Hello all,

I am wondering if anyone has tried to fit the B&M Megashifter under the stock console without cutting the shifter plate or putting the metal plate on the console. I know they make a special B&M for our cars but it requires the aforementioned cutting, etc. I was looking at my 91 Firebird Formula's center console and I would like to put a megashifter in but want it to look like a factory install, and I think it would work even with the factory shift boot. Anyone done this??

-Chris

 

It wont fit without some cutting, besides if you do it like the instructions say it will look better than factory I think.

 

Well,

I am not really very partial to the metal plate they use. It would look better if it were all under the whole factory shift plate, in my opinion. Any one done this?

I think I am going to try it. I have a universal B&M megashifter and I will get it under there one way or another, but any advise is appreciated.

-Chris

 

The consile version doesnt use a metal plate. It used the factory plastic shift plate and you have to cut that.

 

All the pictures I have seen show a metal-looking (could be plastic, the universal shifter I have has a plastic plate) plate that somehow bolts to the factory shifter plate between the ash tray and the window switches. It has the shift pattern molded into it. I have seen a hundred pictures on this site alone with this, and that is what it looks like to me. Is this correct?

Anyway, I would like to use this shifter, although I want it to look more factory stock.

Thanks,

-Chris

 

Just look down a few posts and you will find this.

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=169707

 

That thread has a pic and link to a pic of camaros with megashifters. The firebird console, which is what I am talking about, looks nothing like that and therefore the shifter plate has to be cut and replaced with the aforementioned plate.

Am I making sense at all?

-Chris

 

Here are some pictures of the megashifter in an 89 trans am.

http://images.andale.com/img/imageTe...JPG&marketId=4

http://images.andale.com/img/imageTe...JPG&marketId=4

http://images.andale.com/img/imageTe...JPG&marketId=4

http://images.andale.com/img/imageTe...JPG&marketId=4

http://images.andale.com/img/imageTe...JPG&marketId=4

hope that helps

 

Those pictures depict exactly what I am talking about. The black plate bolts directly over the existing factory console with four small screws. That is exactly what I do not want. I want to mount the shifter in the console and use the factory leather/vinyl shift boot and factory shift plate without modification.

Again, has anyone attempted this, how much fabrication would I need to do?

-Chris

 

I thought about that today. I have a used megashifter being shipped to me now. I doubt you can use the leather boot though cause it's made to bolt on the inside of the factory cut out (4 bolts one on each corner). Since you have to cut out the hole bigger there wouldn't be the mounting points to install the leather boot again.

 

Fireturd350,

Thanks for the reply. Why do you have to cut the stock console hole bigger? My measurements show that the megashifter should shift through all the gears without interference (barely) if mounted in the right position. I am going to attempt all of this Saturday, so I will find out if my idea will work! Hard to believe I am the only one who wants to do this. Surely someone has played around with different ways to mount the shifter. I just don't want to be a lemming, know what I mean?

-Chris

 

Like I said I'm still waiting on my shifter, so I can't really give you an answer for cutting the console. I know B&M does provide a template for cutting the console though. Maybe you can get around it.


It's kind of funny how in all the repair manuals and shifter instructions they tell you that you must rip off the button on the old shifter to get the console off... all I did was unbolted the whole plate and then twisted it over enought to undo my leather boot bolts. The console then slide right off the top with shifter still intact no problem. (In middle of 8 point roll bar install)

 

I found this picture on the forum somewhere.

 

Here's another post where a member actually fit a megashifter in with the console without cutting and used the stock boot.

Megashifter Post on Thirdgen.org

 

Heres the way I had to cut mine. The B&M shifter is not actually wider its taller....why the plate had to be cut is for all the crap on the shifter to have enough room to move around I guess.

 

2

 

3

 

I like the metal plate....its more durable...heres the end result. Looks good. I like it!

 

Fireturd350,

Thank you for posting that last link. The guy that typed that post is right in line with my thinking. Now we are getting somewhere!!

I will do the shifter swap this weekend probably along the same line as what the author of that post did.

The pictures that followed Fireturd's last post were of a camaro console and of no use to me, but they look good anyway Wishmaster

Thanks,

-Chris

 

if you look closely, i found this pic from a camaro on ebay, it looks like he shoved a hammer shifter within the stock console. i thought it was only the handle, but if you look closely it looks like the whole shifter mechanism and the shift lever thing that you pull up to shift. basically the whole hammer shifter without the boot or mounting plate thing. i could be wrong, but its a thought

 

The brackets that come with the "bolt in" (and I use that term very loosely) megashifter lift it up like an inch or more. If you can install it without those brackets, or with much shorter ones, you may be able to get it to work much like the hammer shifter shown above. Plus, you won't have it smacking into the console and lifting up the whole thing (and making your cd player skip) every time you downshift like I did.

I hated that POS. I would have yanked it out if I didn't swap to a 5 speed anyway.

 

after reading what you wrote, that seems about right, "the shifter sitting to high" and that is what causes the part of the shifter to hit the plate. Also when installing it, seeing that it sits high if you do not get the shifter back far enough thats what makes the piece hit. So I just ground it down and no bumping of my plate. Works perfect!

I found that out from reading on here so I knew to do it before I installed it...

