Installing shifter hump...

[DaveWms]

I pulled out the 3-speed and column shift from my '68 Chevelle, and replaced it with a 4-speed. Now I need to install the new shifter, which of course requires installing a shifter hump and cutting the hole in the trans tunnel.

I have a new shifter hump to attached to the tunnel, but every set of dimensions I find to locate the hump are different.

My real dilemma is if I get the hump off very much, I think it will cause problems with the new carpet.

This is what I'm thinking:
Leave the shifter out, place the hump over the tunnel, install the carpet, and then run two small screws into the hump from below to hold it in place. Then I could take the carpet back out, mark around the hump on the floorpan, then take it out and install it correctly.

Well, that's what I'm thinking out loud. Has anybody that's done this have a better solution?

Thanks.

[squirrel]

I would center the hump over the shifter.....

[Loren]

Yeah I would make the shifter location the primary consideration...besides, that is what you're going to have to live with. Carpet fit is usually pretty sloppy anyways. Keep in mind that humps for a car with a center console were different than for ones without, and the large square "no-console" one needs to have the carpet fit around it close, but the center-console cars just had a rectangular slot the console covered. In either case the top of the hump stamping should wind up level side-to-side.

Pay attention to any small round divits in the floor pan, sometimes such features are placed in all cars to indicate where the cutting should be for the floor-shift ones. Believe it or not, the hole might be oxy-acet torch-cut from the factory.

[squirrel]

I wonder if I took any pics of the 68 chevelle floor I had before I scrapped it? 4 speed car....hmmm....I doubt it

[Beagle]

somedays Squirrel can be a little discouraging with his 'I threw away cooler shit than you will ever own' quips. lol.

[DaveWms]

Thanks for the input... I don't know if I'm going with buckets or a bench yet, so I'm using the larger 'no console' hump.

Yeah I would make the shifter location the primary consideration...besides, that is what you're going to have to live with. Carpet fit is usually pretty sloppy anyways. Keep in mind that humps for a car with a center console were different than for ones without, and the large square "no-console" one needs to have the carpet fit around it close, but the center-console cars just had a rectangular slot the console covered. In either case the top of the hump stamping should wind up level side-to-side.

Pay attention to any small round divits in the floor pan, sometimes such features are placed in all cars to indicate where the cutting should be for the floor-shift ones. Believe it or not, the hole might be oxy-acet torch-cut from the factory.

[SpiderGearsMan]

somedays Squirrel can be a little discouraging with his 'I threw away cooler shit than you will ever own' quips. lol.

he lived it

[DaveWms]

I was there first! I trashed an AAR Cuda just so I could put the 340-six-pack into a '64 Valiant!

he lived it

[oj]

Heres' a '66 with removable tunnel, trans is different but shifter is in stock location, sits in factory console and looks stock with carpet and console are in.

[DanStokes]

Good looking tunnel! Maybe I shoulda done the S-10like that.

Dan

[DaveWms]

Does that have to be done to put in a Tremec or other 5/6-speed?

[oj]

Yes, the tremec is very tall and has high bolts that you can't get to from the engine side. It is a tight fit.

[Loren]

Anything with internal shift rails is going to be tall (they don't worry about keeping trans humps low anymore like they did in the old days) and of-course more gears means more length. New transmissions can be huge.

[DanStokes]

The M-B 4 speed (maybe a ZF) is TINY. Not that that helps anyone. It does use an external shifter, though so I'm agreeing the the internal shift rails add size for sure.

Dan