4 speed console shifter guys help

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sydcuda

sydcuda

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I've just ordered a repro Hurst style console shifter for my 68 from Brewers. My car is right hand drive, with a console (of course). I'm dying to know if I will be able to use the console shifter as is, or whether it will require modification to work comfortably for a driver sitting on the right side of the car. By modification I mean cutting and re-welding the shifter to achieve a mirror image of the current shape. (One reason why I havent bought an original shifter, as I would never want to hack one of those rare items up).

Can anyone with a hurst console shifter conduct a little experiment for me? Sit in the passenger seat of your car and work through the gears, and tell me whether it feels comfortable enough (putting aside the fact that it will feel odd for you to be shifting with your left arm) in all positions, or whether I'd have to have ape length arms to use it in this way.

Ta!

tsh055repro.jpg
 
To the best of my knowledge, the ball should sit relatively in the center of the console.
Therefore it should be fine.
I'm not aware that the factory made different handles from left hand to right hand drives.

All the best.
 
340butterduster said:
To the best of my knowledge, the ball should sit relatively in the center of the console.
Therefore it should be fine.
I'm not aware that the factory made different handles from left hand to right hand drives.

All the best.
Click to expand...
Actually the knob does not sit in the center of the console. It sits to the extreme left hand side next to the drivers leg. The handle comes up out of the center of the console, bends to the immediate left, then the handle comes back parallel to the console. Sooooo... I'm guessing that one would NOT be able to modify that handle at all, and I'd get my money back if possible. You will need a mirror image of that handle.
 
Outsider said:
Actually the knob does not sit in the center of the console. It sits to the extreme left hand side next to the drivers leg. The handle comes up out of the center of the console, bends to the immediate left, then the handle comes back parallel to the console. Sooooo... I'm guessing that one would NOT be able to modify that handle at all, and I'd get my money back if possible. You will need a mirror image of that handle.
Click to expand...

I realise that the handle sits over to the driver's leg but sitting in the driver's seat on the right side of my car using an "imaginery" shifter it doesnt seem too far away ... hence my request for someone to try it using a real shifter. But why couldn't I modify the repro shifter to make a mirror image right hand drive piece? Simply a matter of cutting and rewelding in the right places. Or, more easily, I could break the weld at the base of the shifter and swivel the shifter arm counter clockwise so that the ball ended up more towards the centre of the console.
 
pettybludart said:
That shifter looks like it would work for RIGHT HAND DRIVE,don,t know about fit in your console?
Click to expand...

My console is an A body console and the shifter is a repro of the hurst factory console shifter so I would have the same set-up as any 68-69 cuda with a manual console shifter.
Im just wondering whether, sitting on the right side of the car (ie your passenger seat, my driver's seat) the shifter could be comportably used as is or whether I would have to mod the shifter (which I am quite prepared to do if need be).
 
If you look at the handle closely, from where it comes out of the shifter mechanism, the first 90 deg bend, to bring it back to the horizontal plane, when looking at it from the top, that elbow ends up being behing the shifter mechanisms, therefore throwing the shifter ball "Somewhat" towards the center (but still to the left), we are not talking 6" here.
Is there a part #for a right hand drive console shifter handle?
Breaking the weld is an option, but try it first.
I know it's a $ handle, Brewer's bought some from me for good $.
 
sydcuda said:
I realise that the handle sits over to the driver's leg but sitting in my car using an "imaginery" shifter it doesnt seem too far away ... hence my request for someone to try it using a real shifter. But why couldn't I modify the repro shifter to make a mirror image right hand drive piece? Simply a matter of cutting and rewelding in the right places. Or, more easily, I could break the weld at the base of the shifter and swivel the shifter arm counter clockwise so that the ball ended up more towards the centre of the console.
Click to expand...
I've got a console 4-speed shifter in my car. It would be less work to make one up from scratch locally.
 
I'll sit on the passenger side of my car tomorrow. I have a Hurst console shifter in my 67 Dart

I would think it would be OK just weird driving from the right side of the car......LOL

If it was to be modified I would thin k if below the console top the shifter was bent to the right slightly it would work and make more comfortable.

The shifter comes up in the center, cutting anywhere low would not be needed since it still has to come up pass the trans and get to the correct location to line up in the hole in the console
 
Outsider said:
I've got a console 4-speed shifter in my car. It would be less work to make one up from scratch locally.
Click to expand...

Problem is I dont have an original shifter to copy to make one up from scratch. But knowing what these shifters look like and how they sit in relation to the console I tend to think it would be less work to modify the repro one - if that proves necesssary. By my estimation I would have to cut and re-weld in two places to achieve a "mirror image" stick, then have the piece re-chromed. Or as I said, simply break the weld at the base of the repro unit and swivel the arm so that the ball ends up a little way over toward the right (say, 2 - 3 inches over when in first gear) - nothing drastic. If not, once I have the repro unit use it as a template to make a mirror image right hand drive unit.
 
This damn computer,

I'll try again

I sat in the right seat and shiftered if and it is just DAMN WEIRD to shift left handed, but you are probably use to it and think mine would be weird.

I would say a slight bend to the right would do it. I will try and take some pictures tomorrow and post
 
Thanks wildcat, yeh it probably is over to the left just a little too far, but an easy fix to move the shifter head over 2 inches or so. Good to know!
 
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