For what it’s worth I figured I’d post what I just went thru installing a console and floor shift on my 83 El Camino. The truck was originally bench seat and column shift so basically I ended up installing everything from scratch. I couldn’t find any of the parts locally so everything was bought off E Bay to include the console mounting brackets.
I’m using a TH400 and fortunately the shifter I bought was for a 3 speed auto (probably a TH200/250/350) and came with the cable, transmission bracket and shift arm.
Figuring out the placement of the console itself was pretty straight forward, I was able to tell where it went by the scuff marks it had from the inner seatbelts. From there it was a simple matter to bolt the front console/shifter bracket to the rear of the shifter and locate the shifter as it connects to the console with 2 bolts/screws.
Once the shifter was located I tacked its bracket in place, then removed the console, attached the rear bracket to the bottom of the console box, and set the console back in place. I removed the screws holding the rear bracket and carefully removed the console again making sure not to move the rear bracket and once the console was out of the way I welded it in place.
I figured the placement of the hole for the cable by were the cable curved down to go thru the floor (which turned out to be 3” from the front leg of the shifter). I made the hole 1” in order to be big enough to the cable end to go thru and be able to put in a grommet to seal the hole later.
As mentioned the bracket and trans lever that came with the shifter probably were from a TH 200/250/350 and while the shift lever fits the transmission the cable bracket does not line up with the pan bolts on the TH400. As I didn’t have any aftermarket brackets and the spacers laying around and didn’t want to wait on ordering one, I modified what I had. I welded the bracket I had to a piece of 1/2" tubing (which spaces the bracket down were it needs to be) and drilled the 2 holes I needed to bolt it to the pan.
The original column linkage connects to the shift lever as it originally did when it was a column shift. This will still turn the column collar when the transmission is shifted so the steering wheel lock, backup lights and dash mounted shift indicator will still work.
I’m using a TH400 and fortunately the shifter I bought was for a 3 speed auto (probably a TH200/250/350) and came with the cable, transmission bracket and shift arm.
Figuring out the placement of the console itself was pretty straight forward, I was able to tell where it went by the scuff marks it had from the inner seatbelts. From there it was a simple matter to bolt the front console/shifter bracket to the rear of the shifter and locate the shifter as it connects to the console with 2 bolts/screws.
Once the shifter was located I tacked its bracket in place, then removed the console, attached the rear bracket to the bottom of the console box, and set the console back in place. I removed the screws holding the rear bracket and carefully removed the console again making sure not to move the rear bracket and once the console was out of the way I welded it in place.
I figured the placement of the hole for the cable by were the cable curved down to go thru the floor (which turned out to be 3” from the front leg of the shifter). I made the hole 1” in order to be big enough to the cable end to go thru and be able to put in a grommet to seal the hole later.
As mentioned the bracket and trans lever that came with the shifter probably were from a TH 200/250/350 and while the shift lever fits the transmission the cable bracket does not line up with the pan bolts on the TH400. As I didn’t have any aftermarket brackets and the spacers laying around and didn’t want to wait on ordering one, I modified what I had. I welded the bracket I had to a piece of 1/2" tubing (which spaces the bracket down were it needs to be) and drilled the 2 holes I needed to bolt it to the pan.
The original column linkage connects to the shift lever as it originally did when it was a column shift. This will still turn the column collar when the transmission is shifted so the steering wheel lock, backup lights and dash mounted shift indicator will still work.
