Floor shift conversion parts?

Discussion in 'The "Juice Box"' started by Steve Craig, Mar 7, 2010.

  1. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Getting ready to make the swap sometime this Summer. "Believe" I have all the parts needed, unsure if anything internally has to change on the steering colomn.
    Everything to date has been restored, renewed, cleaned,rechromed, greased, painted etc..
    Here is what I have:
    Floor shift console-complete, shifter, front & rear console supports.
    Flooshift cable with trans. shift lever & cable support bracket.
    Bowl & shroud for floorshift colum.

    We plan on doing this over a weekend and want to make sure we have everything we need. Summer here is +/- the month of July.Everything else is recovering from last Winter or getting ready for the next one.:cool:
    We are unsure if anything is added/chenged inside the column. Currently it has the original column shifter & bowl/shroud.


    Thanks & cheers.
     
  2. V8Sky

    V8Sky "Scarlett"

    Please keep us posted with your progress on this Steve. I've been toying with the idea of an automatic floor shifter set up as well - but I also have a shorty console if I just want to do buckets and keep the shifter on the column.
     
  3. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Chris,
    Currently have the shorty console in the car. Excellent shape with a rechromed front nose piece.
    Stumbled on a floor console at Fall Carlisle. That's all it took, about $1000 ago!!
     
  4. staged70

    staged70 RIP

    Shorty with a button? I still am looking for a nice one for my 4spd
     
  5. V8Sky

    V8Sky "Scarlett"

    >>Wow, $1000 already into the floor shift conversion - perhaps I will be going the shorty console route with the '72.
     
  6. V8Sky

    V8Sky "Scarlett"

    >>Mine is a type I with the Buick emblem.
     
  7. bostonbuick

    bostonbuick Well-Known Member

    I didn't do my conversion, but I was told that the column is still complete and unchanged, as in it could still shift from up there. Leaving it intact up there apparently makes the floor shifter not as smooth, but it's pretty smooth with the Hurst as far as I can tell.
     
  8. staged70

    staged70 RIP

    1000 isn't that bad when you consider the price of bucket seats, covers ,console shifter parts, restoration of console, cable brackets and floor shift collumn parts
     
  9. V8Sky

    V8Sky "Scarlett"

    >>Oh, if you include buckets and recovering them then it is not too bad. I was thinking just the floor shift conversion.:Dou:
     
  10. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    $1000 is just for the floor shift set-up. Buckets already in the car.
    $675 for rechrome of the shift plate. New wood grain stickers, shift cable, rear console support & plastic insert for the top of the shift handle. Good used trans. shift lever & cable support, console & shifter. Good used bowl & shroud for the column.
    Add in a bit of freight/shipping & it adds up very quickly. My elbow grease for refinish, clean, grease etc. is free.
     
  11. Sportwagon400

    Sportwagon400 Well-Known Member

    $1000.00 is not a bad price for Canada I know i have converted several over the years but usually find a whole car But that was in then old days hahaha I Have a couple 64-67 consoles complete and would not sell them for less than 1200.00 each so the price is pretty good

    Are you leaving the neutral switch on the column or on the shifter handle if you keep it on the column you must use the proper shift lever on the trans. if you are moving it to the shift handle then you will need to make an extension harness for the back up lights and the neutral switch


    ken
     
  12. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Plan on leaving the NSS on the column. I have the factory correct TH350 shift lever for the trans..
    Not too worried about the $$. I like to make a nice & correct job whenever I do anything to the car. Repro parts must be subbed in when nothing else available i.e. the woodgrain decals & chrome lid on the storage box.
     
  13. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Shorty with a button. Once the swap is made I may decide to part with it.
     
  14. V8Sky

    V8Sky "Scarlett"

  15. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Chris,
    Thank you for the offer but I believe I have it all.
    Only area I'm grey on are the column internals. I still want the collar to rotate when the floor shifter moves. This will move the P-R-N-D indicator in the speedo.
    Column shift linkage starts acting as a back linkage, only purpose is to activate the NSS & move the indicator.
     
  16. V8Sky

    V8Sky "Scarlett"

    Hi Steve,
    So you are keeping your column shift and just removing the shift linkage in the column?

    I'm getting the floor shift column along with the floor console and shifter from the ebay guy - he cut apart a whole 1972 GS - wonder how bad the body was?
     
  17. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    The linkage inside the column will remain, not the shifter handle/arm.

    Pretty sure this is how factory built them. Anyone able to confirm/deny this?

    I picked up a floor shift bowl & shroud. Will install it in place of the column shift bowl & shroud.
     
  18. GSEric69

    GSEric69 Still learnin'

    I'm curious on the column shift linkage as well. As I understand it, the column linkage remains, and will still move the indicator, as well as activate the neutral safety and backup light switch.
    Once the Column shift lever is removed, does the floor shifter just move the linkage without any other work done? Does anything have to be modiefied internally since the column shifter has to be pulled forward to shift gears.
     
  19. GSEric69

    GSEric69 Still learnin'

    I was able to find an anwer over on the 442 forum. According to a post there, once the shifter is removed from the column, it spins freely.
     

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