Ratchet shifter fit and look

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70Dart340V8

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I'm thinking in the near future of swapping a manual valve body into my Dart. I didn't have much luck on Google finding any pictures of how different shifters look in the Dart. For anyone that has one in their car, how do you like the shifter itsself, did you have any problems installing it (as far as mounting it and placement) and any pictures would be appriciated :)
 
I use the Hurst Pro Matic II with the aluminum T handle in my car and it works good for what I do with it.
That being said, it would be nice to drop to low gear from third without having to go through second to get there. (directly attributed to the ratchet style shifter)
Point being I think there would be a better shifter for a full manual trans than a ratchet type.

Install was easy enough as it's just mounting and cable routing to deal with mostly.
 
Any sugestions as to what other type aside from the ratchet? I plan to use the car for mostly street and cruse but there's a good chance the strip occasionally. I'm still early on in the project so I haven't decided on the exact route I'm going with the car. My main goal is to get her running good and reliable and stop leaking oil lol
 
Any sugestions as to what other type aside from the ratchet? I plan to use the car for mostly street and cruse but there's a good chance the strip occasionally.

I really don't have a good suggestion due to the fact I have not checked into it a ton or anything because the ratchet works fine for what I need.
Like I said, the main (only) complaint I have with it is that in order to go from 3rd to first I have to pull back twice on it, (once down to manual second and again for manual first)
I don't need it really, but sometimes I might be cruising along at 35 and want some instant RPM's, and since my car is more of a hiway car it'll do about 45-50 in first gear if held in manually.
Being a stock 318 block with add on's, I could use those RPM's sometimes. :D

It only takes a part of a second to get it down into first, so it's not a huge deal when it comes right down to it.

That fact that I got it nearly new for 100 bucks shipped helped the decision. :D
 
Put a Hurst Pro Matic in 65 Dart last winter when switching to a newer 904 to get rid of cable system. Did some modifying to get it to fit under stock console, I like the look in car.
 

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Put a Hurst Pro Matic in 65 Dart last winter when switching to a newer 904 to get rid of cable system. Did some modifying to get it to fit under stock console, I like the look in car.

The Pro Matic looks really nice in there. Great job on that...
 
I run the B&M Pro-Ratchet in all my cars over the years. To me it's the best shifter out there for not missing a gear and easy driving on the street, only thing that would make it better is if it was a rear exit cable. Running a 4' cable instead of 5' makes it alot better for a big block a-body though. I've had 2 9 second cars with this shifter and currently have the pro-ratchet in my Duster street car, love it. Install it and forget about it.

PPP makes a great rear exit cable shifter but it is pricey, I've never used one.
The Cheetah shifters are garbage to me, they very easily go from 1st to 3rd on accident.
 
Cheetah or Winters. That is all................

(Have the cheaper BM ratchet, and ran a BM pro-ratchet, for awhile, ended up with the above)
 
Did you do any racing with the Cheetah or the Winters? They are notorious for missing 2nd gear.
 
I've pounded it pretty good "around town." Haven't missed any shift that wasn't just me. The thing is, "what are you doing?" The BM pro ratchet was a PITA for the street. Example is getting it all ratcheted, unlock, de-safetied, buttons pushed, and levers activated, into and out of reverse. THAT COULD BE dangerous in certain traffic situations, or at least get you into or KEEP you out of a fender bender, AKA parking lot.

Mine by the way, is reverse pattern
 
LOL, you didn't have a Pro-ratchet, none of that nonsense applies to a pro-ratchet. It's a one handed operation, the only thing you have to do is bump the safety lever with your finger when you go into reverse, that is a required safety item for racing. Mine is also reverse pattern.
Shifters are like camshafts, you have to pick what you like. Lots of options.
 
LOL, you didn't have a Pro-ratchet, none of that nonsense applies to a pro-ratchet. It's a one handed operation, the only thing you have to do is bump the safety lever with your finger when you go into reverse, that is a required safety item for racing. Mine is also reverse pattern.
Shifters are like camshafts, you have to pick what you like. Lots of options.

Sorry I had the one with the big release trigger "pro stick" I guess

But in any case I don't care for ratchets, either, not being able to quickly get from "the far end" whether 1st or 3rd back to neutral, etc
 
Sorry I had the one with the big release trigger "pro stick" I guess

Alot of people run those, I didn't care for the one I had in one of my cars for about 3 months but that's probably cuz I was used to using the Pro-Ratchet for so many years.
I really like the looks of the Pro-Stick though.
 
I haven't run a reverse pattern yet, I've always had good luck with Ma Mopar's Slap Stick shifters.....
 
Sidewinder. I just got through driving with it for 4000 miles. I like it. Not sure how one would skip shift from 1st to 3rd with this setup.





How it looks w/ buckets back in car
 
I've never driven the Sidewinder but the 2 cars I drove with the Cheetah and a reverse pattern valve body were WAY too easy to miss 2nd in a 9 second car. And I've heard many many others complain of the same thing over the years. A guy on Moparts modified the gate on a Cheetah so it wouldn't be so easy to slip into third.
 
B&M ratchet here with reverse manual valve body. I like it, but it does have a bit of rattle to it when I'm idle.
rVAQatA.jpg
 
B&M ratchet here with reverse manual valve body. I like it, but it does have a bit of rattle to it when I'm idle.

Mine is rock solid, you may have something loose somewhere.

Here's a pic in my Big Block '72 Duster.

 
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