Shifter Recommendations

[moparmaniac59]

Hey guys,
I am looking for some recommendations for an automatic transmission shifter suitable for a reverse manual valve body to install in my Challenger. (I do plan on occassionally racing the car, but mostly street driving). I love my stock look (slap stick, and console) and the pistol grip shifter handle I installed. The problem is I now have a reverse pattern valve body. I installed a "shift-r-gate" for a reverse pattern. I just don't like it, it is far from smooth, and sloppy. I don't want to miss a gear of worse, slap it into a wrong gear like I did before I had a reverse pattern (went into reverse going about 30). I do have some slop in my linkage which I plan to address and install new nylon bushings, but still think I'll have problems with the shifter. I am just looking for a smooth reliable shifter which I don't have now. I know a few folks that use the B & M Mega Shifter. Is it good?? I hear of problems with cable tension. I don't want more problems!! Any suggestions?? Thanks. CC.com rocks!!

                                                Matt B.

[Chryco Psycho]

I would take the factory slap stick apart & make a reverse detent plate

[moparmaniac59]

That's what the "shift-r-gate" is. I forget the name of the fella that makes it. It appears to be well made. You have to take apart the stock shifter which involves some drilling/grinding and install the new parts. To me it just doesn't work all that well and there can be a miss-shift. I don't like it as I mentioned above and that's just my personal experience. I have about 4 slapstick shifters and have taken the best ones apart to get a nice working shifter. It's just not what I expected. Any suggestions for an aftermarket shifter that works well??

                                                   Matt B.

[Road_Runner]

I had a B&M Star Shifter in my Roadrunner years ago, and while it worked it was great.  The problem I had was that the headers kept melting the shifter cable causing it to lock up.  I went through 3 at $40+ a pop and finally pulled it and stuck in a Hurst Indy-matic shifter (yuck!).  That's whats in it at the moment but I'm in the process of switching it over to a 4 speed.  I'd be strongly inclined to stick with the slap stick if there's a way to make it work with the reverse valve body.  Good luck.

Jim

[Moparal]

Whenever I put a rev valvebody in my cars and keep the slapstick, I just file down the notch from drive to second on the shifter. It works fantastic and is easy to do. You take off in (d) for first gear, just pull the handle back with no button for second and then push the button in for third which is (1) on the plate. It will ratchet all the way back to drive just like normal with the neutral lockout still working correct. Never had an issue and have used it at the track and street since the early 80's.

[moparmaniac59]

Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to try and get all the slop out of the linkage and try to get it working smoothly before I just ditch the whole thing. I had a reverse manual years ago in my Barracuda with a slapstick console shifter and it was OK. I hate to get rid of the sexy cool looking pistol grip. Not to mention I paid about $150 bucks for it!!

                                                Matt B.

[bb71challenger]

I am still surprised at how many people have had trouble with their stock slapsticks. I have never had one miss a shift, ever. What is the advantage of having a reverse valvebody trans?

[moparmaniac59]

The biggest advantage is for racing applications; instead of shifting towards neutral with a standard valve body, you are shifting away from neutral eliminating the possibility of a catastrophic transmission failure. I already wasted one transmission by accidently power shifting into neutral. It can be ugly!!

                                                     Matt B.

[the_engineers]

I buried a Hurst Pro-Matic under a four speed hump.  Impossible to tell it's an auto with the full advantages of a competition level ratchet shifter.  I can get more pics if needed.

[spamtank]

Guys,

I'm late to the discussion.  I've had a few mopars, but my current Challenger is the first with a slapstick.  The shifter is pretty sloppy.  To get it into drive from neutral, I have to drop it into 2nd, and the come back up toward drive.  Seems like I need a new pivot bushing.  What's in there now appears to be a rubber grommet.  Maybe that's all the previous owner could come up with.  I'll likely machine something up out of nylon. javascript:void(0);

That said, how exactly is the slapstick supposed to work?  I haven't really played with it because it seems so sloppy that things just don't feel right.

Thanks for reading and any thoughts you might have.

I am still surprised at how many people have had trouble with their stock slapsticks. I have never had one miss a shift, ever. What is the advantage of having a reverse valvebody trans?

[bb71challenger]

Guys,

I'm late to the discussion.  I've had a few mopars, but my current Challenger is the first with a slapstick.  The shifter is pretty sloppy.  To get it into drive from neutral, I have to drop it into 2nd, and the come back up toward drive.  Seems like I need a new pivot bushing.  What's in there now appears to be a rubber grommet.  Maybe that's all the previous owner could come up with.  I'll likely machine something up out of nylon. javascript:void(0);

That said, how exactly is the slapstick supposed to work?  I haven't really played with it because it seems so sloppy that things just don't feel right.

Thanks for reading and any thoughts you might have.

You pull the shifter down into first. When you are ready to shift you just bump it or "slap" it into the next gear. It has a ratchet mechanism in it that lets the trans go into 2nd but no further. It then internally releases so when you get ready to shift into 3rd you again slap it. It goes into 3rd but will not go any further unless you depress the top/side button.

[nqkjw]

Personally,I go with a B&M ProRatchet for racing.Melting cables isn't that hard to overcome if you shroud it in heater hose,route it as far back from exhaust heat as possible and cable tie it into place.

I kept the slapstik in the challenger.Rebushed everything I could.It ended up very good.Not 100% perfectly like new I feel,but close to it.

I've got a B&M MagnumGrip in another of my cars.It was new and cheap but I hate the thing.Wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
Unless of course you want to buy it?  Just joking!!!

[spamtank]

NQKJW and bb71challenger,

Thanks for the reply.  My challenger is 95% original, and for the time being, I'm trying to keep it as close to that as possible.  So, I'm going to stick with the original shifter.  Thanks for the tutorial bb71challenger.  Once I take it back down of the jackstands in the spring, I'll get it out and give that a try.

Thanks again.

Rick