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Solid Shifter OFFICIAL GROUP BUY
SACTX
Well-Known Member
- SACTX Well-Known Member
OK Guys. I want to say thank you to everyone in this group buy. Of the 25 messages sent yesterday, everyone except 1 has responded and the majority have already paid. The rest who haven't paid yet have almost all told me when they'll be able to pay. This is in less that 24 hours. Amazing!
Everyone here is great and I really appreciate it.
TheNuker got the second piece of metal plate yesterday and is starting cutting on the second run of bases. I'll let him say when they'll be ready but unless something goes wrong, I expect it'll be VERY soon.
Thank you again guys!
Everyone here is great and I really appreciate it.
TheNuker got the second piece of metal plate yesterday and is starting cutting on the second run of bases. I'll let him say when they'll be ready but unless something goes wrong, I expect it'll be VERY soon.
Thank you again guys!
Scott Geyer
Well-Known Member
- Scott Geyer Well-Known Member
Cool. What's the total cost and how do I pay?
Scott Geyer
Well-Known Member
- Scott Geyer Well-Known Member
Ok
MisterDave
Well-Known Member
- MisterDave Well-Known Member
If you are not sold out... I would like to order a full set up. Looks awesome!
SACTX
Well-Known Member
- SACTX Well-Known Member
I haven't been active on the forums of late, so I haven't seen this development. Very cool stuff, I'd be happy to buy a full set for chassis #35
I'm out of shifters but have plenty of plates and hardware. You can get a shifter off of Ebay and modify it yourself using the instructions in the other threads. The base and full hardware set up is $182 + shipping. I'll put you both on the list.
Thanks!
SACTX
Well-Known Member
SACTX
Well-Known Member
- SACTX Well-Known Member
Most of the first set of shifters will be sent out today. Most people will be getting their shifters between Monday and Wednesday. The rest of the first set and some of the second set will be shipping early next week. Messages for that group will be sent out today or tomorrow. I've got a lot of moving parts all of the sudden so I'll do my best to keep everything rolling.
I wanted to give a really quick write up on install for everyone with some pictures of the kit.
Before install, remember that the bases are straight off of the CNC. There are still mill marks, edges that need work, and the corners are sharp. They are aluminum and easy to work. A little bit of time with a Bastard Cut File and some 80 grit sandpaper will provide a finish similar to the one that I showed in the other thread. I used the file to hit the top and bottom corners quickly and then spent about 10 minutes with an oscillating sander to give it a brush finish and clean up the sides. Don't worry about the bottom (you can't see it.....)
Install:
1. Remove cobalt shifter and base (if installed) (save the lock washers, flat washers, and spacers because they get reused)
2. Remove ball-ends from pivots and unscrew the studs. Leave the pivots attached to mount.
3. Install the lower pivot rod ends to the ends of shifter cables. Adjust shifter cables to align the holes of the rod ends with the holes in pivots. You MAY need to trim the end of the shifter cables depending on how long your cables are. Remember that you can adjust them at the transmission as well if needed.
4. Use the M6 screws that are in the bag with the rod ends to attach the lower rod ends to the pivots. Washers or other spacers are not necessary. (Make sure they are perfectly vertical with the car in NEUTRAL)
5. Use the 5/16-18 x 1 1/2" long bolts with flat and lock washers to attach the shifter to the shifter base. A word on the holes. The rearward set of holes is about 1/2" to 3/8" closer to the driver than stock. Each set of holes forward moves the shifter 1/2" forward. The second set of holes will be the closets to the stock position. For each set of holes forward that you move the shifter, you'll be cutting 1/2" off off both of the all-thread. You can do that now or wait until the shifter is sitting in the car to confirm the amount to cut.
6. Attach the 8mm ball joint to the bottom of the front-back shifter. Screw it in until about 1/4"-3/8" of the threaded bolt is sticking out of the rod and tighten the lock nut. This is adjustable later....Leave the blue tape on the other end.
7. Attach the 1/4-20 screw from the side-side rod to the shifter. Use the nylon washer between the shifter and the ball joint. Use the locknut on the backside of the attachment point. Leave the blue tape on the other end.
8. Use the 5/16-18 x 3" long bolts that the lock and flat washers from the stock install to install the base to the car. The DF supplied spacers are reused in the same position.
9. Take the blue tape off of the side to side rod (take care to not lose the screw) and adjust the all-thread length to align with the pivot hardware with the shifter in the middle. (the car is still in neutral). Use the 6mm screw to attach the rod end and tighten the locknuts.
10. Take the blue tape off of the front to back rod (again, don't lose the screw or the washer) and adjust the all-thread to align with the pivot hardware (still in neutral). Use the 6mm screw to attach the rod end and use the nylon washer between the rod end and the pivot hardware. Tighten the lock nuts.
11. Install the included shift knob rod to the top of the shifter and set the screws. Screw on the shift knob that you've acquired.
