RJC67 welcome to the site! Richmond uses shifters manufactured by a company called "Long Shifters". They make about 8 different shift levers that can be bolted onto the shifter body. Hurst Competition Plus levers will also bolt to a Long shifter body. I have the old original Richmond Close Ratio 5 speed (formerly Dough Nash). There is no overdrive 5th gear is 1:1. This transmission as well as other current Richmond Super Street models utilize a very large split case that was NASCAR inspired design. Necessary to house the larger heavy duty gears, which are non-helical (straight cut) design. As a result of the case design the shifter sits slightly higher and left of center to the tunnel centerline. I looked at EVERY Hurst and Long handle and none of them position them far enough back towards centerline to work with a console IMO. Most levers are too tall and position the shifter too close the steering wheel for me. I ended up with a Hurst lever & cutting it shorter, then drilling the attach holes to bolt it in. To use the factory shifter boot & bezel I had to slightly add some width to drivers side of tunnel, can be done without cutting or welding. I also used a B&M reverse light microswitch to retain the backup lights bc no one makes a switch for the linkage and this was much easier than frabricating one. Google or search Summit Racing for the Hurst & Long levers. The dimensions for each optional levers are shown.
This is a great transmission and worth the trouble making it work. It's geared great and low. You can run 3.08 rearend gears and it's identical geared 1-4 to close ratio M21 or 22 car with 4.56. The Muncie car will be done 1:1 in 4th turning 3972 rpm @ 70mph. The Richmond car is the same in 4th but is 1.5:1, shift it to 5th now 3.08 1:1 @70mph rpm is 2683! FYI gears 1-4:
RICHMOND 2.73 = MUNCIE 4.11
RICHMOND 3.08 = MUNCIE 4.56
RICHMOND 3.31 = MUNCIE 4.88
My Long shifter w/ modified Hurst handle & factory shift boot & bezel. Shown in 1st gear.
Pic shows how high the Long body sits through tunnel. A Hurst offset lever I tried but ended up not using. Shown in 1st gear. Old desert baked carpet. Yes only 1 of the 2 shift lever bolts was installed through the attachment block for this mock ip. I was checking a lot of different shift levers that day to find one I liked.
Original Long lever on same Long shifter, no offest and that is in 1st gear as shown bc Long lever was curved. 2nd, 4th & R were way too far aft.