Winters shifter

Anyone here have experience with using a winters shifter? If so, what did you like/ dislike about it? I was thinking of getting for my truck for my son to bracket race.

I bought one over 30 years ago from Don Stanley. It was simple, straight forward, and a little clanky in operation. Do not know if there are more models from Winters.

76 reviews and only one reply? No one else has ever used this shifter?

Mr. Gasket V Gate. Never had a Chrysler that had an auto.

There have been a couple threads on the Winters in the race section. People either love it or hate it.

I have a Cheetah which is basically the same. It is reverse pattern and is really easy to go from 1st to 3rd. I think it depends on what gate is in it.

I prefer a Hurst Quarter Stick.

Sounds like a shifter for Hemi cars, jc Whitney still sells them 89.99 so you’re in luck!!!

The V gate has been in two of my cars. Try shifting a Hemi Liberty box at 9000 RPM shifts with 538 Dana and you would learn just how good this shifter is in the 60 foot and in 1320 feet. Auto shifter, I see a lot of people running Hurst Quarter Stick.

Ok great! The shifter in question was a winters, as in for an automatic, wasn’t really interested in 4 speed shifter... your ride seems like blast drive though!

I just answered the OP because not many had answered yet and wanted to keep it on top for him. Never heard of the Winter Shifter and looked them up to see what the op was referring to. I have very little experience with an Auto shifter except when I drag race my friends reverse manual auto on the Col. 10 second A12 Super Bee and find it is such a smooth pass with 4500 stall and 488s. Only thing you have to worry about is over shifting it from 1st to 3rd.

The Winters and Fairbanks are the same shifters with different name plates on them, the Turbo Action Cheetah shifter is a later version of them with a different cover than Winters and Fairbanks had on them originally
I've used both the Winters and Fairbanks and like them a lot

Brother In law had a Fairbank Racing Automatic in his 1971 Cuda, put it in the Cuda in 1972. It was a very nice transmission. I had no idea Fairbanks also made shifters. He just used the original Ratchet shifter from the 1971 Cuda. Did Fairbanks make a shifter back in the beginning of time in 1971.

The Winters shift looks like a nice compact cable shifter. Looks like you can not shift to another gear while starting in first and going up through the gears and you can not go into Reverse unless you do it yourself.

Anyone know if the cable mounts to the trans coming in from the front or rear? Does this shifter accept air shifter?

We used a Winters reverse pattern with manual valve body for 20+ years. I don't ever remember missing a shift in hundreds of manually-shifted passes. If your cable is correctly adjusted, the shifter movement is very firm and positive. It is very hard to skip or go into the wrong gear. Some call it clunky, and there are probably better options for more money, but I would definitely recommend it. We even made a homemade reverse lockout for one shifter we had.

Thanks everyone, I like this shifter only because it’s similar to my turbo action shifter. So when my son goes from running my 84 ram to my challenger at least this would be the same as to what he would be use to running. That’s why I’m interested in 1975 technology.. lol

I have a brand new Winters Sidewinder for a 727 Torque flight sitting on the bench. ( Just got it Thursday from Summit! $219 + state tax, free shipping.) Plans are to install it in my 39 Dodge pickup with a 5.9 Magnum & RE42 next week, but we will see how that works out. I bought the standard forward shift pattern Mopar shifter recommended for my RE42 from Summit.

I took it out of the box to have a look. The shifter "consul" is about 15" long, about 4" wide, and about 6" high, the shift lever stands another 6" or so above the consul with the stock replaceable ball. The shift gate is pretty thick steel, and you can feel every time you cross a gate as you move the lever. I don't see any way you could make a missed or mistaken shift. The 5' long cable comes out of the rear of the unit and its pretty heavy duty. There is a bag full of small parts, brackets and bolts, which I didn't open. Sure looks like everything you need to install the shifter is there. Gene

I had Don Stanley build a 727 reverse manual vb trans back in mid 80s.He gave me the choice of a Winters or a Cheetah.He said over a lot of use the Winters needed the gate replaced due to wear.I went w/ the Cheetah,loved it and never missed a gear.Never noticed wear.