4l80e and floor shifter install question. Only Squarebodies Please.

[Lq9'ed 80 Sierra]

I am installing a 4l80e in my truck and decided to install a floor shifter. problem is I have no clue where to cut the hole for the shifter lever. I want to make the smallest hole needed so it has to be perfectly cut the first time. you can see a video of the shifter I am going to use here :

GM 4L80 (E) Dual-Action Shifter Installation...

Better question is has anyone gone this route in their squarebody ? How'd you do it ? Pics would be great too.

[truckdude239]

Just saying they labeled it ford 480l/4l80e in the youtube vid

[BR3W CITY]

I don't have a square body, but I do have a 4l80e, and a few things raise questions for me.

1. Are you sure you have room between the top of the trans and the floor to fit the height of that whole bracket-thingy?

2. No one can for sure tell you where to cut, since the exact position of this unit would also depend on the exact position in which you mounted the engine. This means the style/type of mounts/adapters/perches you used will all affect this. You could find out everything you need by measuring, if you have all the parts on hand. Even with the engine still out; if you know where the engine will sit, then you have a constant to work from.

Put the truck in the air, Start at the known engine position, add to that the length of the trans to the tailshaft, and then run a tape measure to that point on the underside of the cab and mark it. Now you have front and rear reference points. You can go back to the trans, take more measurements off the bolt-on positions that the bracket-thingy you got, transfer those to the cab as well. With all that, you should be able to tape off the smallest square possible (start small, its easy to widen).

3. With the exit point on the dipstick in the video, are you gonna be able to access it with the position of the floor/firewall on the squarebody?

hope any of this helps.

[Lq9'ed 80 Sierra]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

I don't have a square body, but I do have a 4l80e, and a few things raise questions for me.

1. Are you sure you have room between the top of the trans and the floor to fit the height of that whole bracket-thingy?

2. No one can for sure tell you where to cut, since the exact position of this unit would also depend on the exact position in which you mounted the engine. This means the style/type of mounts/adapters/perches you used will all affect this. You could find out everything you need by measuring, if you have all the parts on hand. Even with the engine still out; if you know where the engine will sit, then you have a constant to work from.

Put the truck in the air, Start at the known engine position, add to that the length of the trans to the tailshaft, and then run a tape measure to that point on the underside of the cab and mark it. Now you have front and rear reference points. You can go back to the trans, take more measurements off the bolt-on positions that the bracket-thingy you got, transfer those to the cab as well. With all that, you should be able to tape off the smallest square possible (start small, its easy to widen).

3. With the exit point on the dipstick in the video, are you gonna be able to access it with the position of the floor/firewall on the squarebody?

hope any of this helps.

1. Yes.

2. I understand there's different combos, however I would like some input from someone who has done this regardless if its unique to their setup.

3. I wont be using that dip stick.


Thanks I appreciate your help and instructions, I'll look into them. I might cut a hole where I want the shifter lever to be and adjust the "bracket-thingy", accordingly.

What kind of shifter are you using for your 4l80e ?

[BR3W CITY]

The reason I suggested the measurements, is simply that I have yet to see anyone use a setup like that. I'm under the impression you may have a hard time getting someone with the exact same combo in a square, also using that setup. Its a less conventional setup, much like the Kilduff I use, and the number of people using them vs the B&M type shifters is slim.

I have a Kilduff Twisted shifter, which has some similar features to the setup your looking at. Instead of the normal prndl, mine has it setup on a spring-tension, and a metal gate. It rocks down and over like the one your looking at (the "gated" feeling). Kinda hard to explain.

I started with a B&M modified to run a 4l80e (many are listed for "4speed o/d") but they don't fit the exact position on the 4l80e, and the gate has to be slightly enlarge to lock in the right places. I set this one up with a bend, and an optional extension to give it a "Truck" height and feel. (for sale )



Then I got the Kilduff I was talkin about:




Here's an old video of how it works (click the image)

[Lq9'ed 80 Sierra]

That's a radical looking shifter