 

grinded

 

Let me know how the install goes. My shifter still hasn't arrived yet, but I'm in no hurry since car in the shop for roll bar. We did managed to get the mainhoop, crossmember with harness tabs, and the tunnel braces all MIG'd into place today though. Hoping later this week to get my shifter and AC delete box... maybe my spohn tq arm sometime next week or 2.

 

I installed the shifter in my Firebird. Had to cut up the console plate, too. The metal plate from B&M fit -exactly- between the top of my window switches and the bottom of my ashtray button.

Basically all I did was use B&M's cardboard template to make a few marks around the shifter area- REMEMBER to leave enough room for the plate screws!! And don't overtighten 'em after you drill 'em, metal into plastic, ya know. After I had the template, I hooked up a soldering gun with a cutting tip, and sliced through the plastic. (Stunk up the basement for a few days, oops)

You can kind of see the shifter in this steering wheel lock replacement pic of mine. There's quite a few messages about this in the trans forum if you want to do a search.

Oh and please follow the instructions; 99% of the people complaining about the B&M Megashifter didn't follow the instructions for adjusting the shift cable, or wired the shifter's electrical by guessing, etc... use the directions!! Hell, B&M even has a tech line you can call with questions.

 

Just wanted to let everyone know that I accomplished my shifter install the way I wanted. It really was easy to do. I had to drill and tap four holes, but other than that it was simple. Just measured accurately, placed the shifter where I wanted it, marked the holes where the shifter needed to mount then tapped them and bolted it down. I didn't even have to grind the shifter any. The shifter goes through all the gears without interference.

I also used the original shift boot. Had to cut and sew a little to make it fit, but it looks great, wish I had access to a camera to show you guys.

Thanks for all the replies.

-Chris

 

Did you end up using the B&M brackets? Also did you use the stock cable?

 

i went custom and it gets rid of lettin people smoke in ur car

 

heres a closer look of my alumin plate. im goin to strip the paint i have on there now and use a textured paint to try and give it the more stock texture to it.

edit: i know this isnt the megashifter but i still had to cut the stock plate to get it to fit

 

It can be done. I fabbed up some new brackets that bolt to the floor (to lower it). Then you've got to work a little majic with a die grinder to let the cable out without binding it up. As for a shift boot, I used a Honda Accord boot (90-93) and massaged it a little bit. To attach it to the rectangular chrome upper boot retainer, I used a thin bailing wire type wire and clamped the boot into that groove. That looked kick ***, but I've since pulled it out and am putting in a 6sp. The thing you have to do is make sure that it goes through all gears with the console in, then you know that you've got it low enough. I agree that in a 85 or newer Firebird, that metal plate looks like ****, but it looks right in a 84 or earlier Firebird or Camaro because that shift plate bolts on anyway.

And just to end the discussion, the console model for our cars DOES come with a metal top plate that bolts to the top of the console. I wish I would have taken pics when I had it in, but I didn't.
Good luck man.

 

GTA-SPD,

Thanks for speaking up on the metal plate thing. I thought it was metal, and it just looks out of place.

You are absolutely right about getting it mounted just right and low enough. I did not use the brackets supplied with the shifter because I bought it used and it did not come with them, not that I could have used them anyway

Fireturd, no, I did not use the factory cable.

-Chris

 

Hey GTA-SPD, any pics of the install? Sounds like a nice setup.

 

Unfortunatley no. I never got around to taking pictures because my truck got stolen around the same time and that took precedance. By the time the truck issue was resolved, I had already pulled it out and started the 6sp install. It looksed as if GM put it in there. I did it that way for two reasons. First was the metal plate thing (it looks like hell on a GTA console) and second was I hate those accordion rubber shift boots. They look cheap and quite *******. After spending 7 years working on imports, the rubber shift boot is a big NO in my cars. I'll see if maybe my wife may have gotten some actual film pics of it, but I doubt it, she was mostly taking pics of the outsides of all of our cars for future insurance issues. I'll let you know if I stumble over any.

 

Well my megashifter arrived today. It was in pretty bad shape though. It wouldn't even sit on a flat surface cause the tabs were bent up so bad (due to it coming out of a wrecked f-body). I got it all fixed up. Hopefully by this weekend I can get the car back from the shop and take a look at the OEM shifter compared to the Megashifter. I'm still hoping to use the stock cable.

 

I got my first megashifter off ebay and it was in bad shape too. I cleaned it up resold it and then just bought me a brand new one. Which I should have done in the first place. New is always better...

 

True but this one should work out + I can handle doing little home projects. I need something to keep me busy during summer. The brackets are a little rusty but I have a new can of Por-15 coming so that should be fine. Like I said I fixed the mounting points today and I cleaned up the shifter so I will shift a little easier now. It should be in decent working order once I finish it.

 

did yours look anything like that picture i posted above, where you can see the shifter mechanism metal part sort of at the bottom, or was your install a little cleaner than that? sounds like yours came out nice.

 

You couldn't see any mechanism at all. It looked like the factory set up, just with a different boot. I attached the boot where the top of the rubber one was supposed to go and it set down in the hole just like factory. In fact, I didn't cut my console top AT ALL, just bolted the new boot in place of the grey factory one, and that's it.