How to scratchbuild a B&M Shifter

[SuperStockAndy]

Hello, Here's a tutorial on how to build a B&M Shifter.

What you need:

-Plactic as thick as realtor signs(thicker my be used)

-Knife

-Shifter rod and ball

-Putty

-Silver paint

First off, I'll give you the dimensions I used on mine. They might not be exact, but it looked pretty close.

Width: 3/16 inch

Length:7/16 inch

Height(NOT including shifter post): 3/8 inch

Step 1: I cut out the main shape of the shifter body. I sanded that so it was smooth, and I also corrected the shape a little bit.

Step 2: Once I was satisfied with the shape, I traced the shifter body on the plastic. I cut that out, and I sanded it.

Step 3: I used Testors glue, and I glued both parts together.

Step 3: I then traced the shifter body twice on the plastic, cut both pieces out and sanded them. Then I glued them on to the shifter body.

Step 4: Then I cut a small rectangle, and glued it on top of the shifter, so the long end was sticking out from the shifter. This is the reverse lock out lever.

Step 5: I took Tamiya Leaf Silver (I had Gloss Aluminum, why didn't I paint it that color?) and painted the assembeled shifter body.

Step 6: Once the paint was dry, I took my left over shifter from an AMT 1966 Chevy Nova Pro Street, and glued it on top.

If all was done correctly, you should end up with this.

I apologize for the blurry pic, I had to use my scanner.

That concludes this tutorial, hope you enjoyed it! If you need any help, feel free to ask

Thanks, Andy

[ewaskew]

Hello Andy

I read where you just joined the forum WELCOME glad to have you here.

I see you are already giving build tips out,the shifter looks good.

As for the foil I haven't had much luck with getting it smooth a

good rubbing works from what I have read about it.

Earl

God Bless

[SuperStockAndy]

Thank you!

I never seem to have any luck with BMF. So that's why I paint everything except window trim, pretty much.

[camarobuilder]

I built this one many many years ago. I "laminted" plastic sheet and shaped it. I sourced the actual stick and knob from something else, but the housing was scratch built to look like a "Pro Stick".

Frank

[SuperStockAndy]

Looks better than mine!

[camarobuilder]

LOL...Thank you. I've got 2 good referances. Our '70 Camaro and '93 Camaro both have Pro Sticks in them.

These are pics from the install in my '93 Z. I made the seperate box for my nitrous switches that I attatched to the housing.

Frank

[SuperStockAndy]

That's cool, the car I was building it for is a replica of my uncle's '70 Camaro!

[camarobuilder]

Yup. we've got one of those, too

[SuperStockAndy]

Oh yeah!

His car is alot like that, although his is ornage and has the racing stripes. But his has the D80 Spoiler and the full bumper, too!

I'm building of model of it right now, too.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Android

[camarobuilder]

Cool... A tale of 2 second gens. What's his run what motor is in it?

Frank

[SuperStockAndy]

462 Big Block Chevy

[jbwelda]

with bare metal foil any surface imperfection underneath it is going to show. if its not smooth the finish on the foil wont be smooth either. so the lesson is, you have to polish the surface youre putting the foil on if you want it to look like smooth metal.

i hate the stuff too in most cases but its a skill you need to develop...most of the skill is patience. and when you get it right it looks great.

that said, im stalled on my porsche/karmann ghia because ive not gotten up the patience to foil the two chrome spears on each side yet. originally i thought about removing them but never did...

[SuperStockAndy]

Yeah but all I have is the super bright chrome. I really should've painted it Gloss Aluminum, that would've been more real

[jbwelda]

shoot some dullcote or semi gloss clear over it?

bmf does make some "matte" finish foil but to me it looks too shiny for a lot of applications too. but most of the stuff i build is (thankfully) low on the chrome content.

[jbwelda]

you gotta also keep in mind all these glaring shortcomings when looking at a macro lens photo, or a scanner image, will disappear into nomansland when the piece is in situation. ive obsessed over stuff a number of times to get it sitting just right, from all angles, or something and then when the car is done there it is in all its glory: behind plastic "glass", tucked down into the corner, through tinted windows, etc! you really couldnt tell how it looked, just the piece being there was the point.

so i think yours will look killer in your application, nice little detail that those in the know will notice.

[SuperStockAndy]

Thanks! I built this for a replica of a car, only to find out that the 1:1 had a different shifter than I thought

Oh well, I have an extra one now!

[Jordan White]

Here's the B&M Megashifter I built for my F-350 Dually.

[SuperStockAndy]

That's awesome!

I built one just like it for my Nova.