The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline DIY Shifter - part 1

I used 5/8” round bar and leverage to copy the shape of a 1960-70s style S curve shifter.
I’ll weld a bolt to the top to screw on the shift knob and a plate on the bottom to bolt it to the T5 shifter stem.
VIDEO LINK = DIY shifter

Wouldn't it be easier to just thread the existing round stock, instead of welding a threaded bolt on? You've clearly got enough material to cut an appropriate sized threaded end for a shifter ball. Just a thought.

Love the use of "basic tools at hand" (tow hitch)!

It would be easier to thread the steel rod but I don’t own the tools to thread a 5/8” rod. I’m gonna need to get the welder out anyway to join the new stick to the S10 shifter stem. I would certainly thread the rod if I could.

Good point! Use what ya got.

How are you thinking to finish the shifter once all these parts are done?

I’m a pretty simple guy. I’m not going to chrome plate it. I will either paint it satin black with a satin clearcoat, or I will simply satin clearcoat the bare steel. I like a tall shifter.
This picture is what I made by bending a steering shaft. It’s in my 1963 C10. The curves are not as elegant as the one I made from 5/8” round bar.

Appreciate you sharing your DIY shifter project. It will come in handy when I get around to needing to fabricate my own T5 shifter for my '51 3100. Thanks as always for your efforts and sharing!

Nice work on your shift arm, always nice to fab something that works out.

Can’t say enough how much better a short throw shifter kit made the T5 in my 46 work. I chose the Hurst Blackjack short throw unit, I fit to that a tall Locar? Shift arm which I heated and massaged 2 bends into to get it where and how I wanted. The shifter was almost dash to seat before the kit, now the throw is so much better…more natural…

Yes the Blackjack felt stupid pricy at over $200., but I got over that the first time I drove it as the quality was there, and years on is still like new.
The locar shift arm was a repackaged return so that was a savings, used an old school looking black knob᠁.

Hank,
Yes, I have saved/collected several original S10 short throw shifters. I also have a Hurst short throw which is currently in my 1963. If you’re gonna love the shift, go short throw.

I have fabbed several T5 shifters--some short, some standard, Camaro, and S10. I bought a 14mm x fine thread tap and die set, cleaned up the threads on the OEM stick and rethreaded a 1/2" coupling nut. Welded a 3/8 round stock to the top end of the coupling, and threaded the other end to accommodate a Ford tractor knob. Sorry, no photos, but east enough to do if that's how you want to spend your time.

Back in the cloudy past (2016), with Lugnuts guidance I swapped my 3600 over to .72 final drive ratio T5. For a shifter I picked up a Model A shifter for $10 at a swap meet, made two splice cuts about 1" long and welded the original T5 and Model A shifters into one. In order to run the original SM420 shifter knob a loose rod cap bolt from a Mopar 340 was sacrificed and welded to the Model A shifter for the fine threads needed to fit the original knob. The truck has been to several shows and the Frankenstein shifter has gone unnoticed. (Thanks Lugnuts for originally posting the images).

RonR

I finished the shifter. I started with a T5 short throw shifter that was severely bent by someone else. I cut and spliced on the 5/8” shift stick I made a few weeks ago. The tack welds were temporary so it wouldn’t move while I drilled holes to bolt the shift stick to the stem. Final product works great. Video link