Hi all, having just found a console to convert my 68 Wildcat to floor shift, I'm trying to locate the missing parts. All I have is the shifter itself. I looked in the manual and found the pic below and it looks like I'm missing quite a few parts for the swap. Would it be simpler to just go with an aftermarket type shifter? These parts look like they would be hard to locate. I'm also missing the rectangular surround for the console itself and an aftermarket shifter would also solve that problem even if I have to fab a bit of a surround piece. If I go this route, is there a shifter that works better than others?
I have a factory shifter in the riv and its sloppy. I can deal with it but if there was a way to put a aftermarket shifter and retain most of the factory look Id do it. I think I have 2 or 3 different shifters here to try but havent yet done so
I knew the shifter itself was different (actually nicer) but I was referring to the linkages to connect it to the transmission. Is all that stuff different as well? If it's the same, then I can cast a bigger net looking for parts as more 68 Rivs came with floor shifters than Wildcats I would imagine. Gary
Just spoke to someone that answered my ad looking for my missing shifter parts and got lucky! I found the missing chrome surround for my shifter and the garbage bin and got a tip about a place that specializes in upgrading G.M. Automatic floor shifters to cable operation eliminating the need for linkages. Has anyone heard of this place? link below... http://shiftworks.com/ Gary
Shiftworks has been around for a good little while. They do conversions for the shifters to convert fronm Powerglide/ TH 350/ TH 400 to the overdrive transmissions (200-4R; 700R4) and converting the indicators to the correct indicators. Granted, these have been on Chevy's mostly (I don't recall a conversion plate for the 68-72 and 73-77 floor shifters for Buicks.) I personally have not used any of their goods, but they ARE in most of the 'other GM guys" catalogs. I know they make the conversion for the column shifted Pontiacs that have the indicator on the column itself, not an indash on speedometer indicator, but that could be a simple decal after changing the column internal parts.
Excellent! Thanks Tom for your feedback! Briz, This could be the answer to fix the sloppy shifter in your Riv! Gary
My 68 Wildcat has the original untouched drivetrain. Can I assume it came with a Super Turbine? or were there several automatics available for the car. The car has a posi if it matters. Gary
Same as a THM400 basically. 67 was the last year for the switch pitch. You should always check the numbers on a 50 year old car. Stuff gets replaced over the years.
uh like yeahhhh. lol. I have it installed on the replacement center console shifter. Im fabbing up my console and getting ready to cut perfectly good parts to pieces. I also did not like the spring design, so I modded mine to have a primary tension spring.
After checking the FAQ's on the Shiftworks site, I bailed on getting the cable conversion kit. Looking in the manual, I feel confident I can fab up the missing linkages as that would be a lot less work than making a set up for a Skylark work in my Wildcat. Using the cable system would mean I would have to come up with a different way to mount the console as I wouldn't be able to use the front support as it's part of my shifter mechanism. Update! Someone answered my ad for shifter linkages. Don't know if he will separate them from the console as I already have one, but I'm hopeful.
