My Chevelle left the detroit line as an automatic floor shifted car.

I'm considering putting in a 4 speed manual...perhaps a Muncie or a Richmond Super T-10....

My question is this.....if I were to install a manual where would the shifter come thru the floor at? Would it come thru the center of the trans tunnel? Or would it come thru the trans tunnel offset more towards the driver side floor board?

Hey JYD,

I have just finished doing this. You will need to get the shifter hump from one of the Chevelle parts houses. It creates a bulge on the left side of the tunnel for the shifter. Otherwise, the shifter will not clear the tunnel and you will not be able to get the trans up all the way onto the cross-member (ask me how I know :(). Once you have the hump, you can see how big of a hole you can cut for the shifter. As for how the shifter looks, the top of the shifter has the offset to get the handle centered. Would show you a picture but mine is all together and I can't take the plate off right now. If you do a search here, you will find more conversion help than you need.

The 4sp shifter handle for 64-67 Checelles comes through the tunnel a few inches LEFT of center. The shifter attaches to the left side of the tranny tail housing and the handle comes straitht up from the shifter.
But, on the 68-72 Chevelles, the shifter handle has a dogleg to the right and as a result, the shifter handle comes up almost dead center. It doesn't matter if it is a bench seat or console car, the shifter handle still comes up through the center. It IS NOT recommended to use a factory shifter. They are not very good shifters, and after all these years, they are really poor. If you want a GOOD shifter, and you like the factory look of the Muncie handle, then buy a Hurst Competition Plus shifter SPECIFICALLY for a Chevelle, then buy one of the replica shifter handles that has MUNCIE stamped into it. You will have the good qualities of the Hurst and the looks of a factory shifter.
There were primarily 2 shapes of shifter handles for the 68-72 Chevelles, bench seat and console.

Console handle
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/consolehandle2.jpg

Bench seat handle
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/benchhandle.jpg

ALSO, there are two different humps to be added to the tunnel, one for a bench and one for a console.

Console hump
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/consolehump.jpg

Bench hump
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/benchump.jpg

And last, here is the bezel for the 4sp shifter in a bench seat car, which is used with the above hump.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/benchbezel.jpg

But, on the 68-72 Chevelles, the shifter handle has a dogleg to the right and as a result, the shifter handle comes up almost dead center. It doesn't matter if it is a bench seat or console car, the shifter handle still comes up through the center. It IS NOT recommended to use a factory shifter. They are not very good shifters, and after all these years, they are really poor.

Tom,

Because my car came factory with a console if I were to convert to manual I'd want to go with a centered shift in case I ever were to put the stock center console back in.

So I would need to get the console hump?

Does the center shifter bend to the right or something? I can't really tell from the pics....just looks like the bench one is longer and bent more to reach the driver.

And I'd probably go with one of the aftermarket performance shifters that Summit sells for Muncie/Super T-10 transmissions. Don't want any mis shifts or hang ups. :noway:

hello...i also did the conversion last winter......somewhat of a p.i.t.a., but if you like to shift, as i do...well worth it in the end, really woke my car up...not to mention the new fun factor....of course i only had a 2-spd. auto before.....start gathering the parts now, as it may take a while....theres lots of little things to get.....after bolting up the tranny, leave the cross member out, outa your way, use a small jack to adjust height of tranny with shifter mount bracket on tranny first to get an idea of where to start cutting, cut some, then bolt on shifter body, cut somemore....& you will cut !!...& pound with big hammer, so linkage will clear tunnel...ha....i used a dremmel with small cutting wheels...but you may have something better....don't forget the hole to cut in firewall for clutch rod, but thats another story.......if your not gonna use a console(or refuse to pay $1000 bucks for a 4-spd. one)...the hump is not mandatory, but you'll need a big superboot to cover the hole, try to not make it bigger than needed....g.

