B&M Shifter

[Psychopete]

How many are running B&M shifters, and how did the install go?

I didn't read far enough into the instructions before realizing that the shifter (Sport) would essentially need to be raised with washers from the floor to fit with the plastic outside box. I installed it right where I wanted it directly to the plate that the old shifter was attached to. With the carpet, it looks like I need to raise it 3.5-4.0 inches which is going to cause the shifter to become somewhat unstable, let alone I'll have to make the hole for the cable bigger. At that point my knuckles would be at the bottom of the dash in park.

I am looking at cutting the plastic box down to fit it. Anyone else run into this? I am curious on how others have resolved it. Also open for ideas on how to cut the box (one guy suggested using a hack saw).

Thanks,
Pete

 

[doorgunner]

Kinda off the wall, but do what you gotta (if you don't mind a little cutting). Study the problem good before you start chopping-there may be another way. I had to do a little cutting to get mine to fit, but I got a '36 fiberglass cab with a late model Ranger floorboard had to move the shifter rearward to keep from hitting the dash in park. Also had to raise it up an inch for xmsn clearance which caused me to have to notch the floorboard for the cable. At least it's roughed in & shiftable. I'd suppose if you had to raise yours, you could buy the correct length metal spacers(to remove the wobble) & move it rearward slightly to give your knuckles room.

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

witch shifter is the sport?
a dremil works great on cutting plastic by the way.

 

[doorgunner]

10-4 on the dremel tool and a lot easier to control the cut from wandering or splitting the plastic into pieces---the shifter in the pic is about 14" long. I used a jig-saw with a fine-tooth metal blade for the floorboard after a couple hours of tryin everything else first and is covered with a flexible universal boot-old school). The plastic housing is made to be trimmed on the bottom to fit the contour of the floorboard. Just be sure the shifter is mounted tightly exactly where it needs to be before trimming the plastic housing ( you may have to fab a riser box to bolt/weld to the floorboard & then mount thr shifter/housing to the riser after you cover the riser with carpet or rubber mat. etc...

 

[Will]

I've had several and the Quicksilver is my favorite. They still make it and this file has the operation of it, once you get down past the installation.

 

[Gotta_gofast]

I have a megashifter in a custom built council on my V8 ranger. Controls the 1/2/D shifts and then there's a button on the handle to switch in and out of Overdrive. I love ratchet shifters.

 

[BLOODBANE]

I have the megashifter as well, and thought the install was fairly straight forward. Worst part was cutting the box right for the tranny tunnel.....I'll see if I have any pics of it for you....

 

[Will]

I had a Starshifter. That was a heap of trash. Just about every gear required pulling up that lever. It wore out from me banging on it in frustration. And it only ratchets forward which is useless for a 4x4 or even a street car that you want to manually downshift with a quick slap. It's an automatic--I want to just pull it into gear and push it into park when I get there.

The Megashifter I've driven and it's a lot like the Quicksilver. The Quicksilver you go freely between park and drive like the Megashfter. WHen you want to go below drive you push down on the shift knob, no lever, and ratchet back and forth as you please. It's more instinctive to me then feeling for the lever, but there isn't much difference.

 

[mikepotts]

i used to have a Prostick in my BII. EVERY auto vehicle that i replaced the shifter in got a Prostick, i like 'em!

my new shifter is a MP custom...

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/1804091/8

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

i run the Mega shifter also,love it!
had a quick silver ,great street shifter!

 

[Bruce]

If you read the instructions ...you cut the plastic box to fit the height of the shifter..we run the same shifter in our ranger works pretty good, the mounting box cuts fairly easy with tin snipes.

 

[Psychopete]

If you read the instructions ...you cut the plastic box to fit the height of the shifter..we run the same shifter in our ranger works pretty good, the mounting box cuts fairly easy with tin snipes.

I did RTFM , but I must have missed that. It's sound like I am heading the right direction, cutting the box seemed like the only solution. Tin snips crossed my mind as well, I guess I'll see how it goes this weekend. Bad things seem to happen when it comes to me cutting a strait line with a dremel. Will take pics once I get it figured out.

Copperhead - The sport shifter is a no thrill shifter (not ratcheting), I thought it looked decent and would suit the truck fine since I wasn't shooting for a racing application. It is also pretty inexpensive. It would be nice to have the ratcheting shifter if I ever with with a manual valve body on my AOD.

doorgunner - Your "Ranger" is the shit.

Thanks,
Pete

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

sweet!
sounds like itll look good when you get it finished.

 

[Psychopete]

Got it cut this past weekend. Wasn't too bad, just took some time. I ended up using tin snips to cut the majority, cleaned it up with a dremel, and finally block sanded it flat.

I know I need new carpet , but that is a project later down the road at this point. Thanks for the responses.

Pete

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

sweet looking shifter!
base and arm looks just like mine.