I have a 1967 gs400 with a auto colum and changing it to a floor shift. I bought a factory console but now wondering what to do about the Shifter. Can you take a 67 two speed shifter and make it a 3 speed. I know you can do this with the kit that is sold online for the 65-66 shifter but just not sure what can be done for the 67 style?
I have that in my 67 skylark w/th350. Works fine but needed some minor bending of the rod. I posted some pics somewhere on the board. A board member sells a repo 3speed lense as well for the console. Ray
Thanks for the replies. Isn't there notches to keep you from bumping it down a gear unless using the button on the shifter to go down a gear?
67 GS400,s came with a factory floor shift console. the shifter was different that 66/6. This was because of the T 400. I am not sure the basic shifter is the same on 67 Skylark with a T300 as GS with a T400. The arm on the trans and the rod are different. I am not sure but the shift detent (the part with the notches) on the shifter may be different. This part is not removable on the Skylark T300 shifter I have. The shift detent plate insert with the shift letters is different, and you can get a repro, I bought one. I can post a picture of the shifter I have if anyone can post or confirm it the 400 one is different or the same. Hope this helps, thanks Bill.
The 3 speed '67 GS shifter has a different floor cutout than the 65-6 2 speed shifter since the lever/rod goes thru the floor in a different location. 3 speed shifter also has a sheetmetal hump that attaches to the floor. I'll guess the 2 speed '67 shifter is the same as the 65-66 shifter...and can be modified to work with a 3 speed. Be aware the lever that goes thru the floor will likely hit the tail of the transmission....it'll need to be bent or ground for clearance. The 3 speed will need some extra travel, you can gain that be drilling another hole in the lever just below the existing one... this is the lever that goes thru the floor, to which the rod from the shifter attaches. You could weld/grind the detent plate to work better with the 3 speed. Shiftworks make a cable conversion for the early shifters. Does your shifter look like the one in the pic? http://www.shiftworks.com/buick.htm
I used Shiftworks 68-72 4-speed OD kit and it works really well. I've got first gear, detents for each gear and neutral/park where they should be. I only had to work on a neutral/backup light switch to make it about perfect. Unless you want it to be bone stock looking original, they make nice stuff.
Walt my 67 Skylark shifter is about the same as a 67 GS400, side mounted. I am not sure if the detent is the same, it is not removable, and I would think the rod is different shape and length. I know the trans arm is different than a 65/6 300. Thanks Bill.
Nice pics, Bill. That's a 2 speed '67 shifter? Here's a 65-66 shifter.... note there's a lever ahead of the shifter that goes thru the floor.... it'll hit the ST400 trans tailhousing, so Buick changed the shifter for the '67 GS. In the pic, there's a 67 shifter next to it....
GSfred has a GS400 console for sale right now with the shifter setup, he is showing the shifter but not the correct side to see the detents. Maybe he can snap a few extra pics of it and help out with the conversion problem. I have the lens and slider available when ready.
Yes, this is out of a 67 Skylark, with a T 300 2 speed. I do have a 67 GS 400 parts car that has the floor cut out for the 67 pocket shifter. Walt can you tell from the first picture I posted if the notches in the shifter detent are the same as yours. Thanks Bill.
Bill, the detents in my shifter look the same as yours. I bought the shifter/console at the GS Nats in the early 90's, kept the shifter, but sold the console. I'm 98% sure it was a 3 speed shifter. Here's a better pic of the detents:
