Hi All,

I am sure that someone out there at some point or another has had to replace a slapstick shifter 'handle'. My trouble is this (it is difficult to explain but please bear with me).

With the old handle that had the bulge at the base (apparently already an aftermarket), the handle was split when I bought the car but it seemed to work okay...until you really STOOD on the gas and shifted through the gears. (This trans is a 727 with a manual valve body). When I got to "D", it would not release with the button to allow me to downshift at a stop. The button seemed to just sink into the handle and do nothing. If I pulled the handle off and hit the rod in the center of the shifter stalk, it would release. Then I put the handle back on and it would seem to be okay until the next time that I was accelerating hard and shifting through the gears and then the same trouble.

So, I figured that I would save up for a new handle and that may solve the problem since the old one was cracked. I ordered one from The Paddock (received it yesterday) and put it on the car. Tried shifting and now it will not function as a slapstick unless the handle screw hole is 3/16" above the screwhole (I marked the position and measured center of the screw hole on the shifter and a dot that I had marked with a sharpie through the hole in the shifter handle when it was pulled up high enough to allow the shifter to function properly. I have measured the height of the old shifter handle, the new shifter handle and a broken shifter handle that I had picked up somewhere. There seems to be no difference in the screw hole position on all three of the handles.

I guess the simplest resolution would be to cut down the center rod 3/16". That should allow the handle to fit properly, allow me to put the retaining screw in place ( 8 x 32 x 3/16" so it is not binding on the rod). I hesitate doing this because this is really a "one shot" deal. I am sure that I can take off a little at a time til I get to the 3/16" it seems to be long. I also believe that perhaps this was an issue with the old handle that I am replacing but, since it was always broken, it is hard to tell.

I guess another option would be to cut a new screw hole into new handle however at only 3/16" (center to center) away from a #8 size countersunk hole...it really does not leave much, if anything, to really hold the new handle in place. This would also keep the handle from making proper contact with the outer part of the shifter to keep it seated properly.

I guess I am wondering if anyone knows of an adjustment that can be made to the rod (it does not apper that there is but maybe someone knows a trick to this). Or perhaps a different solution...or if anyone else has come across this issue.

I appreciate any help I can get on this matter.

Thanks

 

Update :.

I checked the measurements against another '73 Charger and found that the measurements are the same on both. So, I tried the new shifter handle on the other Charger and it did not function properly on that one either. So, I called The Paddock and they are sending another one to me and I am sending this one back. Hopefully, they do not have an entire batch of these that are made wrong.

 

Okay, just to catch this thread up. I received another handle from The Paddock. It fits perfectly and functions properly. I aparently received a defective handle the first time through. They are sending a call tag for the defect so I can return it.