The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Important ??? about Patrick's Saginaw Shift kit and hand park-brake

I have a Saginaw 4 spd and 235 engine to mate with it. I am impressed with Patrick's shifter kit and was wondering if anyone has any experience (good or bad) installing/using it, and helpful hints or if there are other kits available from other makers!! Also, I have the foot parking brake but fancy putting in a hand brake. Is there a kit for one for a 1954 3100 with Saginaw trans?? Any and all comments, suggestions, or replys are greatly appreciated...

-GLC-

I just finished installing the shifter kit a few days ago. It went in easily once the instructions were deciphered. I found the instructions provided unhelpful and actually did not use them at all after I called Patrick's for clarification. The 15 minute conversation answered all my questions and I was able to completely install the kit onto the transmission in a couple hours total work. The big problem I had was the pictures were small and assumed more transmission/shifter knowledge than I have .

I also found that I needed to grind a small portion of the 1st/2nd gear shifter arm because the arm was striking the shifter body itself when I tried to drop into 1st gear. After another quick call to Patrick's and 5 minutes of grinding it worked like a charm.

I have found that the shifter kit is interfering with the dual chamber master cylinder that I installed previously. The shift linkage extends towards the master cyl. far enough that I had to reroute all the brake lines and come up with a different way of brining the lines into the cylinder from below. I have not completed this yet, but if you are planning this modification as well be aware of the potential interference.

I have not driven with the Saginaw yet, but am looking foward to it (although it may be up to a year before I get to drive it )

Good Luck.

Steve, thanks for the info...it is greatly appreciated! I'll definitely keep this in mind when I purchase the kit...as far as the master cylinder is concerned, I have a two chamber unit made by Wilwood (disc in front, drum in back, hopefully changing to disc in back too one of these days!), do you know if this will interfere with the shift kit? Thanks in advance,

-Geff-

The Pat Dykes "Patricks" shifter for the Saginaw is a Hurst unit and fits great. However if you want/need better directions go to the Mr. Gasget web site as they own Hurst now and get the Directions.

iketheband,

Do you have a power booster on your master cyl. setup? That might make a difference, but you are likely looking at some required rerouting of the brakelines to clear the shifter linkage. I hope to reroute mine this weekend and I can post here to let you know how it goes. The booster could shift the entire master back farther which would allow the brake lines to clear the transmission linkage. You would have to look at the position of the master relative to the transmission and see how close they come.

Hope this helps.

Steve, I'm running a Wilwood dual master cylinder setup with no booster and remote reservoirs...Does anyone have any input as far as a handbrake setup for a '54 3100 using a Saginaw 4spd tranny?