Parts Bin: Gennie Shifters

From time to time, OnAllCylinders will provide a peek at some of the newest products and deals that can help get your next project on track for less. Check out what’s in our parts bin this week:

(Image/ChevyTalk.org)

Gennie Shifter earned its chops making shifters to fit modern automatic transmissions in early street rods, 1940s and ‘50s cars, and classic trucks. The Gennie Shifter Lo-Stik shifter assembly is one of the best available.

Choosing the right one for your ride is an easy five-step process.

Step One: Lo-Stik Shifter Assembly

The Lo-Stik is available in two versions—one for GM automatic transmissions and one for Ford and Mopar automatics. The shifter assembly has a side-detent, gated style gear selector mechanism similar to the shifters used on high-end cars like Mercedes and Jaguar. Unlike traditional ‘straight-line’ shifters where you press a button on the handle to move through the gears, the Lo-Stick shifter moves through the gears in a side-to-side pattern. Combined with positive gear stops, the Lo-Stik mechanism virtually eliminates the chances of mis-shifting, and also allows smooth manual gear changes as well.

Available Applications

• GM Powerglide, TH-350/375/400, TH-200/200C/200 4-R, TH-700R4, 4L60
• Ford C-4, C-6, FMX, AOD
• Mopar Torqueflite 727

Step Two: Select the Proper Mounting Bracket

Gennie Shifter makes two types of transmission mounting brackets. The Mid-Type bracket mounts the Lo-Stik shifter over the main body of the transmission and allows some fore-and-aft adjustment. It’s a good choice for early cars and trucks through the 1950s. The Rear-Mount bracket mounts the shifter where the tailshaft bolts to the transmission case. This is the bracket to use for 1960s and later vehicles.

Step Three: Choose a Shifter Handle

There are two styles of Gennie Shifter handles for your Lo-Stik shifter:

• The Perfect Shifter is the classic round profile handle. Made from stainless steel, the Perfect Shifter is available in straight, layback, and double-bend swan styles in various lengths. Gennie says you can heat and bend a Perfect Shifter handle to perfectly fit your vehicle, then simply repolish it to restore the shine. Can’t do that with a handle made from ordinary mild steel.
• The Commander Shifter is an I-beam style aluminum handle with polished edges and drilled lightening holes in the sandblast-finish webbing. It just screams old school hot rod styling. The Commander is available in a layback style in five lengths, and as a 23 inch long double-bend swan.

This is one of Gennie’s shift knobs. If its style doesn’t fit your hot rod, no sweat—Gennie’s got a few dozen more where this came from. (Image/GennieShifter.com)

Step Four: Choose a Shift Knob

This is the step that will take most of the day. You’ve got all sorts of Gennie Shifter shift knobs to pick from—classic mushroom, billiard ball, Art Deco round, sleek tapered aluminum—even skull, Tiki god, devil, and big bad wolf styles. And since all Gennie Shifter knobs have the same 5/16 inch thread pitch as the Lo-Stik shifter handles, you can switch them around to suit your mood.

Step Five: Pick a Shifter Boot

Pick a shifter boot and you’re done. Gennie shifter boots are available to fit mid-mount and rear-mount applications in your choice of black, red, tan, gray, white, and maroon. A polished stainless steel mounting ring and machine screws are included.