The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop convert 3 speed colium to floor shift

Anyone know if you can convert a 49 3100 216cd 3 speed column shift to a floor shift? I saw a "Mr Gasket" brand universal shifter and wondered if that may work. Or is it a bad idea! Any ideas. Thanks

I would advise against it. Every floor shift conversion I've ver driven never really shifted right. The last one had that shifter you mention, it was a '55 2nd, the shift throws were so long that in reverse and second, the shifter was practically laying flat on the floor. Stay with the column shifter, you'll be much happier. Or if you want a floor shift, consider swapping out to either an SM420 4 speed or one of the Saginaw conversions from Patricks.

Floor shifters can be done well using a little imagination. Click on this to see how I repositioned the shifter so it comes out in the middle of the floor. I fabricated a bracket to move the shifter closer and in line with the shifting plate on the transmission. Do you see the reinforced bends to move the shift over to the right? If I hadn't done this the shifter ends up interfering with your right leg's travel to the 'go pedal'.

Now take a look at these home-made shifter dogs... What's different about them? Two things...1st, they are shorter which translates into a shorter shift. 2nd, they are positioned on top so that I have the traditional shift pattern. 3rd, in this case the shifter arms are bent so they 'miss' the solenoid of my 3 sp+od.

I have had this set-up exactly this way for thirty thousand + miles. The transmission, a '62 3sp+od has a non-synchro 1st gear and the entire shifting mechanism (I don't believe) was ever noted for crisp shifts. I have a '69 Saginaw 3sp+od that I will be rebuilding soon to take it's place. I will then return to the column using Heim (articulating ball and socket) joints to make a crisp shifting column shifter.

Bob Dylan sez.........

Hurst shifters that were built 40 years or so ago are good and have short throws. They appear on eBay ever so often.

My 1950 3100 has a four on the floor that I wish was a three on the tree. That is the one big change I want to make.

Thanks very much for the info!
Mike

i am getting ready to put in a floor shifter. it is a chevy trans so it won't mesh up with the old column shifter in the hudson. i will let you know how it goes if i get done this year. hahaha. like longbox says most don't seem to work well or seem to bind. but that may have a lot to so with the installer, not the aplication- who knows.

HI.....the PO changed our truck over to a floor shifter but it was too short almost on the floor. I purchased a stick from another Chevy truck and with a bit of heat and a couple of bends and a welded off-set like Cosmo's at the bottom of the stick together with a supreme Elk leather shifter boot made by Alan Horvarth it all came together and it fools everyone. Column shifters are great(when they work) but when they mess up its not fun. Besides floor shifting is much cooler looking! Its hard to look cool using a column shift, grandma.....:>) Steve