bluegoose

Hello all,
I have a 1989 Firebird and would like to know if anyone has a B&M Mega Shifter #80690 installed on their firebird. I am looking for a good shifter that will work on my car. Any and all information will be greatly appreciated.

Brad

chevy8ford

I too would like to know, since it lists camaro for the application, and visually the consoles are shaped differently... I wouldn't mind cutting/fabbing, but i want to see what it looks like in a bird..


Thanks,
Mike

CALIROCZ28

iTrader: (3)

I have a Megashifter in my '89 Z28. I installed it and the hardest part was changing the wiring for the backup lights, nuetral safety switch for the starter relay. The instructions that come with the shifter are pretty straight forward. B&M lists a Radio Shack relay that you will need to make it all work. The actual installation is not to hard. Make sure you route your shifter cable correctly and place the exchange bracket for the transmission shift arm. Just follow the instructions. Read them sveral times before starting to do any modifications and then follow everystep in order.

The unit looks terrific installed and I get a lot of compliments on the way it looks. Everyone's first impression is they think it is a stick shift. I have a picture of the way it looks in my car somewhere on my computer. If you'd like to see I will search for it and upload the picture later.

CALIROCZ28

bluegoose

I would like to see a pic please

Motor City Mike

Check out B&M Racing's Website. They show a picture of an installed Megashifter in a 3rd gen, and they have a downloadable instruction manual specifically for these vehicles.

I have a Megashifter in my '82 'bird and it was fairly simple to install. It comes with a special plate that you install on top of the center console where the original shifter and position indicator are located. It looks and feels really great, and performs even better. It is a ratchet type shifter in the lower forward range gears (slam the shifter forward once for each gear, all the way to neutral) and it also has a reverse/park lock-out, which means you can't accidentally put your car in rev. or park (you have to intentionally pull the trigger to do this). I also added a momentary button switch to the end of my shifter handle so I can activate my front brake line lock with my thumb.

An excellent all around shifter that I highly recommend.

MCM

Eats5.0's

iTrader: (1)

This is in an IROC. I took it out for inspection, but it's going back in today. Maybe I can take some more digipix and post them.

Daishi

And in case you are wondering those are my new carbon fiber floor mats

thirdgen88

This is an old pic (and not the focus unfortunately), but I think you can see it pretty well... You will have to cut your existing console plate, but its not too bad.. Looks good once your done!

thirdgen88

Forgot the pic..

chevy8ford

Looks good in the bird too, what kind of steering wheel is that? dig the arrowhead in the hornbutton

thirdgen88

Its a Grant Signature series wheel, they also sell different horn buttons (with chevy, pontiac, etc).. Goes great with the megashifter..

88Camaro350

I just bought this shifter from a guy on the boards. He told me he did not use the relay they mentioned and everything is fine.

What does this relay you have to buy do? He said not to worry about it. He also left pieces of stock wiring on it so I could splice the wires easier

whytspeeddevil

hey....88camaro350....ah i dont remember what i replied about to yours....its been a while since i been on this site....but i think im was gonna give you pics on how to put the shifter in but i dont recall......if you have already done it....great. let me know. happy with my B AND M shifter.

Schultzy89GTA

old pic FWIW...



-Schultzy

89' RS/blue

My buddy had a B&M Megashifter put in his 91 RS a little bit ago, its nice, much quicker and firmer shifts.

88Camaro350

I havent installed teh shifter yet. I havent even got it yet. It will probably be here tomorrow. Hopefully I can get time to put it in thursday. If not im off friday so It will get done then for sure

88Camaro350

Daishi...I see you did it the easy way. Didn't cut the stock plate bigger. You just sawed it off. Can't hardly tell but I noticed it because I know have a shifter Im gonna have to cut mine up.

Daishi

actually I have two plates, I cut the other one. Those are pics before I threw it on. I couldn't get the hot knife thing to work so I did it by drilling holes and put a hack saw blade down one of them and went to work, I got pics but its on the other comp, ill post them in the morn.. I'm not as lazy as one might think

Daishi

Ok so I'm not waiting for morning, here is why you don't see it with the plate



So after I got another plate, Heres the results:





Not so lazy after all :lala:

whytspeeddevil

hey 88camaro350........if you want.....instead of rigging the wires like that guy said without the relays........i dont think thats a good idea......if you want i have the two relays that are perfectly fine from my last shifter.......i could mail you them if you need them........its better in my opinion to use the two relays that come with the shifter. i could tell you what wires to put to the relays if you need to know or the other guys that have been helping you out about the shifter im sure could as well. let me know if you need them. you could have them for nothin....here to help the fellow thirdgen f- body people.

