Transmissions - Shifter cable woes

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Shifter cable woes

Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Powertrain Specific Forum
Forum Name: Transmissions
Forum Description: For discussion relating to all Ford Transmissions
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=1836
Printed Date: 18-April-2024 at 3:20AM
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Topic: Shifter cable woes

Posted By: Psquare75
Subject: Shifter cable woes
Date Posted: 19-December-2008 at 12:03PM

So I dragged my Cougar into the garage. Lo and behold, bad shifter cable #3.

You guys with aftermarket shifters, how the hell are you routing the cables so they don't go near the headers? the headers for a 429/460 and a C6 leave NO room. I'm about to track down a factory shifter, because this is ridiculous.

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Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500

Replies:

Posted By: tjbooker
Date Posted: 19-December-2008 at 1:55PM

i know that with the floor shift on my torino a 74 with 351 c i had the trans shop to take

an inch out of the shifter lever at the base of the trans because it wouldn't clear the headers. they cut it short and welded it back together. works good! of course it has no shifter cable.

Posted By: MarkGubinski
Date Posted: 20-December-2008 at 2:35AM

OK, it exists out infront of the shifter & circles around the passenger side keeping it above the trans crossmember. Loop around the back of the trans & tie it to the tailstock. You can't go above the crossmember on the drivers side so encase the cable in a metal tube/pipe (I just use a piece of 1/2 in. copper) & wrap the ends with some kind of heat protective tape. Been using this method for 25 years. Works great. If you have open headers make sure the pipe is long enough to protect against the blast area, but not too long where you can't turn the cable at the back of the tailstock. I hope I explained this clear enough?

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72 Gran Torino Sport 557
10.12 @136 @3600lbs.
2 Time Milan Dragway Track Champion.
2012 IHRA Div. 5 No-Box Champion.
97 career wins.

Posted By: Psquare75
Date Posted: 20-December-2008 at 3:24AM

Mine follows how you describe. Forward, on top of the bellhousing, wraps around, down the passenger side, under the tailshaft, and between the crossmember and exhaust.

I don't have open headers at all.

How long is the pipe? the length of the crossmember, or did you go as long as you could before the bracket, and back up to where it begins to bend?

I am running the 5 ft cable, so I dont really have sharp bends (so I thought).

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Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500

Posted By: MarkGubinski
Date Posted: 20-December-2008 at 7:29AM

I'm not sure & can't get to it at this time. I think it's about 10-12 in. long. Starting from where the cable nuts onto the pan bolt mounted bracket & it goes under the cossmember which is tight & gives it a downward angle. I just used a scrap piece I had around the garage. You could probably do a nicer job with some time. Mines just a race car.

-------------
72 Gran Torino Sport 557
10.12 @136 @3600lbs.
2 Time Milan Dragway Track Champion.
2012 IHRA Div. 5 No-Box Champion.
97 career wins.

Posted By: GranTorinoMan
Date Posted: 21-December-2008 at 4:56AM

I modified my transmission cross member to allow my 3.5" exhaust pipes to have a straight run from my Hooker headers back with lots of clearance, this also gave me room to run my shifter cable straighter. The draw back was that made the cross member very weak, so my mechanic made removable plates to bolt up underneath (slightly rounded) to add more strength to the cross member. I ran my B&M shifter cable over top of the trans and the heat melted the jacket, so I bought another cable and wrapped it with DEI "Heat Shroud" the whole length with no problems after that. http://www.designengineering.com/products.asp?m=sp&pid=39 - http://www.designengineering.com/products.asp?m=sp&pid=39