Hi all,
Once upon a time, on a popular auction site, there was an individual that was selling restored, repaired and re-chromed shift handles with T-handle lock out and fixing the stretched cable. He did excellent work and was very reasonable on price. Please help me remember his name and contact info. Hopefully he is well and still in business. I could not find him.
I might have found him. Is he vfmsshop out of Maryland? His auction handle does not ring a bell.
Thanks
Cory
Hi Cory,
VFMSSHOP does indeed sell shift handles and such. He is one of my "Saved Sellers"! He shows "Vintage Ford Manual Shifters". I have never purchased anything from him as I am looking for a NOS shift knob. https://www.ebay.com/usr/vfmsshop
Good luck! All the best,
Steve
Quote from: 6s1640 on November 07, 2019, 03:02:09 PM
Hi all,
Once upon a time, on a popular auction site, there was an individual that was selling restored, repaired and re-chromed shift handles with T-handle lock out and fixing the stretched cable. He did excellent work and was very reasonable on price. Please help me remember his name and contact info. Hopefully he is well and still in business. I could not find him.
I might have found him. Is he vfmsshop out of Maryland? His auction handle does not ring a bell.
Thanks
Cory
Bill Healy is who I believe you are thinking of . I can't think of his ebay name .Maybe something like chilly willy .
Quote from: Bob Gaines on November 07, 2019, 03:28:28 PM
Quote from: 6s1640 on November 07, 2019, 03:02:09 PM
Hi all,
Once upon a time, on a popular auction site, there was an individual that was selling restored, repaired and re-chromed shift handles with T-handle lock out and fixing the stretched cable. He did excellent work and was very reasonable on price. Please help me remember his name and contact info. Hopefully he is well and still in business. I could not find him.
I might have found him. Is he vfmsshop out of Maryland? His auction handle does not ring a bell.
Thanks
Cory
Bill Healy is who I believe you are thinking of . I can't think of his ebay name .Maybe something like chilly willy .
Is this him?
Quote from: Bob Gaines on November 07, 2019, 03:28:28 PM
Quote from: 6s1640 on November 07, 2019, 03:02:09 PM
Hi all,
Once upon a time, on a popular auction site, there was an individual that was selling restored, repaired and re-chromed shift handles with T-handle lock out and fixing the stretched cable. He did excellent work and was very reasonable on price. Please help me remember his name and contact info. Hopefully he is well and still in business. I could not find him.
I might have found him. Is he vfmsshop out of Maryland? His auction handle does not ring a bell.
Thanks
Cory
Bill Healy is who I believe you are thinking of . I can't think of his ebay name .Maybe something like chilly willy .
Hi Bob,
That's him. Nice guy. I am starting to wonder if vfmsshop is also Bill Heeley of Olney Maryland, 15 miles from the City ID'd in the auctions Silver Springs Maryland. I called a number I found on Bill and the voice mail said "Vintage Ford Manual Shifters" which happens to match "vfms". I think I have found him.
Thank you
Cory
his son lists stuff for him
And he does top notch work. Done several shifters for me.
Hi guys,
Thanks for helping me figure this out. I talked to Bill tonight and he confirmed exactly what you said. His son actually runs the eBay listing, thus the different cities. Bill's son live about 10 miles away from him. Bill still can't figure out why his son changed the eBay name. That's what was throwing me. I now have a couple of handles to send him for repair and restoration plus two three speed shifters he is buying for parts. They have common pieces to the four speed shifters.
Take care
Cory
Are the shift handles easy to change out/replace??? If yes, how is it done EASILY?
All the best,
Steve
Hi Steve,
Depends on your concept of easily. It is easier with one seat out, better with both seats out. The seats are easy to get out. The seat(s) out make it easier to access the four screw holding the shifter boot to the body, lifting carpet to access. The screws are a large head cross recess screws with nut plate secured to body. The screws can be removed from the top side. Once the boot is loose and slid up the shifter, there are two bolts holding the shift handle to shifter. These are then access agains from under the carpet. The trick is to not loose the two springs and spring cups when pulling the handle out. The real trouble starts when re-installing the handle that the springs and cups fall off prior to fitting into the shifter. Not too bad, you will want to grease up the spring cup and shifter contact areas, so a little messy. Then reattached the boot, put carpet back down and re-install seat(s). That should cover most the process to swap. Is that easy?
Best of luck
Cory
UGH! Pulling carpet up!!! That appears to be the critical path! I have removed the seats so indeed not a problem. Good to know it can be done from the top and not underneath.
Thanks for the input.
Cheers,
Steve
Quote from: kingchief on November 08, 2019, 03:29:42 PM
UGH! Pulling carpet up!!! That appears to be the critical path! I have removed the seats so indeed not a problem. Good to know it can be done from the top and not underneath.
Thanks for the input.
Cheers,
Steve
Hi Steve,
You don't have to pull carpet, just locally lift carpet near shifter. The back edge of the front carpet on the hump is where you lift to gain access. You will need light to see under carpet. A short Philips screw driver will be needed to remove four screws for rubber boot.
Cory
Quote from: 6s1640 on November 08, 2019, 05:17:13 PM
Quote from: kingchief on November 08, 2019, 03:29:42 PM
UGH! Pulling carpet up!!! That appears to be the critical path! I have removed the seats so indeed not a problem. Good to know it can be done from the top and not underneath.
Thanks for the input.
Cheers,
Steve
Hi Steve,
You don't have to pull carpet, just locally lift carpet near shifter. The back edge of the front carpet on the hump is where you lift to gain access. You will need light to see under carpet. A short Philips screw driver will be needed to remove four screws for rubber boot.
Cory
To add - be careful working around or through the hole in the carpet for the shifter handle . It is very susceptible to tearing at the corners if tugged on especially if original carpet.
Thanks all...REALLY appreciate the input and assistance as always.
Cheers,
Steve
Another add...sliding the boot off/on can be tricky. I've always found soaking the boot in really hot water makes it much easier.
Dave
Quote from: s2ms on November 08, 2019, 10:37:03 PM
Another add...sliding the boot off/on can be tricky. I've always found soaking the boot in really hot water makes it much easier.
Dave
and the originals do not tear as easy as the repro boots.