65 Dart Floor Shifter to later 727

[Austin Spencer]

Hey all, while I'm waiting on a shorter driveshaft, correct flexplate, and trans crossmember parts to come in, I've got to figure out the shifter situation.

I've got the stock 65 shifter, somewhat modified by the previous owner but nothing I can't fix with some grinding and welding. The car had a pushbutton 727, which I've replaced with a later 727 from 78 I believe, which I've just finished rebuilding and added a Gearvendors unit I had around. I've got to figure out how to get the stock shifter to work with this 727.

Is this a situation where I can just get a bracket and shifter cable combo somewhere and hook that up? I've looked all over and most people seem to have replaced their stock shifter with other units and then had a cable and it works, but since I've got a shifter already I'd like to see if I can make it work.

Any advice is appreciated, and if anyone has any pictures of their setup that'd be great so I can get an idea of what may be needed.

 

[65 Dartman]

A company called Imperial Services came up with the special brackets and cable(s) to mate the stick floor shifter to a 66-later 904 since an early A body never came with a 727. They went out of business but parts of it were acquired by another company. Can’t remember the name of the new company; maybe someone will know. There is an aftermarket cable shifter that resembles the original floor shifter and fits under the original console but can’t remember which one it is - sorry I can’t be more help

 

[Austin Spencer]

That's all good, hopefully somebody knows that company. I've read about Imperial Services on here quite a bit about this, would be convenient to find.

I'm also wondering, what exactly makes the stock floor shifter so incompatible with 66 and later 904/727? I'm assuming it's the ratio of movement between the rooster teeth in the transmission and the spaces in the shifter?

 

[67Dart273]

Isn't the 65 a cable operated deal? If so, that was a major change to any later transmissions which were external lever operated?

 

[Austin Spencer]

Isn't the 65 a cable operated deal? If so, that was a major change to any later transmissions which were external lever operated?

I'm definitely not 100% certain on each model and change but I believe the 65 was still cable operated. I had a 64 cable operated 727 but it was the pushbutton style and wasn't working out.

My 727 is external lever operated, so I'm trying to find a way that I can make that shifter work with that if possible. I've already found one "solution" but just trying to see if there's any other options.

TF 727 Linkage Kit

Above is an option I saw that seems to adapt a cable to work with an external lever. I'd have to call to get more details on it.

From what I can see of other shifters and kits they come with, they all use a cable as well for the external lever operation so I was confused as to why aftermarket shifters use a cable for the external lever, while the stock shifter can't seem to do that. I haven't found an exact reason anywhere so I was assuming it was the spacing of the positions on the stock shifter.

 

[65 Dartman]

It was explained to me by the guy a Imperial Services way back when I had my 65 Dart GT it was a combination of the spacing on the shifter snd spacing on the inside which was resolved by a special external bracket. The assembly I had I ended up selling it to @ragtopfury for his son’s 65 Barracuda

 

[ragtopfury]

It worked well for a few years on the later 904 trans with the original shifter. When Jacob upgraded to the 408, so did the trans to a later 727 and installed a B&M shifter. We sold the cable at that time for what Don had sold it to us.

 

[Austin Spencer]

It was explained to me by the guy a Imperial Services way back when I had my 65 Dart GT it was a combination of the spacing on the shifter snd spacing on the inside which was resolved by a special external bracket. The assembly I had I ended up selling it to @ragtopfury for his son’s 65 Barracuda

That's good to know, I figured it was the spacing.

Well I may talk to the shop that has the linkage I posted above, and then getting a basic cable linkage to test it out. $45 plus whatever a cable is would be cheaper than an aftermarket shifter, and I can always return whatever cable I get if it doesn't work out. I'll talk to the shop and then once I get some parts that I'm waiting on I'll take measurements and see what I can do.