Aftermarket Floor shifter Suggestions

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Evan Dutch

Evan Dutch

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Looking for floor shifter suggestions.

I’ve got a column shift 904 in my 1971 scamp. Would like to replace it with an aftermarket floor shifter. Car currently has a bench seat, and the shifter will need a provision for my linelock switch.

What’s everyone using for floor shifters?

Video for attention

Thanks!

 
Last one I bought is a TCI Fast Gate #616544 Summit $205.95 for my street car (4 years ago)
Works for me. Thought I had a photo but couldn't find it.
 
B&M Quicksilver
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I had trouble with the cables getting melted near the last bend (near the shift linkage). Looks like this guy had the best idea.
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Evan Dutch said:
The B&M quarter stick shifters caught my eye but they’re over $400. Yikes
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I tried one of those but I couldn't get used to the gated shifter after using a ratchet one for so long.


 
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The best bang for the buck and easiest to use for ME is the B&M Pro Ratchet. Affordable, simple and effective and doesn't look too big or gawdy.
 
abodyjoe said:
damn they got expensive
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It seems they all went way up in price the last few years.
The B&M Pro Ratchet #80842 I used in 2 race cars. The used to be $199. Now over $400
Price point and well made/easy to use was the reason I suggested the TCI
 
I used a Hurst V-Matic in several cars over the years. Kept moving it from one to another. When it got worn, sent it back to Hurst for an overhaul for a fraction of a new unit. It had a reverse lock out that had to be lifted to get into forward gears and could be operated as a standard detent shifter for casual driving or by you could put it into ratchet mode when you wanted to bang gears. Think I paid around $100+ for it. Now they are going for $500 or so.

Thought about getting a Turbo Action or Cheetah for my last drag car. They were double the cost of B&M and Hurst two decades ago, so that kind of scared me away. Now days the gap between all of them seems to have closed some, but they are still both more expensive units than B&M and Hurst.
 
RustyRatRod said:
The best bang for the buck and easiest to use for ME is the B&M Pro Ratchet. Affordable, simple and effective and doesn't look too big or gawdy.
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That's my go-to as well, but have you priced one lately. I wouldn't exactly call it a bang for the buck shifter anymore.
 
mopowers said:
That's my go-to as well, but have you priced one lately. I wouldn't exactly call it a bang for the buck shifter anymore.
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Yeah. 403 at Summit. Not horrible, but not what I call a deal, either.
 
mopowers said:
Luckily, there are a bunch of them out there, so finding a good used one shouldn't be a problem. I like the ratcheting mechanism they use.
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My actual all time favorite shifter is the B&M Quick Click, but they are no NHRA approved, since they have no reverse lockout. They sure are a cool vintage shifter, though. The Pro Ratchet is the next closest thing.
 
Hurst promatic 2 was always our “go to” in the street days. Could easily make it fit center councils to give it that “born there” look.
….and I have zero love for a turbo action shifter in a race car. It’s the points ignition of shifters.
 
I use the Promatic 2 and it fits under my factory console and looks like it was born there. But I wired my line lock button up to the blinker handle.
 
I'm fond of the B&M Megashifter. It's a cool-looking ratchet shifter with a reverse lockout that just looks and works great. A friend had a car with one and I always loved that thing.
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In fact, I still have a new-in-the-box Megashifter that I offered up for sale over 3 years ago. It's just gathering dust in the box. (You can see the sale thread if you search for Megashifter in the title and my member name.) It's a very nice piece that I thought I would use when I built the avatar. But things changed and I never used it. The shifter and the extra reverse pattern shift window now cost close to $500. Talk about inflation!!
 
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RustyRatRod said:
The best bang for the buck and easiest to use for ME is the B&M Pro Ratchet. Affordable, simple and effective and doesn't look too big or gawdy.
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I have the pro ratchet in two cars, I like em, but I paid under $200 for em, now over $400.
I've also used a turbo action cheetah, bullet proof, but not idiot (me) proof. Also too much money.
If I was buying a shifter today for a Mopar, I'd probably buy a Winters sidewinder. VERY similar to a cheetah, $200 cheaper, bulletproof. Rear entry cable to keep it away from header heat, comes with a cover, unlike a cheetah.
But A-body is right, they've been around almost unchanged for 50 years.
 
B&M Starshifter. I have had this in one of my Darts since the mid-1980s. Has a finished cover so no need for a console unless you want one. has two modes: one with a typical straight line stock shift pattern, then once in first, pull up the finger trigger and let the handle drop back, then use as a ratchet shifter for the 1-2 and 2-3 shift. Perfect for a street driven car used occasionally on the strip. Ratchet shifters can a pain on the street but are the real advantages on the strip. Why choose when you can have both.


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