How unique is 68 shifter?

[Terry F.]

Is the 68 shifter unique to 68 only? Are there overlaps in other years? Terry

[Warren F.]

Re: How unique is 68 shifter?

Not sure if '68 is unique. Both '68 & 69's use a 2 bellow rubber boot. I believe '68 may be only one to use chrome ball, instead of black chrome.

Otherwise don't believe they are any different than '68 thru '72 as far as I know.

[Joe L.]

Re: How unique is 68 shifter?

Terry-----

The 1968 4 speed shifter assembly was SORT OF unique and was of GM #3921637. That shifter assembly was used only for 1968, although it's possible that it was used for VERY early 1969, too.

The 1969-76 shifter assembly was GM #3960607, PRODUCTION, and GM #3960609, SERVICE.

So, how were the 68 and 69-76 shifter assemblies different? Well, first you've got to understand that the shifters were supplied to PRODUCTION and to SERVICE as an assembly. This assembly included the shifter knob. That knob was the only difference between the 1968 and 69-76 shifter assemblies; all the other components of the assemblies were exactly the same. The 1968 assembly used a chrome shifter knob of GM #3857160, the same one used for 64-67 Corvettes. The 1969-76 used a black chrome knob of GM # 3960608.

If one were to take a 3921637 shifter assembly, remove the chrome knob and replace it with the black chrome knob, then one would have a GM #3960609 assembly. By the same token, if one were to take a GM #3960609 shifter, remove the black chrome knob and replace it with a chrome knob, then one would have a GM #3921637 shifter assembly.

The GM #3921637 shifter assembly was discontinued from SERVICE in May, 1970 and replaced by the GM #3960609 assembly. From that point on, if you ordered the shifter for a 1968, this is what you got. Of course, you could remove the knob from the new shifter and replace it with your old one (or, a new GM #3857160) and, then, you'd have a GM #3921637 shifter, the same as your original. It just wouldn't say that on the GM box that the shifter was supplied in. But, who ever sees the box, anyway?

In later SERVICE, the GM #3960608 black chrome shifter knob was deleted from the GM #3960609 shifter assembly and replaced by a black plastic knob of GM #371753. No part number change for the assembly occurred, then, though.

[Terry F.]

Exactly what I wanted for information! Thanks! *NM*

[Mark #28455]

68 and 69 use different shifter boots *NM*

[William C.]

Re: How unique is 68 shifter?

Just as an added thought, the shifter linkage arms on the trans were also different than the later years due to the change in the shifter arm mounting from stud to bolt in '69.

[Joe L.]

Re: How unique is 68 shifter?

Bill-----

Yes, the shifter levers for 1968 were different than the 69-74 for the reason that you mentioned. Also, the 68 levers were unique to 1968; they were not the same as those used for earlier Muncie applications. The 1968 shifter rods were the same as the 69-74, though. Usually, I don't think of the levers and rods to be part of the shifter assembly, but I suppose they are. In GM parlance, the shifter, itself, was called a "control assembly". GM never sold the "control assembly" with rods and levers as a complete shifter assembly, though.