Console Shifter

[mitch0537]

Has anyone put in a console shifter or know of anyone that has? I deeply considering moving the window switches as far forward on that panel and installing a B&M console shifter in that spot. I recently put in a C6 into a '65 and don't like the existing mechanical column shift. Also, does anyone have any lightening tricks?

[jtschug]

You want to make the car lighter?

You can get about 120 lbs out of the engine with aluminum intake, heads and water pump.

Rear disc brakes is worth at least a dozen pounds.

After that, I guess you could just start deleting stuff and sacrificing features / performance
-- Delete the air conditioning
-- Delete factory stereo
-- Pull out all the sound deadening / carpet / extra seats
-- Remove the side windows and power window mechanism

I don't know where you go from there. Wood bumpers?

The problem is the car is heavy and it is designed to be heavy, this means the brakes, suspension, and body are all carrying extra metal compared to a Mustang of the same vintage.

[mitch0537]

It has aluminum heads, aluminum water pump, aluminum intake with the Edelbrock Pro Flo 4 fuel injection, removed the cast iron York air conditioning compressor and replaced with sanden with a March serpentine accessory belt system, aluminum radiator, battery relocation to trunk, lightweight starter, removed COM and installed the lighter C6. But those bumpers are my next target, I'm thinking about remanufacturing them either Kevlar or carbon fiber. You could build a whole Prius with the bumpers lol. Front seats are extremely heavy. Remove windows and regulators is a bit extreme. Maybe carbon fiber driveshaft.

[jtschug]

If you want to get extreme, build a tubular front end and replace all the front sheetmetal with a fiberglass front clip.

[stubbie]

Front bumper and brackets probably weigh about 45Kg's and the brackets for the rear are quite heavy also.

[Privateer]

For the first question on console shifters, I've only seen one in person on a 64 I believe. They had installed a 302 and AOD out of a mid 80s car I believe, along with the corresponding shifter and column. Not a fan of the column since it looks fixed in place due to the size. I may need to consider a column shift in mine if I can't make the stock column shift work out. I'd have to go with either a Lokar unit made for my trans, or one out of a newer Mustang.
edit - also check out that drivers side mirror
Scott

Console Shifter

Engine compartment

[RedBird64]

I always thought the 65/66 Mustang automatics "T" shifter would have looked right at home in the Thunderbird.

[Tbirdgul]

I actually reached out to 2 companies that make fiberglass hoods for drag cars to see if they would build a version for 64-65 birds, but both weren’t interested. I was even willing to pay tooling. The hood and trunk on these cars weigh a ton. If anyone knows of any other hood manufacturers, let me know.

Mitch. What HP/TQ did you end up getting on your set up? I’m going to be adding an EFI system and eventually heads, intake and cam.

[ak7an]

For the first question on console shifters, I've only seen one in person on a 64 I believe. They had installed a 302 and AOD out of a mid 80s car I believe, along with the corresponding shifter and column. Not a fan of the column since it looks fixed in place due to the size. I may need to consider a column shift in mine if I can't make the stock column shift work out. I'd have to go with either a Lokar unit made for my trans, or one out of a newer Mustang.
edit - also check out that drivers side mirror
Scott

Console Shifter
Console Shift 1.jpg
Engine compartment
Condole Shift 2.jpg

I know this is an older thread, but I just wanted to give a little background on the setup in this exact 64 Tbird as I now own it. The engine is a 351W bored, stroked to 383. The AOD trans is out of a mid 80's Lincoln LSC with the wide spaced ratio. The console shifter assembly is also out of the Lincoln LSC also. Steering column early 80's, my guess is out of an F150 or other vehicle with no ignition components in the column. I would like to replace the horn pad with one out of a 78,79 Tbird without cruise control buttons. I have a Rostra cruise control system with the control buttons mounted on the driver side of the console. Bought this Tbird in Aug 2019 from DT Auto broker out of West Valley, UT. Josh is the owner and a strait shooter.. I was pretty amused to see some pics of my Tbird here in the forums
Take care
Ed
Oh BTW, the swing away steering column still functions as designed.