Lol! You know what they say...."If you don't got busted knuckles you're not having fun!" or "You're not doing it right!" I don't think either apply in this case, haha.
I think someone should ask the owner to post pics of the hack job shifting does to the back of his right hand, I bet whoever buys/bought that car will be picking skin out of the dash for years.
And he also needs the screaming the pain will cause because he has no radio. Shift(scream) Hell I would just rev it up and go right into second and leave it there. Neutral, second. That's it.
Well if he waits a bit more he can go and order paddle shifter and trans to save his hands. It will be on the new Taurus SHO coming out in late Spring of 09.
I can't remember who made the shifter, but I saw a old dodge van w/floor mounted conversion shifter(it went forward instead of back) it came up about an inch then went forward about a foot so you could reach it. the problem was you tended to push down for second lift for third and so on pain in the butt to drive would'nt think of racing it!(it would be like trying to road race a harley w/ape hanger handle bars!)