88Camaro350

What do the relays even do? I have the shifter installed now. Everything is hooked up but the cables. The back-up lights and nuetral safety switch work perfect. Shifter works good.

What is the relay for? Looks like there is 2 other wires on the big 6 connection...they aren't still hooked up.

If I knew what purpose the relays had I may install them.

BTW I gave up on the 5 foot cable. It was in bad shape anyways. So I went ahead and got a 4' cable from work. I was gonna get the 3' but we couldn't get it.

3 things b&m should have done....

1) much much shorter cable
2) the plate it comes with should be slightly bigger so you can just cut the ash tray part off and do it that way...would be much easier than cutting the hole out in the middle.
3) you shouldn't have to make holes in the tranny tunnel for the bolt.

I did all this without directions...it was easy and all but b&m should have put more time into making the install easier. Hardest thing I've found so far was trying to make a HUGE 5' long cable fit.

25THRSS

does the indicator light up?

thirdgen88

I never had a problem making the long cable fit (although it is a bit excessive).. When you install it, feed it through from the shifter and point it toward the distributor once you've got it in the trans tunnel (this perspective is from looking towards the front of the car while under it), then let it loop to the passenger side, and let it come around the transmission mount and then curve it towards the shifter assembly... Worked out fine for me, but yes, a shorter cable might work better..

Daishi

This sums it all, any questions?

88Camaro350

Well I'm having problems with cable adjustment. First off the piece on the tranny that moves it in and put of gear (shown in pic above)...well mine looks nothing like that.

It was also bent the wrong way. So I bent the crap out of it. Now its working sorta.

I adjusted it for 1st....drove it all seemed good except I couldn't get it into park. Then vise versa happened.

I did this alot and its almost down now. It acts wierd though. Sometimes its HARD to get it into R. Sometimes it isn't.

I gave up for now Im gonna mess with it some more tomorrow. I think I may need the bracket. I had to bend the one I have up alot. Because it wouldnt go into P at first because it was hitting the pan. Im not sure if this one is just an older style or what.

:::edit:::: my bracket on the tranny has 2 holes...the one in the directions on b&m's website and the one in that picture have 3 holes. Do I have the wrong one, old one, or what?

I hope I can get this working. Im to far to put the stock POS shifter back in.

LedZep

iTrader: (22)

Does anyone know why this shifter will not fit a 1989 Formula?

whytspeeddevil

hey people.......well to tell you the truth 88camaro350 you suppose to have three holes on that bracket but you only use the 2 holes you are suppose to from the directions of the b&m instructions, and i think one of the guys showed you the bracket...Daishi and you are suppose to have little round spacers that go between the bracket and the pan so that the bracket is not hitting the trans pan when you start to bolt it on. And yeh you will have a little problem adjusting the shifter and the cable....it does take some tries to make sure for proper use.......they dont tell you the set position.....you have to do that on your own judgement. no kinks or sharp bends if so you will ruin the shifter and also make note the parking indicator.... that shows what gear you are in will break as well so its a must to have everything set right. it took me about 10 times to do this gettin under the car back up into the car and stuff but once it is done you will know its worth it. ill try to look for some stuff or pictures i might have to show you.

Daishi

I used the little spacers. you mean this right??



I know the spacers are on the wrong side, I only put them there for the pic... Hope that was what you meant

whytspeeddevil

yep thats it......and i think also 88camaro350 said he got the instructions from b&m over the internet and if thats so then he really shouldnt have a problem as long as he has all the parts he needed to do everything. ah.....i finally figured out how to get my car pic to a smaller size...to fit as my avatar.....that was harder then fixing things on my iroc-z......hehehe.

whytspeeddevil

pic

LedZep

iTrader: (22)

Ill ask again, anyone know why this shifter will not work on 88 - 92 Formulas?

Daishi

It just says it doesn't fit, Doesn't even say which part doesn't fit. I looked all over the net and the only answer I got was (Does not fit 88-92 formulas)

Tells ya a lot.....

Daishi

I tried to email B&M for you.. But they don't have email.. They believe its too im-personal.

You can give em a call and ask them tho, Heres the number (I tried it, they not open Sundays)

1-818-882-6422

88Camaro350

That wasn't the bracket I was talking about. Its the lever on the trans that shifts it. I straightened it out and bent it just a hair...it works good now. Took me awhile to get the cable adjustment just right.

Everything is done now and its in. Was gonna take a test drive but battery is dead because I listened to music for a good 2 hours while redoing all my radio wires, checking everything, ect.

I have an old AC delco battery I got at work. Its about worthless.

Only thing left to do to the shifter is armor-all the crap out of the boot and plate. Hopefully it will look good.

I guess these shifters are just stiff getting out of park...Mine is anyways but works good after that.

88Convertible

iTrader: (8)

It fit just fine in my 88 formula,
I believe they say it dont fit 88-92 is because u have to cut the top plate.
So its not a direct bolt in.

I can tell u I had to cut the top plate.
Instalation was fairily easy, even the relay.

Im with the Hard park crowd, Getting out of park is really hard, but after that it works great, even goes into park easy, Just getting out of park is a B****.
And i used the five foot cable supplied.
Might order a 3 foot though??

Here is a pic.

Now just need to finish the transgo kit, to compliment the shifter.

LedZep

iTrader: (22)

Yea im getting my transgo shift kit before I get a new shifter. And 88 dont you hate our steering wheels, but if we go to smaller steering wheels the steering will be ever more touchy...

88Camaro350

You have to cut the top plate for it to fit in camaros also. This shifter is not really a "bolt" on and go mod. Top plate has to be cut up a alot, 1 hole drilled for the bracket, new level ect. None of this is extremely hard but by no means fun.

Drove it today all put together and its still between 1-2 so it won't hold 1st. Its about 30 degrees now so I think it can wait. My indicator stopped working also. Need to pull the plate off and reconnect it. I may have forgot the E-clip. Oh well.

bluegoose

all.
I am reading the instrucitons to install my 80692 B&M Shifer. Anyway for all the people who have installed this shifter, the instrucions tell us to disable the park lock function. how did you secure the cable so it would move? And isnt this funciton required at the race tracks?

Brad

thirdgen88

They are talking about the feature that makes it so the shifter won't move from park without the key in the run position, not the neutral safety switch (that feature is retained, use a relay like they talk about).. There is a little cable that leads back to the steering column... Just disconnect it and let it sit aside...

mean83z

It works great for switching over from manual to auto too! Made it pretty easy on me without any height adjustments and all. Just needed to fill the hole in the floorboard from the 4 speed.

RPOL98

when I installed the B&M Megashifter in my '90 IROC, the rubber boot kept popping out of its' groove. I finally got tired of re-seating the boot every damn day, every time I drive the car, that I removed the Megashifter and put the stock shifter back.

It seems nobody else had that problem?

bluegoose

Mine has never popped out. Been installed about a year.

88outlawGTA

sorry if i missed this but does anyone else preferibly hurst make a shifter that bolts in the concole jus like the b&m. I got a b&m in my 88 gta and i hate the damn thing. picks the gears it wants to and doesnt always hit gears completly. I've even had b&m guys to our shop and redo it and they couldn't get it right. even tried different shifter and worked ok for bout a month

88outlawGTA

one more things guys...any tricks on how to keep the shifter **** from breakin loose...i've put 2 on there and keeps stripping the threads outta the ****

Poncho Villa

Looking around at shifters, and missing the ratchet shifter in my old '73 Camaro. I think an aftermarket shifter is a good idea, especially if you race...to easy to skip a gear if shifting vigorously with stock. I think the Hurst Dual Gate looks cool, but it's not listed as fitting on 3G Firebirds (same issues as above, ie. plate cutting etc. but still doable?)made for Camaro bolt on. However, some other thread had people saying they thought the Megashifter was the way to go. Plus it looks really cool, the coolest. It shall be mine, heh heh heh...

psyco2484

I have a B&M megashifter 80692 that i am trying to install into an 86 IROC and i am a little confused about the cable. The one that is factory has an end that used a threaded post to mount to the shifter arm on the transmission but the B&M cable has only a straight threaded end. Can any tell me how this is supposed to be mnounted on the shifter arm and if i have the correct cable or not. Any replys would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and i hop to hear from all of you soon.