I have always been a fan of Hurst Mystery shifters and they still appear on eBay occasionally. I run overdrives and they are a pain to install because the mounting has to fit around the od solenoid and it hides the lockout cable, but I like the feel of them. Ive been using them over 45 years. I'm in the process of putting an engine I built in a 56 and it's getting a T86 with a Hurst NOS shifter.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

I don't know if you have looked at these, but check the bushings for the shift rods at the steering column. These get worn and sloppy over the years. Check the shift rods at the transmission too.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I realize that you're question concerns a 57 but I did this to my 56 many years ago. A friend and I snatched the Fordomatic out and over a period of a week or so, installed a 3-speed manual tranny taken out of a 60s Galaxy. I bought a Hurst Master Shift and that combo worked well for many years. However, some years ago, I needed a new clutch and I was tired of shifting gears so that same friend and I installed a C-4. I still have all those parts and pieces from that original swap from the mid 80s.

Wichita,KS

Hurst still makes the three speed shifters. Check online at Summit or Jegs.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Back in the day I put a hurst shifter in a '57 with a T-85 OD. Worked fine.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Has anybody done this, in particular, on a '57 car?  wondering if I could do this mainly to get a bit more "tight" feeling in the shifting between gears as opposed to the more-or-less sloppy feeling of my original "three-on-the-tree" column shift...

I have a plain 3 speed tranny w/out overdrive...

any thoughts...??

thanks, Mark

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX