Convince me to put a TKX in my Dart

After messing around with it, I'm genuinely surprised that you are able to use the factory top plate with the T56. If the spacing in the shift pattern between 1st and 5th is the same on a TKX vs. a T56, then I just can't see how you are able to get the T56 into reverse without running into clearance issues. My 5 speed pattern basically takes up the entire shift opening.

With my shifter centered in the boot as perfect as I can get it and the console sitting on the hump without the brackets being tacked in, I still can't seem to shift into reverse without the shifter pulling the entire console toward the rear a bit. I felt underneath and I have clearance. What I think is happening is the boot itself pulls so tight in reverse that it pulls the entire console backward. It doesn't do this in 2nd or 4th. I can hold the console down tight and shift into reverse without it moving but I can definitely tell its tight and would probably cause premature damage to the boot at some point. I guess the one saving grace is that you're not in reverse very often.

Had the wife sit in the car and she can't really reach the pedals well enough with the console centered the way I have it. I think the only way to do it would be to shorten the shifter bracket by about an inch, but then that would put the ash tray an inch closer to the shifter and I'd have to try cutting away the ash tray area as much as possible to get the clearance I need without it ever being noticeable from the top. Not sure if that's possible.

Yeah I haven't had any issue with the factory top plate and my slightly modified '71 B-body non-console pistol grip shifter. It pretty much uses the entire 4 speed opening in the top plate, but I didn't have to cut anything on the top plate. Obviously my entire console is mounted in a custom location which is further back because of the T56. And my tunnel is different too, so it may sit at a different angle than factory as well.