "lockout" on an OE shifter, which looks like crap.Also, what about cars that retain factory column shifters? Several years ago, Phil Featherston brought his original 64 Thunderbolt to Mission for the Mega Ford race, and his mid 9 second T Bolt still has the original column shifter.
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His T Bolt is awesome! And yes uses the original "on the tree " shifter.
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Look , I hear you , however it is the requirement . Even tho every single one of these I have been able to operate with one hand . The winters was the one that everyone started putting door latches on looking all stupid because it had no lock out .
I dont care for a cable shifter nor do I care for having a lockout , but I care alot less for getting hassled in the lanes and I have been many years ago. Of course you can show up in a new mustang or a dodge with no cage or anything else and run in the 9s and no one says a peep apparently.
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Blueoval77, just curious which dragstrips you go to, that say a 2 hand lockout is a requirement on a factory shifter. Like I said, over 10 years, at 8 different dragstrips, including NHRA National and divisional events, that I raced at, no such requirement was mentioned.
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Not trying to be argumentative, just discussing, but I have to agree with Rory & Randy, I’ve raced at at least 18 different tracks, including going through NHRA tech at the World Finals national event at Pomona for the Summit ET championship, and never had a tech issue with my stock Mustang and Torino shifters. I took a look at the NHRA rulebook to refresh my memory, and the rulebook differentiates between an OEM floor mounted shifter and an non OEM aftermarket shifter, with stating that the non OEM shifter needs a spring loaded reverse lockout, but there’s no requirement that the reverse lockout requires two hands. I will add though, when I’ve advised people about various NHRA rules I always add that there’s always the possibility you might run into a rogue track tech inspector that has their own interpretation of a rule. I always keep an actual copy of the NHRA rule book with me at the track. I’ll just add too, there is a version of the Winters shifter that has a NHRA accepted spring loaded reverse lockout on the handle, I have one for one of my other cars. I think the confusion on the Winters is just that some people don’t know both versions exist and mistakenly buy the version without it for drag racing. The rock crawling & 4 wheeling folks like the Winters shifter without the lockout for easy shifting between forward & reverse. The reverse lockout on the Winters is actuated by pulling up that disc below the shift knob. The similar Turbo Action Cheetah and older Art Carr shifters also have a reverse lockout button on the handle you actuate with one hand and I have multiple friends with the Turbo Action Cheetah shifters, and they have no issues either with NHRA tech.
(https://i.postimg.cc/VkZd3JGb/4472-CF1-A-3511-4038-8-BB4-EE6609-D0-B0-BD.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mPML9gGb)
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Nope , must require two hands....
Agree - no requirement for "two hands". The Pro Ratchet shifter reverse lockout lever is operated by your shift hand thump before passing into reverse. Very simple. Shift has all the micro switches to handle neutral safety, reverse lights, etc. I like it because if I have to shift manually, it's just burnout in 2nd, move back to 1st then launch-pull-pull. Very easy. Takes longer to park the car - push-push-push-flip-push-push LOL.
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Its been quite a few years now (Late 80s early 90s) since I actually had the time but I was running MIR , the Beach and Capitol over here on the east coast . It was MIR where I got the grief and just carried it with me from there. I was mostly street racing and attending the late night "Midnight madness" events at the time and they were simply going nuts on the cars. To the point where guys were grafting DOT stamps ontp tires and other craziness. To give a visual here we would roll in when the gates opened and there may have been 5 other cars there unloading . By nights end we may have had 50 cars there maybe a little more . To be honest we were at the track to start shit and we would then take our business to the streets of southern MD. Hell ive flagged a race up in Bowie near capitol in the middle of 301 quite a few times. Things are much different now.
That Darn Cat . I dont take it as argumentative . I am just now going back into this and information is a good thing. The winters is the only other shifter I would run and I have seen plenty of them with a freaking sliding bolt screwed onto the thing.
I was shown the rule Im sure and I remember two hands were required or other wording to that extent... Admittedly its been a long time.
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His T Bolt is awesome! And yes uses the original "on the tree " shifter.
Also not NHRA Legal but yes.. very cool car.
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Phil Passes tech everywhere he goes and has for thirty years. I don't know why you say it isn't legal. Th shift lever IS spring loaded and must be pulled back to go into reverse.