Table of Contents
Ratchet Shifter
Shifter
To manually shift the car you will need to select a ratchet shifter. There are many options out there from alot of companies. You need one that shifts 3 speed transmissions and is setup for the PRND21/PRN321 configuration. PRN123 or PRN12D configurations will not work as this is for reverse valve bodies which as of right now isnt something our transmissions can do. Since nobody tests compatability with our transmissions you will need to look at shifters for TH400 or Turbo 400 since they are 3 speed. Now this may cause some confusion since the w4a33 is a 4 speed transmission but the shift selector and shifter doesnt have an overdrive spot and it is done via a switch from the factory so you will do the same when using a manual shifter. This is also by dynamic a safety feature because you dont want accidental overshifts to overdrive under power. There are many options to consider with ratchet shifters and this needs to be thought out before hand. Things like reverse lockout, ease of operation like RND quick switching, and other features that you should think about depending on what the purpose of the car is.
Note: If you are racing then pay attention to if the shifter has a reverse lockout. This is required by NHRA safety tech.
Here is a video from Joe Wrenches installing a Hurst Pro Matic shifter in a 1g DSM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCHsLyosYsU
| Compatable Shifters | Note |
|---|---|
| Precision Kwik Shift 1 401 | Front Exit Only/No Shift Solenoid |
| Precision Kwik Shift 1 451 | Front Exit Only/Air Shift Solonoid |
| Precision Kwik Shift 2 201 | Front Exit Only/No Shift Solenoid |
| B&M Universal | Part#s: 81052, 81052, 80842, 80706, 81113, 81040, 81050, 81059, 81119, 80840, 80843 |
| Hurst 3160006 | Quarter Stick |
| Hurst 3162006 | Pistol Grip |
| TCI Diablo Universal | Part#s: 620003, 620004(With Buttons), 620001(With Cover), 620002(With Cover/With Buttons) |
| TCI Diablo Blackout Universal | Part#s: 620003BL, 620004BL(With Buttons), 620001BL(With Cover), 620002BL(With Cover/With Buttons) |
Overdrive
Since there is no fourth gear or overdrive on the shift selector you must use a button for overdrive. This button needs to be a latching switch. Momentary will not work since its only active while the button is pushed.
Shift Cable
For a shift cable you need to use the aftermarket cable for the shifter your using. Most ratchet shifters come with a threaded shaft on the transmission side of the cable. Make sure the threaded end is 10-32NC. The cable length needed is 5 foot. This cable will not route through the OEM cable retainer on the shifter side. This will put the shift cable in a bind.
Shift Selector & Bracket
Morrison Fabrications comes to the rescue on this. Before this you had to weld a washer to the bracket but thats not needed now and i will not cover how to cheaply rig things. You can do that on your own if thats the route you want to take. This product takes alot of the guesswork and issues out of going ratchet shifter and its worth every dollar. This also is a low profile selector and bracket and gives you extra clearance. This bracket is made to work with B&M Swivel part number 80638 and is REQUIRED!
Top Down View HERE
Height View HERE
Wiring
See Main article: Kiggly Blue Wire Mod
Shifter Solenoid
The purpose of a shifter solenoid is to to shift the car without your hand. This is primarily for drag racing. It will only upshift the car. So there are two ways to do this. One is with an electric “shift noid” and the other way is with a air ram which runs off c02 or compressed air. This way if you have a stand alone you can set it up to shift the car based on values and parameters. In this scenario you would most likely use the electric shift noid. I would only go air if you are or planning to also have a boost controller and/or a parachute thats also powered off c02 or compressed air. This reduces driver error and improves consistency. The shifter at the top of this page has a shift solenoid on it to get an idea of what it looks like.