Floor Shifter????

[sjensen49]

My wife and I are new SDC members. We just bought a 61 Studebaker Hawk with a 289 V8, automatic with an aftermarket floor shifter. I need to know if 61 Hawks ever came stock with a floor shifter with the automatic. I know the 4 speed stick used a floor shifter. Our steering column has no hole for column shifter. Present shifter binds up speedometer cable so it is smashed and will not function. Is there a floor shifter out there somewhere that is either stock or that will work with the automatic on this car without compromising the speedometer cable or anything else? Please respond to sjensen@bak.rr.com. Thank you for any help. Steve Jensen

sjensen

[StudeRich]

Sounds like a neat setup, probably needs some linkage bending, or adjustment.

There would be no '61 Hawks with Automatic floor shifters.

Someone probably changed the steering column shift collar to a 4 speed dummy type, OR changed the CAR from a 4 speed to an Automatic.

You can order the Production Order from the Studebaker National Museum to find out how the car was originally equipped.
They only need some money and the Serial number of the car. [^]

StudeRich

[Kurt]

The one I have has the same problem, Hurst Indymatic. Works good, although the shift pattern is backwards. RLDNP. So far, I have not come up with a good solution. Does anyone make a 90 degree adapter for the speedo pinion? I have seen them before on tach drives on ag applications, but have not tried one out yet.

66 Commander R1 Clone
51 Commander 4dr

[okc63avanti]

Unless you want the automatic, convert it back to a BW T-10 4 speed or try a Tremec 5 speed. If being historically accurate is not important maybe find an automatic floor shift from a later GT Hawk and make a shift indicator with different letters for transmission pattern.

John


63R-2386 under restoration & modification

[Rerun]

quote:find an automatic floor shift from a later GT Hawk and make a shift indicator with different letters for transmission pattern.

Yes, he could use a floor shifter from a Powershift, adapted to the FOM transmission. However, there are a few issues with doing this:

The indicator pattern is one. That is the simplest to solve.

More importantly, the angle of the plate on the selector shaft is different for the FOM. This would require some sort of adapter to get the Powershift linkage to work.

The detents in the Powershift linkage would be wrong, and there would be nothing to prevent the shifter from being accidentally moved from L to R. Not a good situation.

The neutral safety switch would not work properly, as it would allow starting in P and D. I don't know if Steve's current shifter has a neutral safety switch or not. The original would have been on the steering column, IIRC. (Steve, you may want to check that, and be aware if there is no neutral safety protection.)

The back-up light switch would be wrong, and turn the lights on in N rather than R.

All in all, my recommendation would be to locate someone with a parts car that would have all of the necessary parts to convert the shifter back to the column. This would solve the speedometer problem as well as any others with detents and switches.

Anyone have a parts car and an inclination to help the new SDC member?


Jim Bradley
Lewistown PA
'78 Avanti II

[WCP]

We're assuming that this car has a FOM. That needs to be determined. If it has been converted to an auto, it may have a Ford 3 speed small case cast iron trans with the PRN321 or PRND1D21 shift pattern that would agree with a Stude floor shifter setup. I acquired an Avanti in the 70's that had a Ford Cruisematic with the vac modulator. I still have the trans as I installed a proper powershift during restoration.

[sjensen49]

Thank you for the many responses. The transmission is a 2 speed automatic which I assume is the Flight-O-Matic with the PND1R shift pattern which does, indeed, shift backward with P near the seat and R forward all the way. I would love to get a parts car if there is anything close enough to Bakersfield, CA for me to pick up. We have considered switching to the column shift steering column and linkage. I am wondering if this linkage we have is the Hurst set-up. Did that compromise the speedometer cable as ours is doing? Also, I thank you for the suggestion of contacting the Studebaker National Museum so I can check on the production info on this car. Great idea. Any other thoughts on this car? Sure would like to keep the floor shifter, but want it to be a safe driver and know how fast we are going. This is going to be my wife's driver. Thanks again! Steve

sjensen

[WCP]

If you want to keep the floor shift, consider an early '61-64 Ford Cruiseomatic transmission that has the correct PRND21 shift pattern. You need to look for a small cast iron 9 7/8" case, 16.5" extension housing and a 17 spline input shaft Cruiseomatic. It should be a fairly simple swap. This trans should be more readily available than the Stude Powershift. The unit that I have is a heavy duty water cooled unit (maybe they all are). I believe the "dual range" unit has the added benefit of 1st gear start in D1 position. There are others on the forum that are a lot more knowledgeable about auto trans than I am. Hopefully they will chime in.