I recently bought a auto console for my 70, it came with a shifter and cable, I really dont like the horse shoe shifter but do like the look of it in console , I was wondering if any of you out there have ever taken a rachet shifter and fabracated the stock horse shoe handle to it and made it look stock? I ask because I have a Z-Gate rachet shifter, I am going to see if it can be done , like most of my parts they are in storage, maybe this week end I will dig it out and see if its possible , I sure would like operation of a rachet that looks stock.

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John
Catapiller Mechanic
Salinas,Ca
70SS 454 Clone {in construction}

John,

In my 68 SS I took out the horseshoe shifter, indicator and glass. I then installed a B&M ProStick shifter on a 2 inch block of aluminum. It looks ok and works great. The reason for the block was to get clearance so when the shifter is in park it does not hit the console top plate. If you want more info email me. I have a knew digital camera and probably could get pictures by the weekend. Good Luck

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Jeff ACES#841 TCG#158
68 SS396(454)
68 L78 Project
87 MC SS
jeffa@chevelles.com
www.chevelles.com/showroom/ace841b.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/ace841b.jpg)
www.chevelles.com/showroom/ace841c.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/ace841c.jpg)

Ace ,, what you did sounds very cool , but what I am looking to do is retain the horse shoe handle off original shifter and install it to a rachet shifter and have it look totaly stock , I dont know if it can be done as the travel of both shifters would have to be the same ,, just wondering if I am waisting my time with this idea

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John
Catapiller Mechanic
Salinas,Ca
70SS 454 Clone {in construction}

I remember reading in an old magazine there was a way to turn the shifter into a slap stick shifter. they had a template on where to notch out the plate. i have never heard of being able to make it full forward and reverse ratchet.