Apologies for the noob question, I wasn't able to find much through the search function. Does B&M make a ratchet shifter (with mount and linkages) for the 3spd Torqueflite that came in the 68 Fury with 318? What model Torqueflite is that anyway? Since I've already got a '69 D100 for cruising, I've got tentative plans for the Fury as a light performance car. Before I sort anything else mechanical I'd like to get rid of the column shift. Any advice?
B&M ratchet shifter in 68 Fury III?
- Thread starter Zack
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Advise: Leave the column shift in place. It's a 318 car right now so your limited on performance. If you heavily modify the 318 or go for a bigger engine then think about a floor shifter but keep in mind that if you ever try to sell the car, an aftermarket floor shifter may be a big turnoff for some.
If you want better performance, start with electronic ignition, dual exhaust, a performer intake and carb and change the rear gears to 3.23's or 3.55's. None of those shifters you are looking at are going to make the car perform better. Keep in mind that the super stock racers of the day that ran automatic transmissions typically used a column shift shifter, which can work our really nice if you ever build a performance transmission and use a reverse valve body. Also, depending on how the shift points are set up, some cars are faster leaving them in drive vs. changing gears yourself and you don't have to worry about a missed shift. Just my advise for a noob from someone with a 318 '68 Sport Fury that is now running a 520" stroker that looks completely stock, runs on skinny tires and runs 13 second 1/4 mile times.
If you want better performance, start with electronic ignition, dual exhaust, a performer intake and carb and change the rear gears to 3.23's or 3.55's. None of those shifters you are looking at are going to make the car perform better. Keep in mind that the super stock racers of the day that ran automatic transmissions typically used a column shift shifter, which can work our really nice if you ever build a performance transmission and use a reverse valve body. Also, depending on how the shift points are set up, some cars are faster leaving them in drive vs. changing gears yourself and you don't have to worry about a missed shift. Just my advise for a noob from someone with a 318 '68 Sport Fury that is now running a 520" stroker that looks completely stock, runs on skinny tires and runs 13 second 1/4 mile times.
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I have nothing good to say when I see these things in any street car.
saylor
Senior Member
young zack.
yes it can be done. its gonna take a bit of work. i do agree that a slapstick or j gate shifter is fun - i had one in a 302 cougar BITD - very good for 1-2 and 2-3 chirps
. if you put up your fender tag and vin number we will decode it and look at what it had out of the factory anyways.
try not to die -
- saylor
yes it can be done. its gonna take a bit of work. i do agree that a slapstick or j gate shifter is fun - i had one in a 302 cougar BITD - very good for 1-2 and 2-3 chirps
. if you put up your fender tag and vin number we will decode it and look at what it had out of the factory anyways.
try not to die -
- saylor
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commando1
Old Man with a Hat
If you feel that a ratchet shifter is ok to put into any C-body, I can only advise that you sell the car immediately.
saylor
Senior Member
are you gonna be mad at me when i cut the hood on this K code and put a dodge scoop on it ?
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
But of course.are you gonna be mad at me when i cut the hood on this K code and put a dodge scoop on it ?
saylor
Senior Member
you gonna have a good view of this here eclipse thats comin up commando i think down where you live
http://www.space.com/images/i/000/062/163/original/great-american-eclipse-2-map.jpg
http://www.space.com/images/i/000/062/163/original/great-american-eclipse-2-map.jpg
saylor
Senior Member
to the point of the post - the shifter aint where your slowness is zack. you can dust people with a column shift no problem. and like was said you can make your shift points real hard and just leave it in D. and every american should know a column shift pattern without looking, its like a constitutional right
As long as the kit says it ls for a 727, it should work for you. If you get rid of your stock column shift, I could use a few pieces. I was going to go a Aftermarket shifter route but i can't bring myself to drill a bunch of holes in my perfect Trans tunnel. I had a, I Saw the light kinda moment But now i lost a few pieces of the stock linkage when i took the transmission out. That was the price i paid for not paying enough attention.
saylor
Senior Member
ok get to work zack you got a parts sponsor
take pics. lots of pics.
we like pics.
post some pics.
try not to die -
- saylor
The Horvaths
Young man with a cowboy hat
You wanna buy it?
If you are going to put a ratchet shifter in your car, that's fine, but it better be making 700+ hp and you better be racing it. You can buy a stock console shifter and console affordably, and you'll be much happier with the results. The ratchet shifters are far more trouble than they are worth for a street car. I still use a column shifter in my cruiser.
Do you have any pictures of what you have?
Thanks everybody for the advice - and strong opinions haha. I will take lots of pictures when I get the car back, it's getting a new windshield. I thought a ratchet shifter might be fun, after all, the interior is hardly stock (most was stolen before I owned it and currently has horrible grey bench seats out of some kind of minivan). But I will reconsider. Looking for a rear bench seat and door panels in the meanwhile... But I might just get a local guy who's supposed to be really good to make something custom.
Too bad you are so far away. I have nice rear seat in white from a '68 Sport Fury that I would like to sell.
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Not really, it's just a large tote full of miscellaneous linkage and bracketry so it'd be easier if you tell me which pieces. It's also in storage up in the mezzanine/crawl space above my shop and it can be hot up there.
Actually, I don't think you'd be happy with the ratchet shifter. The cable is about 6 feet long and has to wrap up and around to the transmission. It's a pain... I've had B&M shifters (the old style) in a couple cars and that cable was a PITA to deal with.
Everybody I knew that had a ratchet shifter hated the thing. It just wasn't "user friendly". The old style B&M shifters, like I had, were a zillion times better to use but they lacked the reverse/park lock out that NHRA started requiring back in the seventies and they stopped making them.
It's your car etc. so I don't care what you do, but I don't think you'll be happy after all is said and done.
You're right, this is what I'm hearing everywhere. I'll be honest though, I'm not going to be able to bring the interior back to stock (which I would like) without throwing way more money at it than I have. I'll go for period correct-looking without actually being original for now, so I might still go with a floor shifter... but not the ratcheting kind. I like the look of the Winters gate shifter.
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