Short shifter with t5?

[dmdsprite 1]

My car (1970) is in the middle of getting a t5 swap...if I was to put in a short shifter (mgw, pro5.0, steeda), does it make it hard to reach?  Do you have to lean forward to put it into gear?  I'm 5'8" on a good day.  Some accept other brand shifter rods, but mgw, which sounds like it may be the one most favored by modern mustang owners, uses it's own proprietary connection, so you can only use one of their 3 available rods.

[Len69Coupe 33]

I put a T5 in my 69 with this shifter Summit Racing SUM-555-7353-SR Summit Racing™ Billet Aluminum Short Throw Mustang Shifters | Summit Racing

5th gear was definitely a reach. So I bought this one. UPR 1016-01 Mustang Shifter Handle Trick Stick Manual Billet Satin 1983-2004 (cjponyparts.com)

It allows you to angle the shifter handle back. It's better, but I wish it was a couple inches longer.

I might have bought a Hurst shifter if it wasn't absurdly priced.

[dmdsprite 1]

When you say that you would have gotten the hurst, did you mean the hurst stick, or the whole hurst short shifter setup?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fms-m-7210-m

Thanks

[dmdsprite 1]

Also, I know in a modern mustang it's a relatively straightforward thing to install...but in ours is it, or do you need to drop the transmission to install the short shifter?

[rwcstang 201]

2 hours ago, dmdsprite said:

Also, I know in a modern mustang it's a relatively straightforward thing to install...but in ours is it, or do you need to drop the transmission to install the short shifter?

depends how far off the shift hole is and if you can reach all bolts.

you could potentially do it from the cabin, however if you are unable to reach all of the bolts, you may need to unbolt trans mount and drop the transmission slightly so you can free up space, but make sure you have a jack under the transmission so it doesn't touch the ground. 

Best, 

[Len69Coupe 33]

23 hours ago, dmdsprite said:

When you say that you would have gotten the hurst, did you mean the hurst stick, or the whole hurst short shifter setup?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fms-m-7210-m

Thanks

Just the Hurst shift handle. Several posts I read recommended it. I think due to its length and offset. I am happy with the one I bought from CJ's though.

The bonus was I won the CJ Pony Transformation Challenge on Fakebook and got a $30 gift card from them. So the shifter handle was almost free.

Before I installed the T5 I cut out about an inch of the forward part of the shifter hole. I have no problem changing the shift handles. The biggest PIA is the chrome ring that the rubber shift boot that holds down. 

 

 

[dmdsprite 1]

I actually went with the mgw. I contacted them, and they said they can put an extra bend in their handle to make it easier to reach.  They also said that their handle is just a 3/4" round rod, so it's pretty straightforward to fab a custom rod.