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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Auto shifter advice please?

I am fitting an auto box from a Range Rover to the V8 in an MGB conversion. The interior is based on an RV8 where it is critical not to disturb the tunnel and use the existing boot.
For this I have in mind using a 'street rod shifter' - Lokar do a nice one with a cable control and also have a neat LED gear position indicator as well. However, I just cannot get any info on these shifters in the UK, yet they are, I am told, common place Stateside.
Does anyone have any experience of these? In particular I am curious to understand how easy they are to use with transmissions other than Chevvy, Ford and Chrysler (in my case it will be on a ZF22). I presume the critical bit is matching the clicks on the shifter to the detents of the box lever, in which case adapting one to suit will only depend on the length of the selector lever on the box, yes?
Any comments on this - or other suggestions, welcomed!
Hal Adams

I can't help with your question. If you will contact B&M online they can tell you. Lokar is also available on line. I use a B&M on my V6 MGBGT.

Good Luck
Steve
Steve

Hal: You really need an aftermarket shifter that is designed for your transmission. The detents (clicks) in the shift mechanism are engineered to work with the valve body in the specific transmission for which they are designed. If you try using a shifter for another transmission, you will very likely have 'clicks' where you don't have a gear to select and could damage your transmission.
John Perkins

Hal,
I used a B&M Quick Silver Shifter with my 700R4/3.5 Rover V8 combination. It works quite well, but seems little stiff. I made a well for it to sit in so the shifter is protected below the tunnel. The trim plate mounts flush on top of the stock 1979 console and looks great. I believe the shift was intended originally for a Camaro.

I started off trying to use a Lokar solid linkage shifter that I bought from D&D Fabrication, but didn't have sufficient clearance in the tunnel. Four years ago, when I did my conversion, I don't believe Lokar was making a cable shifter yet. This is why I decided to go to the B&M.
Safety Fast,
Dave
Dave Winne

T hanks for the replies.
Steve, I cannot get any response from B&M online, but Lokar are now being helpful and saying that they are now making detent plates for a wider range of boxes - but not the ZF! They say though that a plate could be adapted if one had the patience and knowhow.

I might go down the route of a new plate, but ineterested in what you have done Dave - if you can get the B&M shifter level with the tunnel, then thats fine for the RV8 tunnel which is higher again...

My main problem is that no one over here stocks shifters that you can see, feel and measure. It is apparantly a gripe that all hot-rodders over here share.

I'll play around and post a reply on what I end up doing!
Hal Adams

Hal,
When I received the shifter from B&M that was listed for a Camaro, it came with a small plastic shroud that raised in above the console slightly. Not wanting the shifter to stick up any further, I cut a hole in the console and the top of the tunnel and simply built a four-sided sheet metal box to protect the shifter within the tunnel. I screwed it down with sheet metal screws to the tunnel and mounted the shifter on the top of the console. Voila!
It has worked well for the last four years.
Dave
Dave Winne

Dave
I am leaning towards the Lokar 'Street Rod Shifter' which has several things in its favour - it is cable (now), it will sit on the tunnel floor nicely under the existing gear boot/gaiter and it is easy to get the detent plate out and substitute with a bespoke one. It also comes with a 6 inch lever. And they make a jazzy little LED selector position module that can sit on the dash in front of you.

The idea is that in using the existing boot, the appearance will be exactly as a manual RV8...

This is all theory at present !!
H Adams

Hal,

You may have thought of it but why not use a shifter from a late 80's early 90's BMW, they used the ZF 4HP22 box and it's quite a nice shifter, you could probably get one from a BMW breaker for next to nothing. I'm thinking of going that route when I get tired of pressing a clutch pedal and the notchy LT77 manual box.

Kevin.
Kevin Jackson

Kevin
You are of course right, it is the best option and one that I was following until I acquired a complete RV8 interior.
As the RV8 interior mouldings are quite rare, I thought it a pity to cut one up to fit the selector (as it would not fit in the RV8 gear lever opening)- I may sill do this, by sinking the BMW bit into the tunnel and the selector shaft coming up through the RV8 gaiter, but a neater way, if it works, is the Lokar street rod selector. I think!
If you do go automatic give me a shout. It is not a difficult one - there is some body cutting, yes, but simple and it all fits in there quite nicely. Get a recon box for a Range Rover, take off the transfer box and put a BMW 5 series trumpet on the back and away you go. But, consider using a Chevvy 350 box as well. It is smaller, fits better and has good gear ratios - and you can use all the shifters available !
H Adams

This thread was discussed between 20/10/2007 and 31/10/2007

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