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Hurst V-Matic or B&M Megashifter?

Started by 1BAD68, April 06, 2008, 05:45:39 PM

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I'm trying to decide what shifter to put in my 68.

Hurst V-Matic
14 (60.9%)
B&M Megashifter
6 (26.1%)
other (please specify)
3 (13%)

Total Members Voted: 23

1BAD68

I almost blew my engine today and am sick of my factory unreliable sticky automatic console shifter.
What are you guys using?

Mefirst

I have a Hurst V-Matic in my Charger. I really like it, specially cause its a ratchet shifter, and the T-handle looks killer...

/Tom


keepat

I fit a Hurst Pro-Matic 2 shifter in the Charger console and it works great.
Pat








mally69

I have a hurst V-Matic 2 but I never used it yet. I hooked it in to a vice and played with it to see how it operates and it is slick. ;)

General_01

I am using the Hurst Auto/Stick 3 shifter. There is no trigger. You have to lift up on it slightly to shift it out of park into reverse. You then do the same to get it into drive. It is also a ratchet shifter. You lift up, put it in first, mash the gas and slap through the gears. I will tell you that we had to modify it to make it work the way we wanted. As you can see in the pic, we installed the box backwards. We had to do this to get the cable to approch the shift lever on the tranny from the rear. I got the shifter pretty cheap, that is why I used it. I would probably go with the Pro-Matic 2 if I were to buy new.

Here are some pics of it in my car. I was planning to build a custom wood console to surround. Just didn't get to it and probably won't since the car is for sale. I also have pics from the back of the box with 5 different shifters.
1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee
496 stroker
4-speed

charger_mike75

that's kinda funny, I had a promatic 2 shifter in my charger and hated it. I couldn't get the cable adjusted properly so I junked it and installed a factory console shifter.

Keepat, that's a real cool set up you got there   :2thumbs:

andy74

i have a mega shifter in mine,if i was to do it over again,id still stay with it,great action and ratchet functions,only part you have to be careful because there is a gm/ford park position and a mopar park position-the gm one pulls the cable to far forward,and you stretch the cable,dont ask how i know that!

idahogrumpy

Turbo Action Cheeta.
Why?  Because the cable attaches from the rear. That keeps the cable away from the headers. Its a gated shifter, takes a little getting used to. Works good. Has a built in switch for line lock, N2o, or what ever.    Grumpy
Too much to say
Too much to do
Too tired to get it done
Too stubborn to give up
GRUMPY
Modified 73 440 Charger, 03 Intrepid SXT, 02 Neon and 2001 Ram 1500 .

superduperbee


RECHRGD

Quote from: idahogrumpy on April 07, 2008, 09:17:00 PM
Turbo Action Cheeta.
Why? Because the cable attaches from the rear. That keeps the cable away from the headers. Its a gated shifter, takes a little getting used to. Works good. Has a built in switch for line lock, N2o, or what ever. Grumpy

I agree!!!  I replaced my mega shifter with the T/A Cheeta.  No more burned up cables and it's set up exactly for the 727 detents.  Bob
13.53 @ 105.32

1BAD68

I picked up a Hurst V-matic 2 for $50 bucks on Ebay,
so I was out there last night mocking it up in my Charger and it looks like there might be a way to hook it up using the stock linkage instead of the cable.
I'm going to try it and see what happens.

1BAD68

ok, I installed my Hurst V-matic using the linkage instead of the cable and it was actually very easy.
Here's the stock brackets after removing the stock shifter setup...

1BAD68

I decided to mount the V-matic on top of the existing brackets so when I build the console I'll have room for storage behind the shifter.
Also I wanted to install the whole thing without cutting or modifying my existing brackets in any way.
So I mounted the V-matic on a plate that can be mounted onto the existing brackets using the factory holes...

1BAD68

Then I just had to mount it, being that it sits up kind of high I had to adjust it so when in park my knuckles wont hit the dash.
Fortunately the V-matic gear selector moves 3/8" to each gear and so does the transmission lever which will make it simple to adjust...

1BAD68

so after bending up some steel rod I had laying around, I welded a bolt to one end to drop into the floor lever and a washer on the other end to hook up to the V-matic...

1BAD68

here it is with the rod hooked up...

1BAD68

I spent about an hour adjusting everything to get it right but it works good.
I had to make an adjustment at the transmision to center the shift lever but after that it slips into each gear solidly.
Now it just needs a handle, boot and console.
From what everyone is saying that the cable is the bad part of all the aftermarket shifter's, I think this is well worth the effort.
Plus I now have a nice cable to use for my exhaust cutout project in the near future.
:cheers:
Here it is in 1st gear...

1BAD68


1BAD68


1BAD68

and park...

Mefirst

-Damn :brickwall:

I knew I should have tried to make the Hurst shifter work using a rod instead of the cable... But I scrapped that idea cause I started to think it would become to complicated.. -You proved it wrong, looks good :2thumbs:

/Tom


Rolling_Thunder

1968 Dodge Charger - 6.1L Hemi / 6-speed / 3.55 Sure Grip

2013 Dodge Challenger R/T - 5.7L Hemi / 6-speed / 3.73 Limited Slip

1964 Dodge Polara 500 - 440 / 4-speed / 3.91 Sure Grip

1973 Dodge Challenger Rallye - 340 / A-518 / 3.23 Sure Grip

Yeahmate

Hi guys, sorry to bring up an old thread, I thought it good reference for somebody wanting to run an after market shifter without a cable.

So what I have managed to do here is install a B & M quick silver into the console, using the original auto linkages, to my 68. No head aches with cables for me  ;)

A couple of pictures



Foreman72

dude...no one likes the B&M :lol:...thats crazy...i figured that was like...stock install stuff...maybe not...gonna start surfing ebay 4 a V-Matic...
Eric "Foreman"

Previous: 1972 Dodge Charger
Current: 2002 Volvo S60

"The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
=Psalm 37:23-24=
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven..."
=Matthew 6:19-21=
:pat

firefighter3931

There's a brand new V-Matic shifter for sale in the classifieds.  ;)


Ron
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs