# dual gate shifter?



## skapegoat (Nov 5, 2008)

Today when I was messing with the wires under my dash I noticed my shifter kept pushing to the side. At first I thought it was just loose but after a closer look I saw a there was a hinge at the bottom that let it swing to the side. Is this how a regular shifter is or do I have a dual gate shifter?


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

skapegoat said:


> Today when I was messing with the wires under my dash I noticed my shifter kept pushing to the side. At first I thought it was just loose but after a closer look I saw a there was a hinge at the bottom that let it swing to the side. Is this how a regular shifter is or do I have a dual gate shifter?


What year car? The '70?: the shifter shifts to the right and shifts like a dual gate.


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## skapegoat (Nov 5, 2008)

It pushes to the right but not real far. It doesnt have the hurst shaft like the ones I looked up online, and it doesn't have the two slots on top either.


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## Mr. P-Body (Jan 20, 2011)

Most '69-'72 GTOs and Firebird "400"/T/As had this shifter. It's a "ratchet" shifter. If you "pull" it into manual low, and hold it to the right while pushing forward, it will only go one "notch" at a time, effectively acting just like the Hurst "His & Hers", the dual-gate you're talking about. 

Jim


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## skapegoat (Nov 5, 2008)

So I just need to find a regular trim cover not one specific for this shifter?


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

skapegoat said:


> So I just need to find a regular trim cover not one specific for this shifter?


Correct. My 69 has one of these. Pull it down into low, then on the upshift, push it both forward, and "out" (away from you) at the same time in a diagonal motion and it will ratchet. If you still have the original "wood grain" insert in the console on the passenger side of the shifter, you'll see it has a small "1 2 3" embossed into it there.

Bear


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

I was redoing a 70 Firebird for a guy at work many years ago and it had that shifter. When I got in the car for the first time, I thought the shifter was broke.


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## skapegoat (Nov 5, 2008)

I scoured the boxes of random goodies that came with the car and came up with 2 shifter bezels. The wood grain one did have the 123 numbers that were barely legible. The other must be another trans am part that was tossed into the boxes (I have found many). Now all I have to do is find a new wood grain cover. Thanks


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

there is a thin plastic dust cover for the trim plate also that will have an oval cut out to allow the shifter to pivot w/o pushing the dust cover out of the channel, had a 69' firebird with the rally shifter, was Pontiacs answer to the hurst when they drummed them out, a lot cheaper than the his/hers and basically does the same thing. I fabbed a B&M quicksilver ratchet into my factory console and plate handle looks like the hurst and its a lot heavier duty unit than the stock ones if you like to slam gears. Used to go through a cable a year if i remember right. Shiftworks makes some nice cables that are a lot more flexible than the stock ones and will not kink.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Mine works great. Shift into L. Push shifter to the right, give her hell ratchet into S then into D.

Sounds and feels like manual.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

By "cheaper" i meant to produce Judge, it's still a well built unit, like most things Pontiac...:cheers. Was reading the GTO restoration guide on my trip over the weekend and it stated that the original Hurst manual shifters used in production were not to have the Hurst logo stamped on the handle per GM rules about aftermarket suppliers. then they realized that it might help sell cars so they badged it.


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