Ratchet Shifter for Bench Seat

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old March 6th, 2019, 12:11 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
sjay1989's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 169
Ratchet Shifter for Bench Seat

My car is an original bench seat car with column shifter. I plan on retaining the bench seats but adding a ratchet shifter. The Promatic 2 shifter comes with a longer shifter handle for truck applications. I think it will clear the seat. Has anyone had experience with the Promatic 2?

My goal is to ditch the shifter housing and make a custom Leather boot to cover the shifter to replicate a 4 speed Hurst shifter found in cars with bench seats.

sjay1989 is offline  
Old March 6th, 2019, 02:22 PM
  #2  
Old(s) Fart
 
joe_padavano's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,301
I have no experience with that shifter, but your idea might actually work. I'd suggest mocking up a shifter stick and see how it feels before spending the money. I'm thinking you may actually want a bench seat stick from a four speed shifter and modify it to fit the Promatic. Looks like you'd just need to drill a hole and mill a slot. If you go that way, it doesn't make sense to pay extra for the truck Promatic. The only difference is the taller stick, apparently.


joe_padavano is online now  
Old March 6th, 2019, 02:59 PM
  #3  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
sjay1989's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 169
Joe, that is a good idea. The shifter stick may not be tall enough even with the truck version. I noted on another forum that a member had made a mounting bracket to mount the shifter assembly higher instead of swapping out the shifter stick itself. I was planning on going that route. Not sure if it is mandatory that the shifter assembly be mounted flush with the floor.

The difference between promatic 2 for cars vs. truck is about $30. I think its worth spending the $30 to see if I can make the truck version work.

Last edited by sjay1989; March 6th, 2019 at 03:03 PM.
sjay1989 is offline  
Old March 6th, 2019, 03:07 PM
  #4  
Old(s) Fart
 
joe_padavano's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,301
Originally Posted by sjay1989
Joe, that is a good idea. The shifter stick may not be tall enough even with the truck version. I noted on another forum that a member had made a mounting bracket to mount the shifter assembly higher instead of swapping out the shifter stick itself. I was planning on going that route. Not sure if it is mandatory that the shifter assembly be mounted flush with the floor.

The difference between promatic 2 for cars vs. truck is about $30. I think its worth spending the $30 to see if I can make the truck version work.
Drag racers frequently mount their AT shifters on brackets to make them easier to reach, so floor mounting is not mandatory. The problem is that jacking up the shifter mechanism defeats your attempt to camouflage it as an MT shifter. Using a taller stick fixes that problem. Either way works.
joe_padavano is online now  
Old March 6th, 2019, 07:17 PM
  #5  
Administrator
 
oldcutlass's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Poteau, Ok
Posts: 40,553
I've always been a fan of the Hurst Indymatic (no longer in production but still available) and B&M Unimatic for bench seats. Mr Gasket makes a version also.


B&M Unimatic

oldcutlass is online now  
Old March 6th, 2019, 07:37 PM
  #6  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
sjay1989's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 169
Originally Posted by oldcutlass
I've always been a fan of the Hurst Indymatic (no longer in production but still available) and B&M Unimatic for bench seats. Mr Gasket makes a version also.


B&M Unimatic

These are nice but they are not ratchet shifters from what I understand..
sjay1989 is offline  
Old January 9th, 2020, 06:45 AM
  #7  
Administrator
 
oldcutlass's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Poteau, Ok
Posts: 40,553
Did you ever get the shifter installed and how do you like it? I've reached the point of doing this on my car with a bench seat.
oldcutlass is online now  
Old October 12th, 2020, 07:33 PM
  #8  
Registered User
 
Macadoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 3,900
Resurrecting an old thread. Just wondering how this turned out. I might be shopping for a ratcheting shifter myself for my bench seat '71 with 200-4r.
Macadoo is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
friesjh
Transmission
6
August 10th, 2018 07:09 AM
Drbigblock
Parts Wanted
2
March 4th, 2017 05:44 PM
oddball
Parts For Sale
0
September 19th, 2015 07:56 AM
budgdawg
Interior/Upholstery
0
May 25th, 2011 06:56 AM
gabes455olds
Parts Wanted
0
March 27th, 2008 08:00 AM



Quick Reply: Ratchet Shifter for Bench Seat



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:31 PM.