AOD shift lever modification

[John-Tucson]

Hi guys, I have a 1993 Mustang AOD and I am planning to alter it a bit and I need your input. The shift lever is about six inches long and I would like to bend it forward and extend it to nine inches, and then chrome the tube. What I am trying to do is make it look like a manual transmission shift lever. My questions are: can I weld an extenstion to the existing shift lever and bend it into a forward position ?, What needs to be done internally so that the push-button works ? I am afraid to take apart the lever until I get some information about if this is possible. Any help that you can privide is appricated. John-Tucson PS. It's in a FFR.

[Jack21]

When I was considering auto trans options, one of the options was the shifter. The B&M Hammerhead looked like the most attractive auto shifter out there. Hurst has some that look like manual shifters also.

OEM auto shifters never seemed particularly durable, modifyable, or conducive to manual control shifting.

[COBRA9268]

Good for you, another aod in a FFR. I took my stock shifter and mod it to look like a ratchet shifter. Remove the entire ass, mounting plate and shifter as one unit, you do not have to remove the cable just the two screws and pop off the cable from the ball arm. Take off the handle it just pulls off, if the push button falls out dont worry. The white plastic center is removeable and can be cut or replaced with a similar system. Notice the top of the steel tube is flat on both sides and round on two sides, when you see it it will make sense. I cut mine before the bend and cut the plastic part then used a grinder to flatten the sides so the stock handle will fit and the pushbutton works. So in your case cut the bend out (rather than trying to straighten it) then have a same size tube welded on to it to desired lenth, then find a plunger for the center to act as a pushbutton contact. The problem with the syster is that it will not lock you into gears and its easy to miss a shift, so thats an east fix. Jegs sells a replacement for the gate witch is removeable, it costs 24-26 dollars and is installed in 30 minutes or so. So mine is about 3 inches long and has a lockout for 1-2 and 2-3 . Now the real upgrade.If you are going to put some real power to it the AOD will not last, LENTECH valvebody is the way to go. Start with a fresh trans with all the upgrades( any good transbuilder will know them) and use there valvebody. It is two fold, it is a brainless system and has a electronic od system that lets you use the shifter like a three speed cause thats what it is, three clicks and it goes into od when the tv pressure is low enough to let it shift. A stock converter is a major problem, buy a good one, im useing a 3500 TCI with 4.10 gears and 500 supercharged HP.Its FUNNNNNNNNNN, good luck and if you need more help just ask cobra9268@aol.com