The 4sp shifter handle for 64-67 Checelles comes through the tunnel a few inches LEFT of center. The shifter attaches to the left side of the tranny tail housing and the handle comes straitht up from the shifter.
But, on the 68-72 Chevelles, the shifter handle has a dogleg to the right and as a result, the shifter handle comes up almost dead center. It doesn't matter if it is a bench seat or console car, the shifter handle still comes up through the center. It IS NOT recommended to use a factory shifter. They are not very good shifters, and after all these years, they are really poor. If you want a GOOD shifter, and you like the factory look of the Muncie handle, then buy a Hurst Competition Plus shifter SPECIFICALLY for a Chevelle, then buy one of the replica shifter handles that has MUNCIE stamped into it. You will have the good qualities of the Hurst and the looks of a factory shifter.
There were primarily 2 shapes of shifter handles for the 68-72 Chevelles, bench seat and console.

Console handle
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/consolehandle2.jpg


ALSO, there are two different humps to be added to the tunnel, one for a bench and one for a console.


Bench hump
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/benchump.jpg

And last, here is the bezel for the 4sp shifter in a bench seat car, which is used with the above hump.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/DZAUTO/benchbezel.jpg

The above three pictures/parts were used on my '70 with a "no console" and "bucket seats" option. I am not sure if this was true for the '68, '69, '71, or '72 years.

Great pictures Tom.

Tom,

Because my car came factory with a console if I were to convert to manual I'd want to go with a centered shift in case I ever were to put the stock center console back in.

So I would need to get the console hump?

Does the center shifter bend to the right or something? I can't really tell from the pics....just looks like the bench one is longer and bent more to reach the driver.

And I'd probably go with one of the aftermarket performance shifters that Summit sells for Muncie/Super T-10 transmissions. Don't want any mis shifts or hang ups. :noway:

Yes, you will need the "console" hump for a 4sp (an auto floor shifter doesn't use a hump like a 4sp car).
Also, the Hurst Comp Plus shifter for the 68-72 Chevelle with a Muncie has a dogleg bend in it that places the handle nearly dead center in the tranny tunnel. Then, the handle bolts direct to the shifter. The FACTORY 68-72 Chevelle shifter had the dogleg in the handle itself.
Back before someone started manufacturing a REPLICA Muncie handle that was designed to bolt to the Hurst shifter, we used to take a stock, factory Muncie handle, cut off the angle on the bottom of the handle, drill two holes in a stock handle then bolt it to the Hurst shifter.
Our sponsor, GROUNDUP, sells a "kit" which contains the correct Hurst shifter/replica handle (with MUNCIE stamped in it) for your application. Remember, there is a bench and console handle (see pictures above again). EITHER handle will work for EITHER bench or console application. I PERSONALLY prefer the curved (bench) handle in my 70 console. http://www.chevelles.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif

Oh ya, and I forgot something else. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RETAIN YOUR EXISTING CONSOLE, you will just need to get the 4sp plate for your console.

The above three pictures/parts were used on my '70 with a "no console" and "bucket seats" option. I am not sure if this was true for the '68, '69, '71, or '72 years.

Great pictures Tom.

Jody,
I have NEVER seen a FACTORY bucket seat, NO CONSOLE, 4sp car.
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, my 70 conv was originally a FACTORY 3 on the tree, bucket seat, no console car. When I changed it to 4sp, I added the console. NOW, I really wish I had done as you did and simply gone with the bench type shifter/bezel and NO console. Oh well------------:cool:

Jody,
I have NEVER seen a FACTORY bucket seat, NO CONSOLE, 4sp car.
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, my 70 conv was originally a FACTORY 3 on the tree, bucket seat, no console car. When I changed it to 4sp, I added the console. NOW, I really wish I had done as you did and simply gone with the bench type shifter/bezel and NO console. Oh well------------:cool:

Tom,

My Dad ordered his '70 SS (now mine) with buckets seats and no console. This shifter handle and bezel is what he got from the factory.

I wish he would have oredered the console!