Shifter Boot and Seal Installation

This project seems minor but took longer than I expected.

I wanted to create something which would seal where the shifter enters the floorpan.  My first plan was to use the lower shifter boot from a fox body Mustang.

I ordered the boot and made a small metal trim ring which mounted into the stock shift boot location.  It looked perfect.  However, when I drove around, I noticed the transmission did not want to go into second gear well.  After a taking every apart, I found the boot curves downward around the shift lever and it was getting caught between the shift lever and shift stops.

I looked at it for quite a while trying to find a way to fix it.  The boot always wanted to slide down the shift lever and I needed it pushed low to get the second shift lever bolt in anyway.  In the end, I pulled the rubber boot off and came up with something different.

The second idea was to use a piece of flat rubber I picked up at Lowes.  It is actually for some type plumbing purpose but is 1/8" thick and looked up to the task.  It worked well as I could bolt it under the trim ring I already made and then I bolted it under the ring which goes around the top of the shifter.  While it does not look as good, it works and I can adjust the shifter if needed without removing it.

The next step was to come up with a shift boot to use.  I honestly could not find much that I liked and would fit around the almost 4" wide shifter.  The best fit and appearance I could find was with a Lokar 70BFMB shift boot so I ordered one and a few days later it was on the doorstep.

I took a piece of 3/8" oak and cut a panel which bolts around the shifter using the same mounting points as the seal I made.  I made the wood the exact same size as the trim ring for the shifter boot.  I recessed the locations for the original screws so they would be flush with the top of the wood.  Finally, I painted it black and waited a day for it to dry before installing it.

I removed just enough of the carpet underlayment so none would be between the trim ring and the new wood panel.  With the wood bolted in and the carpet in place, the carpet laid nice and smooth across the tunnel.  This was the look I wanted so it looked clean and stock-like.

I then installed the boot by screwing the trim ring into the piece of oak that I installed.  It ended up working out well.  Many would ask why I did not just screw it into the floor.  The answer to that is that if you worked as hard as I did installing a complete new floor, you would not want any screw holes in it either.