GROUP 4.006 LEVER
General Motors Factory Installed (OEM) Shifter Handles
I'm not an expert on GM manual transmission floor shifters and I'm educating myself by researching parts books, assembly manuals, reading the experts material and collecting shifters. I will concentrate on 4 speed shifters, although the 3 speed versions were very similar.
These are some of my thoughts so far.
I consider shifters installed at the factory as OEM. In the 60's and 70's
you could also have aftermarket shifters installed by the dealership. GM
assembly plants installed "Hurst" or "ITM" (Inland Tool) brand shifters.
Many people call the "ITM" a Muncie shifters, because if the were attached
to Muncie transmissions they may have Muncie stamped into the handle.
My opinion is Muncie was a division of GM that provided transmissions.
And I haven't found evidence that they built shifters. Muncie built 4 Speeds
and heavy duty(HD) 3 speeds.
Inland Tool (ITM)
There were "ITM" shifters installed on Ford cars, so they would have been a
independent supplier.
The "ITM" shifters came with handles in integral, slide in and bolt on styles.
I feel that the non-Muncie stamped handles were installed on Saginaw 3 and 4
speed equipped models.
Hurst
The "Hurst" shifters installed from the factory were different from the aftermarket
versions in that most if not all had slide in or integral handles.
Handle Styles
General Motors Original (OEM) Shifter Handles came in basically three attachment styles,
integral, slide in and bolt on.
What I call intecal shifter handles, are the type that the shifter body must
be partially dis-assembled to change the handle.
What I call slide in handles are retained by a steel clip or rubber grommet.
What I call bolt on style handles were retained by two bolts thru the handle
or two studs attached to the shifter body.
Disclaimer:
Most parts that I describe and picture have identification on or with them, others I can identify from other sources and deduction (educated guess).
Factory correct applications are your responsibility. GM made part and part # changes with no rhyme but a reason (no production interruptions at any cost).
Applications are for replacement parts that were available at the time of parts book printing, and when possible model specific assembly manuals.
My observations come from the parts I have in my collection or other reliable sources your parts may differ.
If Factory correctness is your goal, do more research, join car clubs,
forums and buy an assembly manual if one is available for your Project Car (you wont be sorry).
This is a fun and interesting part of the hobby!
