I was looking at getting a six speed shifter and "making it fit" but i found a simpler way, i have a Fairmont Ghia so i had some leather anyway but more is always good so pulled the shifter apart and its a very simple process.

(Thanks to phatba) "from memory you have to take it off the car by undoing the single screw. then push the button in and slide a screw driver into the gap at the top, and you should be able to pop the button out. once the buttons out you can see a screw that holds the silver part in. take that out, and the silver bit should slide off"

I then got some apulstory leather and roughed up the silvery part and simply glued the leather down and tucked it in and VIOLA it looks and feels sweet..
the next step is to mod the surround and make a boot for it.

for some reason i can't upload pic so i put them below
http://photobucket.com/leathergear

Hey dude may be able to help out there. Cairns car wreckers have exactly what you are looking for. They have it on a 6 speed box. A nice silver surround and all. Got the leather surround on shifter and all.

Thanks dude, but i am now happy with my mod
cheers anyway

can the 6 speed shifter be put onto the 4 speed?

I have a mate who is a parts interpretor for ford, and we loked at it and the old saying is "anything can be made to fit", but i don't think its a straight swap.