4L80E shifter??

[Chuck Leeper]

86T Type, column shift car, 4L80E/LS turbo combo. I am making up the shift linkage w/ the LOKAR shifter and shift position system, and have run into a 'snag".
The OEM v-6 linkage lever on the column is too close to the firewall to use the LOKAR shifter rod.
[Using the cable style is not an option.]

So far, I've managed to find the 2 rods, a spring, and the frame mount brkt. There's also a rubber grommet that is hard and distorted, and a plastic sleeve on 1 end of the rod.
My shop manual is only for the engine....No body stuff in it, so I'm not sure what I may be missing.
IE: Engine end support brkt, what goes in the frame brkt socket, etc.

Has anyone hooked up/modified the stock linkage to work? NE1 have a drawing/pic I can use?

TIA,

 

[Sharp86t6]

86T Type, column shift car, 4L80E/LS turbo combo. I am making up the shift linkage w/ the LOKAR shifter and shift position system, and have run into a 'snag".
The OEM v-6 linkage lever on the column is too close to the firewall to use the LOKAR shifter rod.
[Using the cable style is not an option.]

So far, I've managed to find the 2 rods, a spring, and the frame mount brkt. There's also a rubber grommet that is hard and distorted, and a plastic sleeve on 1 end of the rod.
My shop manual is only for the engine....No body stuff in it, so I'm not sure what I may be missing.
IE: Engine end support brkt, what goes in the frame brkt socket, etc.

Has anyone hooked up/modified the stock linkage to work? NE1 have a drawing/pic I can use?

TIA,

great info here http://gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=20570

I'm in the same boat as you, the column linkage ends up to far forward to connect to the lever on the trans. I'm going to use the stock floor shifter... but wanted to use the stock column linkage for the reverse and safety switch. I/m going to call shiftworks later today and see what they say.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

great info here http://gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=20570

I'm in the same boat as you, the column linkage ends up to far forward to connect to the lever on the trans. I'm going to use the stock floor shifter... but wanted to use the stock column linkage for the reverse and safety switch. I/m going to call shiftworks later today and see what they say.

I've pretty much discarded the modified, stock link idea. I have a proto of a bellcrank system, using the original rod that goes to the column, [Straightened out/cut,w/ a 5/16" rod end], and the rest of the LOKAR parts.
The crank is mtd on the top of the frame, on a 1/2" shaft. The crank is a combo of 3/16" flat stock, and a length of 5/8" OD, chrome moly tube. The shaft is actually a 1/2" bolt. A nice slip fit! [will use a self lock nut on it.]
I've drilled the lever arms on a 3.5" reach, [same as the lever on the column], and with 1/2" spacing on additional holes. The object is to make the ratios all 1:1. The nice part of the LOKAR lever is, it's infinitely adjustable for clocking and ratio.

More later. Will tack it together, and see if it's a go/no go.

Post up what U get back from Shift works.

 

[bigmandengo]

I planned on modifying/lengthening the stock linkage to work with the 4l80e. I haven't started yet, so I'm interested to see what you guys come up with.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

I'm missing some of the parts of the orig shifter.
The plastic ball that goes in the frame end, the "U" brkt that goes on the trans, and the slider clamp.
Had I found those parts, I'd have tried to make it work.
We are going to do the mock up today. More later.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

So far, we've just added a 21/2"/5/6NF bolt to the end the rod that comes from the column. I tig tacked it on, and adjusted the LOKAR arm for the best throw, feel, accuracy. I also bent the column arm out from the firewall about 1/2". So far it's OK. I then finished welded the bolt, sprayed some "shifter in a can" on it, added a jam nut and the heim joint, and concluded the install. The car is far from done, so driving is not an option....

UPDATE:
decided the welded on bolt was too hokey. So, I cut a 5/16" bolt off, and added it to the end of the stock link rod. The bolt was 6", so I measured from where the rod necks down, to the c/l of the heim joint. [In this case, it was 5 1/4".
I then cut the rod off right at the neck down area.
I have the LOKAR s/s rod, but it's too short. So, I used the slide on adapter out of the kit, and measured for the 5/16" length I needed. This was 3 3/4". @ that length, the Lokar adapter has considerable slip length, for fine adj. [Just as the LOKAR kit does.]
I centered the bolt shaft on the end of the shifter rod, and tigged it on.
Here's how it now looks.