68-72 4-speed lower shifter boot-retaining rings

There was a great thread on the hump, but it appears to have fallen victim of a previous board crash. Essentially, There is a small raised area that is welded onto a hole cut in the floor pan that the shifter passes through. Currently no one repros the Buick hump. It is much smaller in profile that the Chevelle hump. Below is a pic of my floor pan that shows the hump- it is low profile, hard to see. I had a pic from the bottom, but I can't get to it at the moment.

If you plan to convert to a manual shift and find a Buick hump to use, you will need to use an auto trans carpet, not the one they list for a stick car. Also, the lower boot ring is difficult to find. Duane was repoing them in aluminum by hand, but has since gone out of the business as he forms them by hand and ends up with sore wrists. The boot can be had through Year One, OPGI, etc.

 

Thanks for the photo. I see very clearly what you are talking about. Can even see the holes for the boot rings screws. I'll have to think about what I'll do about that, if anything. Does this hump have a purpose, such as clearance for the shifter. Can I live without it?

I did buy a boot from Year One...a Hurst Indy boot and plate. Is this the boot you are referring to? I question whether or not it will work. Seems small.

 

I'm not sure on clearance/other purpose of the hump. I do imagine GM wouldn't have spent the money on it if it wan't needed. Here's the OPGI boot.

 

This is exactly the information I need next from you guys, I need to get the measurments for cutting the hole in the floor pan since that is my next step, and why use the auto carpet and not the stick carpet?

 

I certainly agree they wouldn't have spent the money for no reason. I wonder it is? Guess I'll have to figure out how to fabricate something.

I have seen that boot on OPGI, but the opening for the stick appears to be round. The Hurst shifter is rectangular. What do they expect you to do, cut it out?

 

I haven't started my conversion yet. Am just gathering parts and information. I would like to know the size of the opening as well. I had planned on mounting the shifter to the transmission out of the car and measuring the travel from the centerline in all positions. Then measure the distance from the front of the tranny to the centerline of the shifter. Transfer this dimension from the back of the bellhousing to the underside of the tunnel and drill a small pilot hole. Then cut an opening, using this hole as the centerpoint, based on the travel of the stick. Theoretically anyway.

 

Andrew,
The buick hump is so small that the automatic carpets fit nicely. If you buy a 4-speed carpet set they usually sell you one for a chevelle with a large molded hump in it. Then what do you do with all that extra material? This is especially important for the non-console cars.

We had a thread about this a while back.
Duane

 

So what about the specifications on cutting the hole in an auto car going to a 4 speed?

 

Andrew,
I can't help you with that, all my 4-speed cars were original. All I had to do was put everything back the way it was.
Duane

 

Update,
This is your 68-72 4-speed lower shifter boot-retaining ring parts manufacturing sucker.

After I agreed to sell a ring to someone I discovered that I didn't have any left. It was already promised to someone else. So instead of disappointing anybody, I went back to my material source today and the guy had one small piece of material left.

So, ---drum roll please---, for the final time I will be offering these for sale. The piece is big enough for some 10 pieces, and 1 is already sold, so that leaves 9 left for sale.

If you are interested in getting one of these 9 pieces, let me know.
Duane

 

I'll take one :TU:

 

I'll take one Duane...... :TU:

 

Duane:

I`m in for one .


Thanks


Paul

 

OK,
That's 3 more gone. I will PM you guys and thanks.
Duane

 

I will take one

 

Duane I sent you a PM, and my payment is on the way. Sorry to be the one to make you start another batch, but this favor will come back around to you someday. I am sure of it. :beer

 

Andrew,
It's not your fault, I told you I still had one left, but when I pulled the part off the shelf it was tagged for Mark Reeves. I'll just make a few at a time until they are finished.

This makes 4 gone. Thanks Guys.
Duane

 

Guys,
The piece of aluminum I got is thicker then the one I got the last time, and is very hard to work with, so I will not be taking any more orders for this part.

I will know tomorrow if I can use it to make these last 4 parts or whether the payments for these pieces will be returned once I receive them.
Duane

 

Just to let everyone know, I will be making these last 4 pieces.
Duane