Shifting the Powerglide

[MaggiFinn]

I couldn't find a shifter that fitted my budget, while fitting the close surroundings inside my FED.
 
 While a lot of dragster guys and girls locate the shifter in the middle, under the steering wheel, I have never before seen a shifter in a dragster on the left side. ( but then again, there's only half a dozen dragsters here in Iceland)

 It works for me, its within close range  of the steering wheel and I keep my hand on it while staging and launching the car. Once the 1-2 shift is completed I got two hands on the wheel.

 Its connected to the transmission via 3/8 stainless rod, fitting the upside down, slightly lengthened gear selector.

From 1'st the gear lever has a slot to hit when 2gear engages. then you flex the lever over and past the slot to hit neutral. Once in neutral you have to lift a spring loaded flap to find reverse and park.

 I made a small video of how it operates from inside the car.

[GlennLever]

Nice home grown solution!

What do you do when at the bottom end of the rod to get to the transmission

[MaggiFinn]

I got to get a better picture of it when left side of the body is off, but I built an extension I fitted to the valve body actuator that puts the rod end at the 12'o clock position. 
 That way the lever on the transmission points straight up instead of straight down. Heim joint on both ends attaches the rod from the shifter to the transmission.
The downward camera angle in the attached picture is awkward but it fits without hitting the downtube and is tucked neatly beside the frame as far away from my feet as possible. The rubber hose you see in that picture is from the brake fluid reservoir and the trans has a carbon scattershield.

The extension is removable and universal with minimal welding, as we might have to swap Glides from one racecar to another.

The rod goes through the small hole in the floor/firewall.
 
Here it is in the assembly stages..

 
 


 

[GlennLever]

Got it

[afaulk]

 :)Nice hotrod! How do ya pronounce the name of that track?

[MaggiFinn]

:)Nice hotrod! How do ya pronounce the name of that track?

 Thanks dude,

Pronunciation? ermm,, ehh,, Kvartmíluklúbburinn, Quart/Milo/Clubbing, gets you pretty close.

it's pretty much explained in this video:

 

[gregm784]

Great solution!  No reason you couldn't modify that for a cable for another car (thinking more universal with a cable).  I like it.

[mfp-66]

great idea. thanks for posting. idea stolen for my fed

[Dolmetsch]

Nice car ! I like it!
I made my own shifter ad linkage as well. However I found now I have trouble driving and shifting. Ten years ago it would have been a piece of cake but now it seems a bit more then I can handle. Last time I tried I practiced for a week around the farm. I arrived at the track pulled to line. Pushed on the hand brake in Low and staged at 4500 RPM. As soon as I launched I put my hand on the homemade gateshifter and bumped it first to second then into high. It was then I realized I had one hand always on the hand brake and the left hand on the shifter. I asked myself "who is driving the car?" Apparently no one . Good thing it goes straight. 
SO I bought a high speed govenor kit from A&A trans and installed it. A 6200 rpm one which suits the slant six. I hooked the throttle valve control to a lawn mower throttle lever and cable so I can preset the shift from about 3000 to full 6200+. Now I just pop it in drive , stage launch and steer. Much better for me and safer. I have never played with a PG tran but I am sure it can also be done easily as their govenor can be serviced from the side . Why didnt I use a solenoid or air shifter? Because they are Automatic transmissions .  Designed in the first place to shift themselves. All they need is the right RPM shift point.
This trans is heavily modified as well lest anyone think it is stock, it aint.
Don

[janjon]

Why hand on the brake handle when not braking? How practice for a week and not realize somebody needs to sit on lap and steer???

[Dolmetsch]

Probably a bit old and a bit stupid. No longer a problem now. Perfection is behind me I fear. Never was much of a driver. Usually just did the shakedown pass and then put someone else in the seat. Mostly built engines for others. Now I just want to feel the wind a few more times. Still enjoy it though even if it is just two or three times a year.  Like next weekend Picton Airfield. Just heard they are doing a photo shoot with Bob Beazer flagging. In his raindance outfit. Bob is an old friend (older then me). BTW My shifter linkage is similar to this one pictured. I love homebrew stuff.
Don

[janjon]

Dolmet, that was the perfect response to me when I was being an asshole. Wisdom and perfection are perhaps behind me, or perhaps ahead...

[Dolmetsch]

No worry. I am the idiot here. I was looking at the picture my old friend Bob W took that Glenn put up here too. I see the brake is applied and quite a bit too (at rest or released is 1 inch from the rear of the guard (tis a push ahead to apply) clearly visable in the picture.) About 1/2 it is definatley on and in the pic it is there. So I asked Bob where on the track I was hoping that I was through the traps and slowing down. Unfortunatley he just replied with "About 1/2 way down the strip" I going to have to let go and hang on! See why I aways had a hired gun in the seat? Couldnt drive my way out of a wet paper bag!
Don

[wideopen231]

I cheated on my shifter taking a page out of Parks book I made a tube shifter . Cost about 10.00 weight around a pound. works great so far have not tried it with running trans YET.

[mfp-66]

tube shifter?