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1970 - convert column shift to floor shifter

4.5K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Gixxer  
#1 ·
So I'm about to start the process of installing a new engine and transmission (going from the TH350 to a 700R4), and while I'm at it I would like to install a floor shifter but I'm not sure how big of a project that is... I'm trying to make this car similar to the one my dad described to me when I was a child - I remember him saying he had a "Hurst shift kit" in his 70 SS and that he loved how it shifted and really slammed through the gears (in retrospect that's probably why he sold it, wrecked too many transmissions haha). Does anybody know what exactly he might have been talking about? (no, I can't ask him anymore) Was it the shifter or was it something installed in the transmission itself? What Hurst shifter was most likely in circulation around that time and would've been in a '70 Nova?
 
#8 ·
Mike

I just installed a B&M pro shifter in my 70 column shift nova. I have a TH350 but the process to install the shifter is the same. I had never installed an automatic shifter from scratch before and by following the included directions it was a piece of cake. Take three hours from start to finish. Some suggestions to install. line up your cable before you cut the hole in the tranny tunnel. The cable does not center on the shifter it is offset to the drivers side. You do not need to drill a 1.5" hole in the tunnel like instructions suggest. I drilled a 1/2" hole and used a centering pin to bend the hole on an angle so cable passes through without any kinks. Make sure to test the shifter cable like the instructions say to. Make sure the car is secure as you will be shifting the transmission through the gears so there is the potential for it to roll!! I verified in every gear position the cable mount moved freely in the linkage as well as verified the transmission was not between gears for each position. Wire your neutral safety at the very least - I did my reverse lights as well. I unplugged the NSS and the RL from the switch on the steering column and used spade ends to extend the wiring from the NSS plug and the RL plug back to the shifter's micro switches. The purple and purple with white stripe wires are the NSS the green and pink are the reverse lights. I did not cut the original wiring in case I need it some day. I used a coat hanger to fish the wires under the carpet from shifter to steering column. I found a post online that told where to wire the nss and rl.
purple to c terminal on shifter switch and purple with white to nc terminal. reverse lights signal before the backup lights to c terminal and lamps wire to nc side of switch. Lastly follow the instruction to install the cover on the shifter. I could not get it on until i read how to do it. Everything works so far. Good Luck