Shifter boot
 

Is this the correct boot for a ‘63 bench seat car? I thought it should be the round one.

As far as I know 1961-1964 big cars all used the same shift porches, and for a bench seat car it would have been a round one. Some years back I posted pictures of all four styles (Catalina/Ventura/Grand Prix with or without bucket seats, and Star Chief/Bonneville with or without bucket seats) along with the part numbers here: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...4&postcount=22

The pic I posted is a SD restoration. I found it odd that it did not have a round boot. Of course the shifter isn’t correct either. Here’s another pic of the car.

Ames lists the boot and hold down for the bench seat and they are round.

https://www.amesperf.com/parts/57671/

out of stock ......

James Q

The SD cars had the Hurst Shifters, therefore they used the square style boot with bench or bucket seats, the round boot has a round hole for the shifter which didn't work as well with Hurst shifter

I don't know about SD cars but I put a Hurst shifter in my car, and while it had to stretch some to fit the standard round boot fits over the Hurst shift lever. It's been in there for over 20 years without an issue.

My 62 Catalina has a Hurst shifter, (factory style with the round lever), and the round boot. It has been fine for 8 years so far. I put just a dot of silicone grease on the lever to get it to slide easily through the boot. Then wiped the excess off.

Looking for answers with my 1966 parts book perhaps only serves to get one more confused. Of course, I can't guarantee that the book still contains all the proper pages. If you have ever seen how revisions are distributed through the year you see many opportunities for omissions.
There is an exploded picture for 60-63 with bucket seats which shows the boot (or seal) to be square. That picture also shows a reverse lockout shifter. A square boot is what all pictures of consoles seem to show.
The various listings of parts groups of course don't bother to say square or round. and one can get very confused chasing the various applications. However, in group 4.010 for the cover (which seems to be what the parts book calls what is commonly called the porch) there is an entry for 62-63 body style 23 only, a specific listing for a cover number different than any other body style. Is that the round one??
And then in group 4.015 for the seal (or boot) there is a specific note for one seal as "exc SD".
Like I said, none of these listings say square or round. It's just that it does appear that SD may have had part numbers different than all the rest.

For my car, I’m not too concerned as long as it looks stock. It’s getting a Richmond 5 speed so the shifter porch will need to be customized as it won’t be in the stock location. I do have a round boot for it but a flat shift handle but like Stuart said, it’ll work. Still need the boot retainer ring.