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Topic: 83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible? (Read 3591 times) previous topic - next topic

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

I know you can do a floor shift conversion on the 87-88 cars but can this be done on the 83-86 models?  I am not wanting to do one but was curious what the options were for the 83-86 cars that were column shifted cars.  I cannot remember for the life of me if the Turbo Coupes in these years were even offered with an auto or not.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #1
Yup, console plate will swap with 85-88 cars, but the center radio stack is 83-84 only due to dash. 85-88 console does swap.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

 

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #2
So basically the 85-88 cars had the option to come factory center console shift but the 83-84 cars did not?  If I am incorrect can you post up which cars did so a person would know were to look for parts?

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #3
Checked the Wiki and it appears the 83 TC's were manual only and the 84 TC's had the option of an automatic but no mention of console shift.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #4
The 84 Shop Manual lists the T5 and the C3 as the transmission options for the Turbo Coupe.
Looking at the pictures, looks the T5 is floor shift only.

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #5
At least for the Cougar, there was no floor shift option on non-XR7 cars (meaning V6 and V8) from 1983-86. That didn't happen until 1987 with, of all things, a seating option.

But for XR7 models there definitely was a floor shift for either the T-5 manual or C3 auto.

Guessing the same deal for the T-Bird also, or similar.

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #6
I have a floor shifter quadrant indicator for a '84 Cougar XR7 that is marked with conventional PRND21... I was gonna use it on my '87 AOD shifter as my trans had a mod to prevent trans from shifting above 2nd when in D position, just never got around to it... Maybe I'll use it with the Lentech trans I have now...

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #7
To expand on Eric's post, all Turbo Coupe's were full console cars regardless of being an automatic or manual and yes, the Wiki page is correct about '83 TC's being manual only the first year. Some other Thunderbird models got it as well such as the Sport and the Fila but although not too common in the wild, it was optional on most all T-Bird trim levels.
1985 Mercury Cougar XR-7 - 5-speed 
One of 1,246 built

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #8
I can't speak with certainty regarding the 83-84 cars, but my 85 was originally a column shifted V6 C3 auto and is now a floor shifted V8 AOD.  I believe the 83-86 center consoles are full length to the back seat (assuming that 83/84 is slightly different than 85/86 at the dash connection) and then the 87/88 center console is shorter in length and basically stops at the arm rest.  Even though I have an 85, I used the 87/88 vintage center console in my conversion.


83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #10
Good discussion here guys.  So with everything you guys have contributed above this is what I think a person with an 83-84 car can do if they what to convert to a floor shifted auto (correct me if I am wrong) for an AOD or 4R70W:

1) Already have or obtain an 83-84 full length center console (85-88 are shaped different where they intersect the dash of the car)
2) Obtain an 84 auto shifter console plate or an 85-88 auto shifter console plate (84 will match the 83-84 console better but the 85-88 will work)
3) Obtain a 6 detent auto floor shifter ether from an 84 car (I think these are pretty rare) which will have PRND21 or from an 85-88 car which will have PRN(D)D1.  You will not want to use the 87-88 Turbo Coupe auto floor shifter has seven detents PRND321.
4) Then follow this write up on Eric's site - http://www.coolcats.net/modifying/floorshift_aod.html (would this be the same if you were to use a 4R70W?)

Does that about get it?  I am not 100% on the 85-88 floor shifter having the PRN(D)D1 pattern as I am not sure about the 85 & 86 cars.  The only reason I asked is when I looked at Eric's site it didn't seem to catch the 83-84 owners that may want to do this.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #11
I think in 83-84 all cougars and birds had full-length consoles. So that much should already be done.
CoogarXR : 1985 Cougar XR-7

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #12
That makes sense as my car was a base model 5.0 AOD car with the only option being power door mirrors and it has a full length console.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #13
Quote from: Aerocoupe;459290
1) Already have or obtain an 83-84 full length center console (85-88 are shaped different where they intersect the dash of the car)

As mentioned, all 1983-84 cars had a console already...easy enough.


Quote from: Aerocoupe;459290
2) Obtain an 84 auto shifter console plate or an 85-88 auto shifter console plate (84 will match the 83-84 console better but the 85-88 will work)

Yeah...good luck with that. ;)


Quote from: Aerocoupe;459290
3) Obtain a 6 detent auto floor shifter ether from an 84 car (I think these are pretty rare) which will have PRND21 or from an 85-88 car which will have PRN(D)D1.  You will not want to use the 87-88 Turbo Coupe auto floor shifter has seven detents PRND321.

At this point it's going to be a little easier to find an AOD floor shifter. The scarcity of C3 floor shifters is just mind-boggling. I did a little research last night and found that auto 1984 turbo XR7s supposedly had late availability, probably in 1984 itself (January through May-ish from what I can deduce). So yeah...that's a rare thing.


Quote from: Aerocoupe;459290
4) Then follow this write up on Eric's site - http://www.coolcats.net/modifying/floorshift_aod.html (would this be the same if you were to use a 4R70W?)

It should be the same AFAIK.


Quote from: Aerocoupe;459290
Does that about get it?  I am not 100% on the 85-88 floor shifter having the PRN(D)D1 pattern as I am not sure about the 85 & 86 cars.  The only reason I asked is when I looked at Eric's site it didn't seem to catch the 83-84 owners that may want to do this.

The only real reason I never mentioned 1983-84 owners is that the trim pieces are just a nightmare to find. The installation is exactly the same, it's just the finishing touches that are more difficult. I did see an NOS 1983-84 manual shifter cover panel a few months ago, but that's the first one--new or used--I've seen in a long time.

83-86 Floor Shift Conversion - Possible?

Reply #14
Would any years of the Lincoln Mark VII floor shifters work?  I know the center console is entirely different so the only thing that would work would be the shifter and possibly the cable?

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp