Rod Shifted A523/A568

[jckrieger]

Does anyone have some pictures of a rod shifted A523 or A568? I will be installing a different transmission in my GLHS so I can use a torsion style LSD and really don't want to cut holes in my floor to convert to a cable shifter. It looks like this shouldn't take too much work, but I'm curious if I'm going to run into any snags. I plan on removing the head from the engine and then making the linkages/rods as necessary. I also realize I will have to do some work to make the dogbone/bobble strut work with the L body cross member.

[86Shelby]

The same theory applies to the 523/568, you do not need to use the second shift arm, as the main shaft moves with it. This is Supercrackerbox's linkage he made for the 555 in his Charger.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o298/supercrackerbox/charger/IMG_0616.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o298/supercrackerbox/charger/IMG_0614.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o298/supercrackerbox/charger/IMG_0613.jpg

[minigts]

I'm glad this just came up. :) I did some testing to see how the 568 shifts and it actually is reverse on the direction that the main shift plate functions for the gears. Basically, to get 1st for a 525 it would be in and to the left (well driver's side, but basing this on the picture above). For a 568, it's out and to the left. For all of the gears, the movement is the same, just whether or not the lever moves in or out. It's pretty much the opposite of the 525.

You have to make the 568 lever pull forward even though a 525 naturally makes the shift lever go in. I think to compensate for this, you can take the secondary arm on a 568 and set the pivot point for that lever and simply move this fulcrum point over to the right of the transmission. Hard to say without a pic of a 568, but I spent about 20 minutes this weekend determining how I was going to do this.

And to answer the OP's question, no it hasn't been done yet for a 568 to my knowledge. This is something I want to do because I have the transmission and also because of the fact it hasn't been done. I think it will take some fabbing, but not a lot.

[86Shelby]

Jon you are partially correct...or i just didn't follow you 100%. the 555 pattern puts the main trans shifter shaft/lever in and to the right like it is in the pic above(it may be in 3rd but you get the idea). on a 568 first gear is out and to the right...the same position that 5th is in on the 555. i went out and double checked on the granny car a few minutes ago.

only the top pivot point above the diff should need to be modified to get the linkage to work. i dont have an l-body to look at clearances but moving that pivot above the drivers axle and fabbing a mirror image of the L shaped bracket should work in theory. or simply re-engineer the bracket in the current location.

<frustratingly posted by mobile device on non-mobile website>

[minigts]

Jon you are partially correct...or i just didn't follow you 100%. the 555 pattern puts the main trans shifter shaft/lever in and to the right like it is in the pic above(it may be in 3rd but you get the idea). on a 568 first gear is out and to the right...the same position that 5th is in on the 555. i went out and double checked on the granny car a few minutes ago.

only the top pivot point above the diff should need to be modified to get the linkage to work. i dont have an l-body to look at clearances but moving that pivot above the drivers axle and fabbing a mirror image of the L shaped bracket should work in theory. or simply re-engineer the bracket in the current location.

<frustratingly posted by mobile device on non-mobile website>

ROFL at the message about posting.

Ok, this is what I found when testing the gears. As you are facing the transmission from the rear, looking down at the shifter housing. In refers to pushing the main lever in, out refers to pulling the main lever out and the directions indicate the main lever rotating clockwise for left, counterclockwise for right.

525

1st - In and Right
2nd - In and Left
3rd - Right
4th - Left
5th - Out and Right
Reverse - In and Right (next to 1st)

568

1st - Out and Right
2nd - Out and Left
3rd - Right
4th - Left
5th - In and Right
Reverse - In and Left (next to 5th)

Please keep in mind, this is preliminary findings as I watch my wife go from each gear from Neutral. I could be wrong, but I'm fairly certain this is the pattern for the gears for each transmission. If this is the case, then setting a lever to operate 1st, 2nd and R will mean I need to have a shifter arm that will move the pivot point for the small lever on the shifter housing. If I simply tried to work the gears with the same shift levers as the 525, I'd be flipping the "H" pattern on the shifter. But if I correct the shifting pattern to be the standard "H", it would work, I think. To do this, I will need to have a shifter arm that will create a pivot point just to the right of the smaller lever on the 568. I think this is very doable, but I will need to see what has to be done in order to clear the rear end, the bobble strut and the turbo. There are some hurdles I think, but I'm going to see if it can be done. Worst case scenario, I think I'd have to get clever fabricating some new shift rods.

[86Shelby]

We are on the same page for the shift pattern.

[minigts]

We are on the same page for the shift pattern.

Excerrent! So if this is correct, making a lever that reverses the pattern for the 525 to coincide with the 568 would allow a 568 to be rod shifted. I think that correction can only be made on the smaller shift lever on the 568, but I haven't started working on this yet.

[86Shelby]

Using the last pic i posted. One way i can see that might work is to run a shift rod from the left side of the Lshaped bracket to the 2nd selector on the 568. When the shifter is moved to 1st the linkage will push that end of the bracket towards the case(like it does normally in the 555)- which would move the rod toward the front of the car which *should* move the 568s 2nd selector lever the correct way. It wouldnt be the easiest thing to do but it possible. I know there is a nice simple and elegant solution for this... Ill have to think on this some more tomorrow.

[minigts]

I expect a full report in an hour. :D