Converting from bench to bucket/Hurst Lightning

[HurstOlds]

Hey man, I was wondering if you were going to try to reproduce some of these parts.

I am definately interested in swapping over to a lightning rod shifter. My current Hurst is broke and I've been waiting to decide if I want to go through all the trouble sourcing all the parts for a lightning rod setup, or if I should just buy something complete and be done with it.

Its such a pain to try to find all the parts you need, just to figure out you're missing one tiny piece that holds it all together. (I've been following some of your posts).

PM me if you ever decide on making a kit or whatnot, I am interested. I currently have a 3 speed auto, I don't know if you could come up with something that would work with 3 and 4 speeds? That would be boss

 

[tobyp]

Hey man, I was wondering if you were going to try to reproduce some of these parts.

I am definately interested in swapping over to a lightning rod shifter. My current Hurst is broke and I've been waiting to decide if I want to go through all the trouble sourcing all the parts for a lightning rod setup, or if I should just buy something complete and be done with it.

Its such a pain to try to find all the parts you need, just to figure out you're missing one tiny piece that holds it all together. (I've been following some of your posts).

PM me if you ever decide on making a kit or whatnot, I am interested. I currently have a 3 speed auto, I don't know if you could come up with something that would work with 3 and 4 speeds? That would be boss

Making a 3 or 4 speed would be nice, but from tinkering with my 4speed setup and understanding more about the shifters that may be difficult. Great idea. This is what I like are getting people's different perspective. I sent you a PM.

 

[Bweavy]

What we are working on is a complete column to floor kit. The steering column collar to remove the arm, to the brackets that can be welded or even screwed to the floor. I have created a library of such what is interchnagable from the Buick & Olds so both cars will have this benefit. This means Lightning rod or a standard shifter. If this project turns out as well as expected I plan on doing the Monte carlo, Malibu, El camino & Grand Prix as well.
We have a PA. source doing the rubber for the lightning rod. An Ohio source for the wiskers of the lightning rod. Toby was able to find stamping companies in the U.S. & Canada for the aluminum plate & all the bracketry.

This also has a huge benefit to people with floor shift cars. New Shifter handles available in the factory colors the are discontinued.Only thing available now is Medium Gray. New Complete consoles. I have no less the 60 Broken bottom consoles on my shelves we use for pieces & parts.

The plan is to have enough demand that we can manufacture a large volume of these parts to keep the prices reasonable. The other real nice part is GBP has spent well over $80,000 in 18 months on upgraded factory shifter parts, J rods,Springs aluminum internals, Shorty shifters, etc.This cost has already been taken care of.
So this benefit is great if you want to do a factory style shifter or lightning rods. The lightning rod shifters will be a huge expense but I am in contact with the gentleman with the original tooling. No new tool fees would be nice to make this a reality.

HurtsOlds I am hoping we can offer complete shifters & then seperate parts as well. This will allow you to repair what you have to save additional costs.

Pretty exciting time if you own a Gbody.

 

[tobyp]

heck ya me to. but i cant afford 300+ just for the shifter. those shifters sell for rediculas money.

Dude $300 for Lightning Rods is a steal if there in good shape.

I paid $350 for my shifters and they are a steal at that price. I have been watching Ebay, and I did get the at the right price. $450-500-1000 (nos) is the norm.

We are going to make every effort possible to make an actual licensed Hurst shifter again. The cost may be $250.00-$300.00. But I will tell you this. They look SOOOOOO cool! Especially wrapped in aluminum plates! I am a little partial to my setup, granted. I have said this over and over. I have many people that I watch when I go to an autoparts store that break their neck doing a "double take" at the shifter setup, it makes it worth it. Then if they are young they ask, "What in the world are those????" If they are my age range 30 up, they say, "Man, I remember that car and how I wanted one sooo bad. Did you put those in and convert?" Then the interest starts generating in their mind.

 

[84cutlass383]

I have a 84 H/O and i would love to put a LRod set up in my other 84 cutlass. sign me up up!!!!! tobyp if u still want the drums pm me ur info again

 

[82gbody]

I always thought the lightning rods were cool if a kit were available for just a regular floor shifter that would be awesome, it would save a ton of time searching for parts and trying to make sure that you have everything that is needed for the conversion. I really hope you can make it happen

 

[tobyp]

I have a 84 H/O and i would love to put a LRod set up in my other 84 cutlass. sign me up up!!!!! tobyp if u still want the drums pm me ur info again

Sorry i did end up finding another set.

 

[tobyp]

I always thought the lightning rods were cool if a kit were available for just a regular floor shifter that would be awesome, it would save a ton of time searching for parts and trying to make sure that you have everything that is needed for the conversion. I really hope you can make it happen

It will definately happen for the regular shifter, and as for the Hurst we will have replacement items at least with the hopes of having a complete setup. THat is the goal.

 

[DoubleV]

Tobyp what exactly is it you're planning on doing? What I mean is, do you work in manufacturing and are going to create reproduction lightning rods ( and all the other assorted widgets that one needs for a complete setup )? If so, then I think that's pretty cool, however I've been told by many who own/used the originals that they are glitchy and prone to breakage. Were you planning on making improvements or just reproduce the originals warts and all?

And to answer your question, I really don't know if the ones in your pic look like the originals because I don't have an intimate knowledge of what the original ones look like, but overall I would say they look great.

 

[tobyp]

Tobyp what exactly is it you're planning on doing? What I mean is, do you work in manufacturing and are going to create reproduction lightning rods ( and all the other assorted widgets that one needs for a complete setup )? If so, then I think that's pretty cool, however I've been told by many who own/used the originals that they are glitchy and prone to breakage. Were you planning on making improvements or just reproduce the originals warts and all?

And to answer your question, I really don't know if the ones in your pic look like the originals because I don't have an intimate knowledge of what the original ones look like, but overall I would say they look great.

I guess you can say I am in MFG but do not own MFG, if that makes sense. I am intimately involved in the aftermarket MFG of a variety of replacement parts outside of hard parts. As for reproducing Lightning rods and making them they would be exact copies, because most want what was original. The only hang up I see is the licensing which I beleive that we have taken care of. As for the Lrods being glitchy, that is correct and not correct. All the way these lrods work together is determined in the cable adjustment. As the cable stretches it becomes out of line with the shifter's shaft making shifting hang up and operation very difficult. Trust me, I learned this the hard way for about 3 hours one night. Now my shifters work like their supposed to. Being off on adjustment 1/8" throws the main shaft to the shifter and 1-2 rods out of kilter.


Yea, mine are original stuff.