Finally building my 64 Comet

[poboyjo65]

I made the trans mount beefy enough to be the xmember.

Same here Fred ,I used 1/4'' plate. it was more of it but had to whittle it down to get the linkages past it . also had to figure out where to put the e brake lever.


Smithhe I doubt that a mustang crossmember would work. Probably need to just get what trans you want & do what it takes to make it work. I had to lengthen my linkages ,chop on the hump brace & make a new crossmember. best advice i can give you is mock it up with the linkages on before you build the cross member. you may be able to use the one you made, I wouldn't rule it out.

[smithhe]

I made the trans mount beefy enough to be the xmember.

Same here Fred ,I used 1/4'' plate. it was more of it but had to whittle it down to get the linkages past it . also had to figure out where to put the e brake lever.


Smithhe I doubt that a mustang crossmember would work. Probably need to just get what trans you want & do what it takes to make it work. I had to lengthen my linkages ,chop on the hump brace & make a new crossmember. best advice i can give you is mock it up with the linkages on before you build the cross member. you may be able to use the one you made, I wouldn't rule it out.

Did you use a mustang top loader in your car? I’m fine with making the crossmember and everything I’m just worried with the shifter being mounted further back than the comet/falcon shifters I’m going to hit my bench seat

[poboyjo65]

Did you use a mustang top loader in your car? I’m fine with making the crossmember and everything I’m just worried with the shifter being mounted further back than the comet/falcon shifters I’m going to hit my bench seat

No I used a longer one from a 70 torino. I was looking for a pic of it when I found this one of my 3sp toploader before I took it out that has the bosses for a rear mounted shifter. these were used in mustangs (3 in the floor) but never in a comet (it was on the column for comets).So this pic should give you a good idea where a mustang top loader would put the shifter in relation to the hump brace,should be same as this 3 sp. you can see the 3 bosses where a shifter would mount for a mustang

you should be able to see/feel where the brace is thru the carpet,hump drops down right behind the brace;


the trans I used had 2 sets of shifter mounting bosses;


I didnt know where I would need it so I made a mounting plate to mount it anywhere I wanted it on there. ended up near the front mount;


If you make your own shifter mounting plate you could change the angle of the shifter, lean it towards the front to keep the shifter from hitting your bench seat. changing the angle slightly at the bottom will move the top of the shifter arm & knob a great deal. there is only 2 bolts that holds the shifter on. I made an extra bottom mounting hole on the plate to change the angle if I ever wanted to for what ever reason, that leans the top of the shifter forward 6-8 '' ,just have to change linkage lengths.

[poboyjo65]

Saw this on comet central FB.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10 ... 1472598554




that shifter sure looks close in the stock position.

Maybe if you get a tailshaft like the one in the comments with both types of shifter mounting bosses, try it at stock position & if that dont suit you you have the rear mounts (for mustang) as a plan b. drill & tap the extra shifter mount bosses while it's easy ,before trans install & be that much more ready for plan b.

[smithhe]

Well I found a fella not too far from me that wanted to trade my C4 for a toploader he had. Traded the C4, torque converter, flex plate, and shifter for his toploader with clutch flywheel and everything, and it came with the correct tail housing and a burst shifter for the comets/falcons. I’m pretty sure the shifter arm is incorrect for the comets though, anyone know which one off of Hurst website will work? I want to get one that will reach pretty far back because I am running full harnesses.

[smithhe]

Got the shifter mocked up on the toploader, I think I’ll definitely need a longer shifter arm, maybe one with a little bit of a curve backwards toward the seats. I’ll see what will work when I get it mocked up in the car. Getting a fiberglass 4 speed jump from a gentleman on a comet Facebook group for $80! Can’t beat that kind of deal and he hand makes them. I’m thinking about painting the toploader, thinking gold

[smithhe]

I’ve been looking at different shifter arms for my setup, anybody running a stock location floor shifter with a longer shifter arm to reach back to the driver more? Looking at pictures of original shifters they look a little too short, I want to get one long enough to reach back so I don’t have to lean forward to shift. Anyone have any pictures of their setups?

[A/FX]

I have a T-10 with a Hurst Competition plus that I bought in the late ‘60’s.
It was specifically made for a Comet or Falcon, the lever is slightly shorter than I would prefer but it depends on where your seat is mounted.( photo attached)
It is possible to modify the lever but I would recommend that it be above the bend, the best way would be to mill the lever and the extension for a lap joint, bevel the edges and weld with a tig by someone who is experienced. The last thing you need is the lever to break mid shift and you knuckles slamming into the heater controls. The lever would need to be rechromed by a place that has the capabilities to prevent hydrogen imbritalment.
Jim

[pfleuret]

Mine is the stock T-10 and shifter. Agree it is too far forward. I relocated the seat back for legroom (6’4”) which made it worse. Haven’t thought of a fix yet.

[poboyjo65]

Here's one bent back pretty far ,similar to mine & it has the measurements on there, might give you an idea of where it will be;
https://shop.redline360.com/products/hu ... rQQAvD_BwE

I just did a quick look but it looked like the farthest set back one on that site. all of the shifters on there have the height & set back numbers & what cars they fit.
It looks like the same one with same part number on amazon & probably lots of other places has it too. If you could find a speed shop that might let you walk out to the car with one like it to get a better idea of how it would be.

[A/FX]

Having a removable lever is a bonus, my shifter is too old for that feature. I'm not sure when Hurst started offer that feature.

[smithhe]

Mine is the stock T-10 and shifter. Agree it is too far forward. I relocated the seat back for legroom (6’4”) which made it worse. Haven’t thought of a fix yet.

I have the same problem (6’4”) and I have moved my bench seat back a little bit. Plus I have full harness in my car so if I ever want to put the shoulder straps on then I’m afraid I won’t be able to reach my shifter lol.

[smithhe]

Here's one bent back pretty far ,similar to mine & it has the measurements on there, might give you an idea of where it will be;
https://shop.redline360.com/products/hu ... rQQAvD_BwE

I just did a quick look but it looked like the farthest set back one on that site. all of the shifters on there have the height & set back numbers & what cars they fit.
It looks like the same one with same part number on amazon & probably lots of other places has it too. If you could find a speed shop that might let you walk out to the car with one like it to get a better idea of how it would be.

I’ve been looking at that one on the hurst website, I think I’m gonna make a recreation of that one out of cardboard and see how it works.