Do you have a friend that can shift their stick car way quicker than you can? Or are you tired of watching guys like Kyle Tucker and Smitty click through gears like their cars are paddle shifter equipped when you can’t do the same thing no matter how hard you try or how much you practice while getting on the freeway? It might not be your fault. It might just be the fact that you don’t have the right shifter in your car. No really. I’m serious. Here’s why.
For some reason, when the anyone bought a muscle car in the 1960’s, and on into the 1980’s, one of the first things that went into the trash was the factory shifter on your 4-speed. They sucked out loud. Nobody in their right mind kept the stock shifter, because adding a really nice performance shifter showed that you meant business, allowed you to shift hard and fast without throwing out your shoulder, and ultimately made you into Ronnie Sox at least in your own mind.
Then Tremec came along. The T-5, then T-56, etc, etc, were great transmissions, but they were an internal rail design that had all the shift linkage inside controlled by a ball on a stick. Literally.
Well, unless you were one of the 5.0 Mustang guys who shortened their shifters, or you spent big money on a short shifter conversion, most people left the stock shifter in place and bitched about it. Sure, there have been companies who came out with new sticks, different bushings on the ball at the bottom of them so they felt firmer, and adjustable handles, but they still weren’t what we would call “great”.
Well the White Lightning Shifters from American Powertrain are F’ing GREAT! Seriously. If you can’t shift this sucker fast then you should have your car junkie card revoked. It’s got adjustable springs to help you tailer the feel to the way you want it, and adjustable stops that keep all the shifts clean and precise. It requires nothing but a light hand and the desire to channel your inner Ronnie Sox. In fact, mount a GoPro in your car after installing one and when you watch the video you’ll think Ronnie Sox sucked compared to you. It’s that good. It will make YOU that good.
Watch the video.
Very interesting! I shift as slow as molasses in January,
I’m sure it’s a great shifter, but there have been aftermarket shifters from hurst, pro5.0, and a lot more with adjustable spring tension to center the shifter and adjustable stops. I know you need to pimp your sponsors but there are a lot of great companies out there that have been selling quality shifter for these transmission for a long time. I ran a hurst on a t5 and a pro5.0 on a tremec 3550. Both are great shifters and have the features described on the shifter in the article and have been available for 20+ years. Please show me how this shifter is “great” and the others not what you would call “great”. I would be interested in the difference.
great stuff. I used hurst on a high mile nv3500. There is never enough of them.. the more companies the better. the nv3500 is still left behind by some dweeb who broke his plastic base long throw. My own has been pushing 5000 pounds for 20 years and 355,000 miles. He could even boast longevity it creates.