Auto shifter interchangeability between early mustangs question

[sgjay]

Help! I need to know if a shifter from a 69 thru 73 mustang with a C4 will fit in a 68 with a C4. they look the same in pictures with the offset levers. Will the holes line up? Also, I have heard that the 65-66 shifters won't work because the straight lever interferes with the parking brake. Is that true? Thanks for any help.

 

[tarafied1]

I'm not real familiar with the 70 and later shifters, but the early Stangs are nearly all identical. There is the very first Stangs (65) that had a different shift pattern so the cover was different, however, I know my dad put a later C4 in one of those and was able to keep the shifter so it work the same.

The 65 is straight out the bottom too

I believe the hard parts from 66 thru 68 are pretty much all the same. I'd venture to guess the 69-73 and even Mustang II's and early Fox body's would work. I think the Fox Body went to cable linkage in 90 but was a rod before then.
The biggest issue might be the colomn lock on later Stangs. They require a goofy shift lever like this...

the shifter linkage is on top and the column lock is on the bottom

below is the typical 67/68 C4 shifter lever

 

[tarafied1]

as far as lining up the shifter in the car with the lever on the trans, the lever in the trans is the key. I have swapped transmissions before from column shift cars and/or column lock cars (like 70 and later Mustangs), however, the floor shift lever on the trans is longer I believe. If you have trouble getting all the gears to line up it may be the lever on the trans and not the shifter itself. The rod or linkage has a big slot for adjusting but if the lever on the trans is a different length than the one on the shifter they will never be perfect.
Lokar makes an adjustable lever if you have trouble finding the right combo

the picture shows 3 levers, the one on the right is for 65-69 floor shift Mustang C4's (it will fit in a C6 too, I have one in mine)

 

[sgjay]

Thanks for the info! The part I'm wondering about now is the way the lever on the shifter is bent away from it. Its this way on the 67-68 and 69-73 shifters. It comes strait down on the 65-66 shifter. Someone told me its made to clear the parking brake cable. I should be able to work out something. I've got plenty of time to think about it. the car is just a shell now and I'm still fixing sheet metal. Thanks again for the pics and everything!

 

[tarafied1]

I think the shifter is far enough forward on the 67/68 that it shouldn't interfere. That looks like what I have on my 67, the pic below is before everything was hooked up but you can see the parking brake bracket just behind the speedo cable and the shifter is tucked up in there pretty far

 

[sgjay]

I think you are right. Thanks for the details.

 

[tarafied1]

hope I was helpful and welcome!!!