The chevy motor that I have put in my car has a custom oil pan that protrudes on the sides quite a bit which inteferes with the stock side shifter rod.
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The bow in the rod hits the oil pan and prevents the rotation that is required to get all the gears. I've have unsuccessfully cut and altered the shift rod to clear the pan...can't seem to get it to get all the gears including reverse. Yes, I've also adjusted the shifter in the cabin.

Anyway, I'm thinking about ditching the custom oil pan for a stock one so I won't have to deal with rod hitting. I have another un-altered shift rod that I can put in there with the stock oil pan and all should be good (still have to add 1 1/4 inch in length)...like I did originally in this pic. I've welded and bent this rod so much I need to start over with a fresh rod.
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Here is my question: It's pretty much a straight shot with a stock oil pan from the shaft that exits the car and the transmission...no heat exchangers etc in the way that the factory had to bend the rod around (similar to a straight shot like the tailshifter rods). If I take a straight piece of rod and add the correct ends on it I'm thinking the shifting would be cleaner. or am I wasting my time?

Is the best way to deterimine the correct total length to make a shift rod is by putting the transmission in neutral and the cabin shifter in the neutral postion and make the rod that length? I'm assuming with a straight rod that should rotate and correctly engage all the gears.

here is mine - ala ROOT : )

works fine so far.

jim

Thanks Jim. Your engine bar seems to be higher than mine. I believe my rod will clear the bar on top. Did you start with a sideshifter bar...it looks more like a tailshift rod...very straight?

Boy, I'm glad I didn't wait for any responses. Anyway, replaced the oil pan with a stock one with bling and stock side shift rod...everything fit great!

Like you found out a stock shift rod works fine with a sbc stock oil pan . If you don't mind doing some adjustment you do not even have to add any length to it.
Heres a picture of the shift rod I made for my LS1 914. Borgeson joints on each end. The shift rod is straight 1/2" drill rod with the cut out for clearance for the oil filter. Just got it back from the plater with some other things.

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