[gkinch]

I have broken the factory shifter in my 79 TA .Which of the 3 aftermarket shifters works the best? The Quicksilver ,mega shifter or the hurst V-matic.I want to keep the factory console !

thanks gene

[GREATGTO]

I prefer the quicksilver, a lot of my frinds have it in their t/a's ,they sell one that fits the factory console really nice

[OrigOwner77]

+1 for the QuickSilver...have it in the '77 and love it.

I have no experience w/the Hurst V-Matic II, but have heard that the B&M Megashifter is real sensitive to cable routing, else it gets stiff and feels like it binds or doesn't shift smoothly. Never heard that in regards to the QuickSilver though.

As far as installs go, the MegaShifter is the ONLY drop-in-and-go shifter. The QuickSilver needs the hole where the shift cable runs through the floor elongated, and the V-Matic II needs a new hole entirely drilled. This is to get the correct shift cable geometry and such for proper operation (probably so you don't snap the shift cable).

I don't know about the V-Matic II, but the MegaShifter *I believe* comes with microswitches for reverse lights and neutral safety switch hookups, whereas the QuickSilver does NOT. This is only relevant if your stock backdrive linkage is disonnected, however.

[gkinch]

Thanks for the input,I ordered a quicksilver today!

gene

[OrigOwner77]

Originally Posted by gkinch

Thanks for the input,I ordered a quicksilver today!

gene

Sweet! Now send a couple hundred extra bucks my way so I can throw one in my 80 T/A!

Hope ya like the shifter!

[Don 79 TA]

ditto on the quick silver shifter
bolts in nicely
looks classy
works nice

yes.... even I at one time had an automatic in my TA

[Colin]

Guess I am the one guy that got a bad one. The Quicksilver I had was junk. Worked good for about a year. After that it was a PITA. Still worked when I sold the car but not well.
I liked it when it was new though.

[TransAm525]

I've run the Hurst V-Matic II for two years now and wouldn't trade it for any other automatic shifter. One of the best features about the V-Matic II, other than the look, is the option of running it as a straight automatic shifter (pulling it into gear just like the stock shifter) for daily driving, or when in neutral, pushing it down into the ratchet mode for racing. To my knowledge, the V-Matic is the only shifter with both straight and full ratchet modes. The Hurst Dual Gate also offers two modes, but the [semi] ratchet function is only available for up-shifting, and works much like the stock shifter's ratchet mode. The V-Matic allows full ratchet up and down shifts, returning to a "neutral" position after each shift movement. Not only is the V-Matic a quality unit, it has a lighted gear selection indicator which can be wired into the stock shifter's original light socket wire--turning on with the other interior lights via the headlight switch.

OrigOwner77 made a good point about the neutral safety switch. The Firebird console V-Matic II does not have the switch. However, you can order the switch used on the universal V-Matic II through Summit Racing, part number HUU-2480021 and it bolts right on (requires some wiring). The Summit website doesn't say the switch fits the V-Matic, but the Hurst service parts page does. You can also retain your original neutral safety/back-up switch linkage assembly, but this may not be an option with some headers.

[transamfan1981]

I had started a post like this. A guy told me he lost a trans due to a mega shifter. I was thinkin about that and thought that may have happened because the cable was longer than it should be and the cable lost the tension it should of had and it didn't pull the linkage into the next cog and blew the gear.