Replacing column shifter with a floor shifter

[Zeekstr]

Hi. Has anyone put a floor shifter on a truck that originally had a column shifter? Thanks

 

[618 Syndicate]

@kennythewelder

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

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Yes

 

[kennythewelder]

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[Pinger]

Personally, I wouldn't. Firstly it clutters up that big space in front of the seats that I really like. Secondly, given that these trucks can select reverse at any forward speed, the further away the selector is from a position where it can be accidentally nudged the better. Behind the steering wheel seems to me a safer place for it but I'd have it in the engine bay if I could.
Just my personal choice though. Your truck your call.

 

[kennythewelder]

Personally, I wouldn't. Firstly it clutters up that big space in front of the seats that I really like. Secondly, given that these trucks can select reverse at any forward speed, the further away the selector is from a position where it can be accidentally nudged the better. Behind the steering wheel seems to me a safer place for it but I'd have it in the engine bay if I could.
Just my personal choice though. Your truck your call.

We all have different taste. Id its not for you, that's all good. As for spacing, well I used the factory shift cable. I just moved it to the floor. As for nudging it into another gear, that's what the detent plate is for. The shifter has a bar on it that fits into a slot on the detent plate. This locks it in place and it can not be moved with out pulling the release on the shifter handle. All except 1st to 2ed, that I made a slap shift. Mine is custom made, but modeled it after these.

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[Pinger]

As for nudging it into another gear, that's what the detent plate is for.The shifter has a bar on it that fits into a slot on the detent plate. This locks it in place and it can not be moved with out pulling the release on the shifter handle.

I want one now!

Good point - it just freaks me how easy it is to select reverse with the column shifter. Floor mounted is probably safer.

 

[kennythewelder]

I want one now!

Good point - it just freaks me how easy it is to select reverse with the column shifter. Floor mounted is probably safer.

Well, its kind of like I said. Its all about the detent plate. Since I built mine my self, I made it the way I wanted it. The shifter clicks when it goes into gear. Once in place, it cant come out of gear, untill you pull the handle on the shifter up. The only exception, is 1st to second. I know Im repeating my self. What I did was, to make the plate out if some 1/4 steel plate. A drop off section from a 4 X 8 x 1/4 sheet. I cut it into the shape I needed. I made sure that I followed the arc of the shifter with the handle pulled up. Then I installed it in the truck. I marked each gear location. I removed it, and had the lead machinist help me mill out each slot I had marked. This left tabs sticking up for each gear. I tweaked them with a small die grinder and the 1 to 2 spot, I knocked that tab down so I could have a slap shift. As for the cable mount, I went to pull a part with a hack saw, and cut off the tab on the column that holds the shift cable. I measured mine, and set that distance the same on the floor shifter mounting plate. I would have never done any of this if my drivers seat ( OE 60-40 bench seat) wasn't getting worn out. I got very lucky and found a set of Tahoe bucket seats at a swap meet. I knew I was going to do a console. I don't really like the OBS, OE console. So back to pull a part. Got a console out of a 2004 Tahoe. I knew I didn't want the console section that goes up the dash. I just took the back section. I intended on just making a storage space for the front, but the other welder here at work ( there is only 2 of us ) said, you should put a floor shifter. He was thinking B&M or something. When He said that, it hit me. I said yea, and I know what Im going to put. A Chevelle shifter. Im just going to have to make it though. So the only thing I did not make, was the handle it self. I built everything else my self with a little help from our lead machinist. I have the only one anywhere, and it works grate too. As for the back light bowtie, silverado emblem, and shifter, marker plate, another machinist does plexiglass signs on his time off. I have built some aluminum frames for Him in the past, so He was happy to make the plexiglass cut out for me, and etch them. I back light everything with LEDs. The bowties and silverado emblem light up when you open the door. The gear indicator plate is wired into the headlight switch.

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[DavidAlan]

What look like with 4 wheel drive set up? I have a automatic, with old set up for floor shifter for my 4 wheel drive. Could put the shifter next to it, but this project is way down my list of things to do, I did at one time took my 67 Chevy c10 half ton ,and was a clutch set up, in old days we had column shifts, so took that and put on floor, so much easier to shift.
If your truck isn't a 4x4 it, isn't a truck, at least where I live ,the whole town has more 4x4 trucks than cars...maybe thats why my truck is used for than show,could use idea of a push button on the floor, like the old tornado's had back in the day.

 

[96TahoeDoug]

We all have different taste. Id its not for you, that's all good. As for spacing, well I used the factory shift cable. I just moved it to the floor. As for nudging it into another gear, that's what the detent plate is for. The shifter has a bar on it that fits into a slot on the detent plate. This locks it in place and it can not be moved with out pulling the release on the shifter handle. All except 1st to 2ed, that I made a slap shift. Mine is custom made, but modeled it after these.

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1970 Chevelle Bread Basket shifter. That's up there with as cool as it can get.