[LawOfMD]

Hi. first post. Thank you in advance for this site and any help y’all can give.

A Resto shop installed a rebuilt TH350 and original T handle shifter for me in my 67.

The shifter only “locks” in park requiring black button to be pushed to change. Every other position the button doesn’t do anything. You can change positions up and down by just pushing shifter forward or back. Shop is telling me this is per factory and nothing is wrong w it. Feel super loose to me. Only the slightest resistance felt in each position (R, 1, 2 etc)

Are they correct or no?

If this is NOT factory behavior what could cause this? Is it likely a messed up shifter or messed up tyranny.

 

[SoCal805]

Did the "shop" convert your stock shifter to a TH350 detent plate?

If not (doesn't sound like they did) you want to either install the Shiftworks kit or buy one already converted

I bought the kit when I did my TH350 swap and the shifts between each (PRN321) are precise and you need to push the black button to get from P to R, N, 321 and push it to get from 3 into N, R, P

Its a very nice unit. I did buy the internal handle spring which was sold separate

Here is my thread on my swap that may be helpful

Shiftworks PG to TH350 swap? | Team Camaro Tech (camaros.net)

1967 Camaro Factory Shifter Conversion Kit – Shiftworks

 

[LawOfMD]

Did the "shop" convert your stock shifter to a TH350 detent plate?

If not (doesn't sound like they did) you want to either install the Shiftworks kit or buy one already converted

I bought the kit when I did my TH350 swap and the shifts between each (PRN321) are precise and you need to push the black button to get from P to R, N, 321 and push it to get from 3 into N, R, P

Its a very nice unit. I did buy the internal handle spring which was sold separate

Here is my thread on my swap that may be helpful

Shiftworks PG to TH350 swap? | Team Camaro Tech (camaros.net)

1967 Camaro Factory Shifter Conversion Kit – Shiftworks

Thank you for This very helpful info!

Further discussion with the shop - turns out they did NOT install any sort of conversion kit. His explanation is they are a “hot rod shop” not a custom camaro shop and did not have the goal to make the shifter work as if it were a factory th350. Smh (even though this is what they agreed to from the start - to try and keep everything as stock as possible.) So a bit of back pedaling.

It’s a 2 hour drive to the shop so I’ve yet to see it first hand.

How he described its finished operation: “You push the button to go out of park. Can go down into first. Have to push it to go from 2nd to 3rd, from neutral to reverse, and from reverse to park.”

He said this is how he does all his hot rod cars with this transmission and customers like it. I guess I’ll have to wait and see. Sounds a bit sketchy to me still but who knows, maybe it will work for me. Mine is not a really rare collector car that demands exact reproduction. In hind site I do wish there was a shop in my area that specialized in 1st gen camaros. Might have been happier with the outcome. (This shifter wasn’t my only issue with them.)

Again thank you for the info.

 

[mahunt]

It's really a safety issue to prevent the shift position to move into another gear setting unintentionally.

 

[SoCal805]

OP

Your shop is BS. PG to TH350 swap has been done 1000's of times. Often with just using a 3 speed detent plate but frankly the right way is to go with the Shiftworks one so you have a new, accurately marked bezel (PRN321) and each position is a solid click...not some sloppy feel

With the PG shifter you can't "manually" shift into 1st. The trans will automatically start in 1st if the shifter is put in "D".

IMHO you should either buy the pre-assembled Shiftworks shifter (comes with new linkage also) or get the kit and do it your self or use a "real" "hot rod or restoration" shop, not some hack who argues with their customers as to why they FU the job, to use the kit. It's not rocket science to do it yourself or for a qualified shop to do.

The way the Shiftworks shifter works is you need to push button to get it out of P. It will then go into any gear after but to shift from 3 to R or P you need to push the button...like it should function. The kit also comes with a new electrical switch that allows the car to start in P and also in N but not while in any gear...duh, you want this. It also allows your BU lights to work when you put it in R. Simply put, its the right way to do it