Shifter boots for 350 Chevy Advance setup

[NC Cruiser Dude]

Using the Advance Adaptor set up for the 350 Chevy in a 1979 FJ40. Using this, the drivetrain moves forward a bit. I want to know what others are using for shifter boots both transmission and transfer case? I know this is not my final modifications to the tunnel. I wanted to have boots I know that will work before doing any additional cuts. Pictures would be great as well. Thanks

 

[B y r o n]

Don't know if this will help but this is what I did with my '73 V-8 3 spd:

I cut the cover back and fabricated an aluminum sheet to fill the void. I then used the cover piece and laid out where the factory boots would mount.

Years later when I upgraded to a NV4500, I removed the aluminum fabricated piece and fabricated a new one which had the levers back to near stock location. This time I had to use a 4 spd boot for the trans shifter:

The red circle is where I needed a little additional clearance.

 

[matzell]

Find a 60 series tranny and take the shifter top plate out and swap with yours. It will move it back 3-3 1/2" and should come out the stock hole. Then mode your shifter linkage for t-case. Old school trick Mark A, tought me years ago. @65swb45

 

[peesalot]

X2, a diff top plate for trans & a bracket to move 4x4 lever back. IIRC AA still has that bracket.

 

[65swb45]

Find a 60 series tranny and take the shifter top plate out and swap with yours. It will move it back 3-3 1/2" and should come out the stock hole. Then mode your shifter linkage for t-case. Old school trick Mark A, tought me years ago. @65swb45

Thanks for the mention Rob. I still sell those covers, and will be happy to help the OP if that is the direction he wants to go. Just leave a voicemail and I’ll call when I can. I’m busy at the moment trying to repair a fence and two broken skylights from the wind event yesterday.

 

[Wasatch Jay]

Don't know if this will help but this is what I did with my '73 V-8 3 spd:

View attachment 3811361

I cut the cover back and fabricated an aluminum sheet to fill the void. I then used the cover piece and laid out where the factory boots would mount.

Years later when I upgraded to a NV4500, I removed the aluminum fabricated piece and fabricated a new one which had the levers back to near stock location. This time I had to use a 4 spd boot for the trans shifter:

View attachment 3811368

The red circle is where I needed a little additional clearance.

View attachment 3811373

Byron,

I have a NV4500 setup that is currently using the factory GM rubber shifter boot. The boot is torn, they're NLA from GM, and used ones are ridiculously priced. My recollection is the factory GM boot fits into a groove on the shift lever. I'm very curious as to how your solution looks. Could you post a pic of the finished installation?

 

[B y r o n]

Byron,

I have a NV4500 setup that is currently using the factory GM rubber shifter boot. The boot is torn, they're NLA from GM, and used ones are ridiculously priced. My recollection is the factory GM boot fits into a groove on the shift lever. I'm very curious as to how your solution looks. Could you post a pic of the finished installation?

I hope this helps:

 

[pb4ugo]

Byron,

I have a NV4500 setup that is currently using the factory GM rubber shifter boot. The boot is torn, they're NLA from GM, and used ones are ridiculously priced. My recollection is the factory GM boot fits into a groove on the shift lever. I'm very curious as to how your solution looks. Could you post a pic of the finished installation?

Idk, if this helps or not. My 1975 po install sbc/NV4500. The po's mechanic opened up the shifter hole a bit, but left the stk boot threaded holes in the hump for the stk boot. He also opened up the tcase hole and used some aftermarket boot. As you csn tell they pounded the tunnel up some. The tunnel is pretty close and maybe touching the trans. One of the boot screws has been shortened to clear the trans.

 

[NC Cruiser Dude]

Idk, if this helps or not. My 1975 po install sbc/NV4500. The po's mechanic opened up the shifter hole a bit, but left the stk boot threaded holes in the hump for the stk boot. He also opened up the tcase hole and used some aftermarket boot. As you csn tell they pounded the tunnel up some. The tunnel is pretty close and maybe touching the trans. One of the boot screws has been shortened to clear the trans.

View attachment 3813184

View attachment 3813190

View attachment 3813191

Thanks for the information. My situation is more like yours where the boots will have to make the bend since things moved forward. I did find a camaro shifter boot from Jegs in Columbus O. It MAY work but could not find any dims. on it. I will let you know what I end up with.

I hope this helps:

View attachment 3813151

I will post my finished tunnel. I had another 79 back in the mid 80s. I put a 350 in that as well with the same situation but never finished with boots. Shop rags did the job back then.

 

[pb4ugo]

My apologies for the highjack, I was responsing to Wasatch joe and probably wasn't helpful. Actually the nv4500 places the shift tower really close to the stk location.

I had the same problem as yours when i did my 1st sbc/stk 4 speed conversion. I bent the boots trim ring for the stk boot. I heated and bent the shifter cane(pic). Iir, the interference at the heater wasn't as bad as in the pic, the sm420 tower required trimming the bottom of the heater box, I think. In my current hack, i no longer have to remove the hump to pull tranny.

As others mentioned a stk fj60 4 speed tranny top plate moves the shifter tower further back, closer to the humps stk location.

 

[Wasatch Jay]

Byron, pb4ugo and NC Cruiser Dude,

Thank you so much for the pics and the explanations. Very helpful!!!