another 4 speed question

[Bens340]

hey all. so my 73 charger.  im looking at 4 speed stuff. i have a trans with the forward shifter location. the car is a console/ bucket seat car, brewers recommended a shifter set up for the rear shifter location. my question is can i use the shifter/linkage set up for a bench seat, forward shifter location? if so im guessing i wont need the 6 inch shifter set back bracket? yay or nay?

[metallicareload99]

I'm not familiar with later B-body's, but as I understand, if you don't use the rear shifter location the shifter would be IN the dash. I would think you would need the 1970+ extension housing that has both shifter locations

[Bens340]

thanks, any idea if the dual shifter pad housings are the same length and the earlier b body front pad tail housings? maybe its a simple swap over?

[69hemibeep]

thanks, any idea if the dual shifter pad housings are the same length and the earlier b body front pad tail housings? maybe its a simple swap over?

Got a dual mount tail housing on my bench and is 16 1/2 inches

[metallicareload99]

thanks, any idea if the dual shifter pad housings are the same length and the earlier b body front pad tail housings? maybe its a simple swap over?

My understanding is that if it's a "normal(after 1965)" slip yoke tail housing, it should be the same length. I do believe you have to disassemble the trans to make the switch, though I haven't done it personally

[Bens340]

i did some measuring i think the length will work, next concern is the main bearing, mine is the 307, i think the duel mounts are the 308?

[Nacho-RT74]

As far I recall, floor board is diff between both? So there is more involved on this than just parts around.

[RallyeMike]

They started the tailshafts with the added rear shifter mount in 70 and they ran into the 80's. Sometimes one of the shifter locations will not be tapped for bolts depending on year and application of the trans. For the long tailshaft dual mount compatible with 71-74 B body (and 70-74 E) the front shifter pad is in the same location as 70 and earlier B.

From the factory, the fuselage B body could come with the short shifter console/bucket with rear mount, or the bench seat shifter which mounts forward. The floor pan hump is different for the two. I know they did this in the 71, but I have never seen a bench seat forward shifter 73-74 (though I see no reason why it would not exist or work).

The short/rear shifter is a lot more common, more fun to drive, and would look correct if you are running bucket seats. The bench seat shifters are harder to find, but really.... you could use any forward mount shifter you want as long as the handle comes back far enough to be operable and you are willing to modify the floor pan to accommodate. I assume you are converting an auto car to 4 speed? If so there are lots of options depending on what parts you can find and how "correct" you want it to be.

[Bens340]

thanks for all the input fellas. i would like to keep it pretty correct for the most part, correct floor hump and so on. if the actual tail shaft with the forward mounting is the same length as the dual shifter pad unit, i may just fabricate a shifter mount for the unit i have.

[Rolling_Thunder]

The tail shaft cases will swap right over. The bucket seat 1971+ cars essentially used the same set-up as the E-body Cuda and Challenger using the rear mounting lugs. The bench seat cars used the front mounting pad WITH a bracket that relocated the shifter rearward several inches.

http://www.brewersperformance.com/proddetail.php?prod=SMP668

This is what kept the shifter from contacting the dash in the 71+ cars.

[69hemibeep]

Be a good time to service any problems with the 4 spd if you change the tail shaft housing cause you will be into the trans pretty deep.