a1 short shifter

[Digital K]

Given the "cutting shifter" posts and all that, I felt I had to take some type of leap.http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1617/shifter06ht.jpg
Take 1 stock shifter lever. And two chunks of metal, same thickness, about 1.5" long each
(No, I don't measure... Did this all by eye... rulers are no fun..)
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/323/shifter13cz.jpg
Chop that chunk about somewhere in the middle.
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/2206/shifter28uf.jpg
Weld the two plates to it about 1/2" or 5/8" longer or so... again, no ruler..
http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/1038/shifter35my.jpg
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2149/shifter44hu.jpg
Install that chunk o ugly weld into your 020 trans... and..

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/1114/shifter60cs.jpg



Yup, its a real short shifter folks. My shift throw went from 5.6" at the top of the shifter, down to 4"...

[Digital K]

also note that mkIII weighted shifter bar as well, as it fits the linkage. :thumbup: it helps out the feel quite a bit.

[dubswede]

so you did this? from danjreed's tips? cool. I ended up just buying the damn thing.

[Sven7]

so let me get this straight... it looks like you made the lever longer. To shorten shifting? :confused:

[Sven7]

so it looks like you lenghtened the lever. Is that right? It's hard to tell...

[Digital K]

yes you lengthen it so you move the lever farther with the same effort you used previously.

[hamradio]

Yes. By lengthening the lever, it shortens the throw.


I did it to my car, only I welded one piece on to the end, ground it down, and drilled a few extra holes for various settings.

[vweezly]

I need to weight my shifter bar.

[fatmobile]

Nice upgrade.
While we are talking about cheap shifter upgrades,...
See that white block below your new lever?
I was putting some new bearings in my alternator, trying to get rid of the goat under my hood, the old bearing fit perfectly over the shaft and tightly into cage.
So instead of the white block, I have a (used) sealed bearing.

Side note:
Alternator runs smoothly,.. but the goat remains.
Could be hiding in the power steering pump.

[chadsci]

Pics are for a MK2 car.


A easier route would be to get a extra one at the junk yard and use it to lengthen the shifter. This way you only weld once and the stock hole is still there. so you could revert to stock in a flash. I have done it that way for years.

The MK3 shift wieght works on the MK2 cars not a MK1. For those take your stock rod and weld a 3 inch 1.5 inch steel rod to it. Works great. Again Been doing them that way since I first saw the MK3 style wieght.

[urgti]

Thats not Buffum approved

[Alistair]

cool great post.