Shortened shifter w/reverse lockout (pics)

[Tony Hanna]

The reverse lockout broke in the Sundance so I took the opportunity to shorten the shifter a little and add an external lever to work the lockout. I didn't take much out of it because of the height of the center console, shortening it was more to keep it from ending up way too tall with the T-handle. To attach the T-handle, I bought a bolt that matched the threads for one of the bushings that came with it. I cut the head off of the bolt and positioned it inside the shifter leaving enough of the threads exposed and welded it in place.

To attach the new lockout lever, I removed the pin going through the lockout mechanism and replaced it with a machine screw. The lever itself is simply two pieces of round stock welded into a "T" with a short piece of square stock welded to the end and drilled for the machine screw. John fabbed the lever at work in his spare time.:) I welded a small washer to the shifter to act as a guide for the lever.

I was going for the automatic ratchet shifter look, and I think it comes pretty close though there are some changes I'd like to make eventually. Version 2 will have the reverse lockout bent to keep the vertical section closer to the shifter so the boot fits better and will be shorter and bent out at the top more to get it a little farther out of the way of the T-handle. I'd also like to do something a little cleaner looking for the guide or move it so that it's hidden when the boot is on.
Overall it was a pretty simple project and fun to build.:thumb:

[cordes]

That looks pretty good and is very unique. Thanks for taking the time to post up the pics.

[Tony Hanna]

That looks pretty good and is very unique. Thanks for taking the time to post up the pics.

You're welcome! I'd been wanting to try something like this for awhile and figured it would be pretty easy to pull off but I usually do alot more thinking about doing something and alot less actually doing it.:o
The stock reverse lockout breaking was a blessing in that it forced me to do something about it.

John has a Daytona shifter laying around that I'd really like to try to turn into a pistol grip. The way I see it, there's just something right about a pistol grip shifter in a Mopar anyway. If I attempt it, I'd like to try to keep the lockout functional with that one too. I'm thinking maybe something with a lever/linkage setup similar to the B&M Bandit shifters would work well though the linkage would have to be designed to pull instead of push.:)

[cordes]

That wouldn't be to hard I would think. Let's face it, with enough zip ties it would be easy. :eyebrows:

[Tony Hanna]

That wouldn't be to hard I would think. Let's face it, with enough zip ties it would be easy. :eyebrows:

It's funny you say that because initially I was seriously considering using a large zip tie to replace the plastic strap inside the shifter to get the stock lockout working again.:D

[cordes]

It's funny you say that because initially I was seriously considering using a large zip tie to replace the plastic strap inside the shifter to get the stock lockout working again.:D

I have actually seen that done a couple of times. It looks like it works, and when it is in the shifter you can't see it.

[omni_840]

Looks good :)

[Tony Hanna]

Looks good :)
Thanks man.:thumb:

[Nemesismachine]

Awesome! A grommet on the insode of the welded on washer would aid in the slight noise im sure it makes over bumps and such...

[88C/S]

Nice! Is your tranny a 555?

[Tony Hanna]

Awesome! A grommet on the insode of the welded on washer would aid in the slight noise im sure it makes over bumps and such...

With the way it is now, the shifter boot seems to keep enough pressure on it to keep it from rattling. Though if I build another one and manage to keep the lockout rod bent closer to the shifter, I bet a grommet would do the job nicely.:thumb:


Nice! Is your tranny a 555?
It's a 520. Same shifter between the two though, so a 555 shifter could be setup exactly the same way.:)

Tony