Shift Lever "fab-up" session

[Southcity]

I never liked the original Hurst shift lever that came with the truck when I purchased it, short, skinny and somewhat wimpy looking for a longbed truck plus it practically hit the bench seat in second and fourth so time to fab-up a custom one. I wanted more height and to bring it away from the seat some (more big-rig style) so I grabbed a piece of 3/4 round - a couple rounds of "heat, bend, cut and grind" and this is the result.

Before shot, way to short


Pulled into my buddies welding shop


What we started with, 3ft of 3/4 round then built a jig on the welding table


The heat treatment


Start Bending

[Southcity]

More heat & bend


top bend #1


Middle bend #2


Bottom bend #3


done, time to taper the top and weld in a threaded bolt

[Southcity]

4 cuts in the top, hammer them together to pinch the top, weld and then grind smooth


Now the top has a slight taper


with threaded bolt welded in, test fit the shift knob


primed and painted a semi gloss black

[67c10rustbuket]

looks good, I think i may have to fab something similar when i get my muncie 4spd in my c10 since the shifters available are way too short (11") and may interfere with a truck bench even if i drop the seat 2". cant wait to see the finished product!

[Southcity]

I had to cut the top bend off as I wanted my hand to be more on top of the shift knob instead have having to push and pull on it

end result


Way more fun to drive, easier to shift and no more hitting the bench seat in 2nd & 4th

[67c10rustbuket]

Man that is kinda tall !! looks slick ! really needs a billet skull for a shifter knob

[Southcity]

Originally Posted by 67c10rustbuket

looks good, I think i may have to fab something similar when i get my muncie 4spd in my c10 since the shifters available are way too short (11") and may interfere with a truck bench even if i drop the seat 2". cant wait to see the finished product!

Thanks "67c10", this is just round one. I've been driving it like this for about 2 weeks now and it's great but I am not 100% satisfied with the shape and position so round two to change it up a bit in a few months.