It's no coincidence that Lokar Performance Products' components can be found in a majority of today's street rods, and they keep the new products coming. The latest from Lokar, the new Midnight Series line of products, will keep the traditional-minded folks happy, as they are a perfect fit for nostalgia-oriented vehicles.
Lokar's graceful swan neck shifter, already a classic among rodders, gets blacked out as part of the new series of pieces. Along with the new finish, Lokar Midnight Series shifters come with all the characteristics, such as push-button lockouts and a neutral safety switch, which have made these shifters a must-have item. After we installed the Lokar shifter we topped it with one of their brand-new Shift Knob Adapter Kits that allows for the fitment of any style of shift knob while still maintaining the push-down shift function that Lokar shifters are renowned for.
The shifter came complete...
The shifter came complete and ready to install with all hardware and detailed instructions. This kit is designed specifically to mount to the transmission case of GM 700-R4, 4L60, and 4L60E automatic overdrive transmissions.
The installation of the shifter...
The installation of the shifter began with the installation of two 5/8-inch aluminum plugs into the bosses in the sides of our Gear Star 4L60 automatic transmission case.
The right- and left-side mounting...
The right- and left-side mounting plates were attached directly to the main plate with the supplied button-head Allen bolts. We left the bolts loose at this point so we could adjust the brackets later.
The rear bracket mounted to...
The rear bracket mounted to the tailshaft of the transmission with the bracket ears facing the front (engine side) of the transmission.
The main shifter plate was...
The main shifter plate was attached with the supplied Allen bolts and then the tension bolts were installed and tightened in the side brackets until the plates moved out approximately 1/8-inch. After tightening the Allen screws, they are locked in place with the supplied jam nuts.
The shifter comes assembled...
The shifter comes assembled above the main plate brackets and is designed for mounting in multiple locations (fore and aft) on the main top plate. The shifter was mounted to the top plate once we decided which position we would be using.
With the shifter and the transmission...
With the shifter and the transmission in the Park position, we assembled the shift linkage and marked the threaded rod to be cut to size. Once the linkage was cut to size, the rod end was installed and attached to the shifter assembly.
The finished installation...
The finished installation should move freely through the shift pattern. If it doesn't, it can be adjusted until it does.
One complaint people have...
One complaint people have had with using a Lokar shifter in a traditional-style car is that you had to use their shift knob with the push button. Lokar's latest accessory, the Shift Knob Adapter, solves that problem. We removed the standard push-button shift knob by loosening the jam nut and unscrewing the knob and the nut from the shift lever.
The Shift Knob Adapter kit...
The Shift Knob Adapter kit was installed by running the new jam nut to the bottom of the threads on the shift lever. The inner sleeve was then installed by running it down until it touched the jam nut. The inner sleeve was locked in place by tightening the jam nut upward.
The new outer adapter housing...
The new outer adapter housing was slid over the inner sleeve and jam nut, making sure to align the two set screw holes in the outer adapter with the two slots in the inner sleeve. The two nylon set screws were screwed in until they touched the inner sleeve. We then loosened each one a quarter turn at a time until the outer adapter housing slid up and down freely.
With the outer adapter housing...
With the outer adapter housing extended up, the socket set screw was installed into the top of the outer housing. We hand-tightened the set screw until it touched the inner cable of the shifter.
After checking that our chosen...
After checking that our chosen shift knob used a 3/8-16-thread size, it was installed onto the set screw and tightened against the outer adapter housing. With the new knob installed, the knob is pushed down to select gears.
The installation was completed...
The installation was completed with Lokar's leather shift boot with one of their new Midnight Series black trim rings.