a few 4 speed conversion problems

[Neal Zimmerman]

It's been a while folks. swapping a 4 speed into a small block 68 barracuda. A few mysteries are popping up. Answer as many as u can stand. 1)I decided to do a mock up fitting, so I installed bellhousing, empty trans case, & crossmember. This allowed me to locate where Hurst comp plus comes up thru floor and cut that spot out. When I dummy fit the AMD 4 speed hump by just feeling how it conforms to the floor, it seems the shifter is too far rearward in the hump hole. It is literally touching the back lip of the opening and rear adjustment lock bolt touches hump as well. This can't be right! Could summit have sent me the wrong hump? Could motor be installed too far rearward? 2) Another question pertains to the shifter rods. Which direction do the 90 degree bends on rods go when installed in shifter mechanism arms?? Towards passenger or drivers side or a mix of both. 3)And finally, which arms on shifter mechanism are which. I heard long one is Reverse. What about other two?
Thanks much, Neal

 

[a12]

Pictures would give a much clearer understanding

 

[toolmanmike]

It's been a while folks. swapping a 4 speed into a small block 68 barracuda. A few mysteries are popping up. Answer as many as u can stand. 1)I decided to do a mock up fitting, so I installed bellhousing, empty trans case, & crossmember. This allowed me to locate where Hurst comp plus comes up thru floor and cut that spot out. When I dummy fit the AMD 4 speed hump by just feeling how it conforms to the floor, it seems the shifter is too far rearward in the hump hole. It is literally touching the back lip of the opening and rear adjustment lock bolt touches hump as well. This can't be right! Could summit have sent me the wrong hump? Could motor be installed too far rearward? 2) Another question pertains to the shifter rods. Which direction do the 90 degree bends on rods go when installed in shifter mechanism arms?? Towards passenger or drivers side or a mix of both. 3)And finally, which arms on shifter mechanism are which. I heard long one is Reverse. What about other two?
Thanks much, Neal

A12 hit the nail on the head. Pictures of what you have. You might have a B body transmission. (different shifter mounting than A bodies have)

 

[AJ/FormS]

Since your hump is loose, you can almost put it where-ever you want. I put my stick back between the buckets, and up next to my thigh, where in neutral, my arm is just forward of hanging straight down. No more reaching for third gear. Now with my back against the bucket, I can ram it home and have not missed a shift since 2004.

A-bodies A833s have a short tails, maybe 10 or 12inches? and only ONE shifter mounting pad .
As to the angles; I'm going from memory and haven't looked at mine since 2004, so here goes
The adjuster ends go on the stick end.
on the box; they only fit one way; the 1-2 rod next to the case and the 3-4 on the outside of the lever. That's the only way they won't rub. And the reverse rod only fits one way
At the stick; the outboard rod (3-4) comes in from the outside, so the pin is pointing towards the trans. I don't recall the inboard(1-2), but it probably goes between the levers, leaving room for the reverse on the inboard most slightly longer lever.
The reverse rod hangs under the crossmember.
As to the short levers; Two of them have more or less vertical slots, and the reverse has quite a different angle and may be a lil longer I forget. The other two install on the studs and I think end up vertical when properly installed. The 1-2 may be flat but I'm pretty sure the 3-4 is offset.
That's the best I got

 

[KosmicKuda]

If using factory engine mounts, BH, crossmember, correct A833 with short tailhousing, etc., the variable is the aftermarket hump. No part of the shifter should come in contact with the opening in the hump. Also, you probably should add the stick and boot to your assembly and see if the bezel is where it needs to be with the stick centered in the boot. If it was me, i would locate the hump so it clears and modify the contour of the hump to fit as necessary. It gets covered by carpet anyway.

There are lots if pictures in this site that shows shifter rods and levers.

 

[Neal Zimmerman]

No, all the obvious stuff is correct: factory bellhousing -correct, stock motor mounts-correct, a-body transmission- correct. Crosmember lines up perfect with trans mount pad. Brand new shifter and mount from brewers. The hole/shifter isssue has to be with the AMD hump. Must be some variance. I saw a photo on here somewhere in which it looks like they had to do a little surgery on the left rear corner of hump to fit floor.

 

[a12]

Judging by the pictures . . . . . .

 

[AJ/FormS]

Judging by the pictures . . . . . .

that could be true

IMO, if you have the correct hump;and the correct shifter mounting pad; center the hump and screw it down. Tack it in, beat the rest of the metal into submission and fill in the spaces.. Oh wait; that's what I would do, and did.

 

[rumblefish360]

When the shifter stick is in neutral, pushing forwards is first gear, straight back, second. 3rd & 4th year are neutral, to the right, forwards for 3rd, back for 4th while still on the right.
Reverse is neutral position, pull left towards yourself, move into gear.

The rods ends for 1/2 & 3/4 should point inwards towards the passenger.
It’s been a while but IIRC, the reverse rod faces the driver side of the car as installed in the shifter arms.

The reverse rod is shorter with a heavier 90*-ish bend. The other rods are straight by compare. 1 rod being longer for the front lever.

Worst case scenario, you shift into first and it is actually 3rd. Even there done that screw up. ;)

If your “sure” you have an A body trans, the shifter should only have one mounting spot. So that’s located right. The AMD panel “If correct” can be slid around a bit to fit. No worries though, I’m better a carpet will cover up any mistakes.