12. Test all gears - it'll take some getting used to. Adjust rod lengths to get all gears, if required. I never had to adjust anything once I installed it like this. It all lined right up. Remember that you can adjust the 8mm ball-joint at the bottom of the rod to adjust the length of the front-back throw. If you don't have enough room to get into all of the gears, unscrew the ball-joint stud a little until you reach them all. There are two holes in the side to side motion. I used the bottom one to make the pattern as small as possible. The top hole will make it a larger pattern. You can use this as adjustment as well.
13. Once you're sure it all works and you're happy with the locations, use a small amount of blue Loctite on all of the M6 screws at the pivot hardware. You don't need a lot, but I've had the top front-back screw loosen slightly (the nylon washer does help this). There is less chance for the bottom and the side-side rod ends to loosen up because it is a pure linear motion.
More notes:
-The shifter sets up right between 3rd and 4th unlike the stock shifter that sets up between 1st and 2nd. You actually have to move the shifter to the left to get into 1st.
-Reverse and 5th are not aligned. The left-right space between 3rd and 5th is the same as 1st to 3rd. 4th to Reverse is about twice the distance. It messed me up for the first few drives.
-Loctite the screws in the shifter or make sure they are all tight. Mine and Russel's both had loose screws.
-You can cut the shift knob rod down to make it an even tighter and smaller pattern if you want.
-If you want to remove the shifter after installation, undo the 8mm ball joint and the rod end at the shifter to keep everything adjusted correctly.
Pictures of the different kits and the bases:
The full kit includes everything in picture 0506
Pictures 0507, 0508, 0509 show what to expect with the bases but it does vary throughout the run
Picture 0510 shows the contents of the box with the knob rod and extra hardware for the shifter
The Base with the pivot hardware is picture 0511
The Base only kit is picture 0512
Picture 0513 shows the different holes. The "double drilled" set of holes is correct.
Thank you all and let me know if you have any issues/questions.
I wanted to give a really quick write up on install for everyone with some pictures of the kit.
Before install, remember that the bases are straight off of the CNC. There are still mill marks, edges that need work, and the corners are sharp. They are aluminum and easy to work. A little bit of time with a Bastard Cut File and some 80 grit sandpaper will provide a finish similar to the one that I showed in the other thread. I used the file to hit the top and bottom corners quickly and then spent about 10 minutes with an oscillating sander to give it a brush finish and clean up the sides. Don't worry about the bottom (you can't see it.....)
Install:
1. Remove cobalt shifter and base (if installed) (save the lock washers, flat washers, and spacers because they get reused)
2. Remove ball-ends from pivots and unscrew the studs. Leave the pivots attached to mount.
3. Install the lower pivot rod ends to the ends of shifter cables. Adjust shifter cables to align the holes of the rod ends with the holes in pivots. You MAY need to trim the end of the shifter cables depending on how long your cables are. Remember that you can adjust them at the transmission as well if needed.
4. Use the M6 screws that are in the bag with the rod ends to attach the lower rod ends to the pivots. Washers or other spacers are not necessary. (Make sure they are perfectly vertical with the car in NEUTRAL)
5. Use the 5/16-18 x 1 1/2" long bolts with flat and lock washers to attach the shifter to the shifter base. A word on the holes. The rearward set of holes is about 1/2" to 3/8" closer to the driver than stock. Each set of holes forward moves the shifter 1/2" forward. The second set of holes will be the closets to the stock position. For each set of holes forward that you move the shifter, you'll be cutting 1/2" off off both of the all-thread. You can do that now or wait until the shifter is sitting in the car to confirm the amount to cut.
6. Attach the 8mm ball joint to the bottom of the front-back shifter. Screw it in until about 1/4"-3/8" of the threaded bolt is sticking out of the rod and tighten the lock nut. This is adjustable later....Leave the blue tape on the other end.
7. Attach the 1/4-20 screw from the side-side rod to the shifter. Use the nylon washer between the shifter and the ball joint. Use the locknut on the backside of the attachment point. Leave the blue tape on the other end.
8. Use the 5/16-18 x 3" long bolts that the lock and flat washers from the stock install to install the base to the car. The DF supplied spacers are reused in the same position.
9. Take the blue tape off of the side to side rod (take care to not lose the screw) and adjust the all-thread length to align with the pivot hardware with the shifter in the middle. (the car is still in neutral). Use the 6mm screw to attach the rod end and tighten the locknuts.
10. Take the blue tape off of the front to back rod (again, don't lose the screw or the washer) and adjust the all-thread to align with the pivot hardware (still in neutral). Use the 6mm screw to attach the rod end and use the nylon washer between the rod end and the pivot hardware. Tighten the lock nuts.
11. Install the included shift knob rod to the top of the shifter and set the screws. Screw on the shift knob that you've acquired.
12. Test all gears - it'll take some getting used to. Adjust rod lengths to get all gears, if required. I never had to adjust anything once I installed it like this. It all lined right up. Remember that you can adjust the 8mm ball-joint at the bottom of the rod to adjust the length of the front-back throw. If you don't have enough room to get into all of the gears, unscrew the ball-joint stud a little until you reach them all. There are two holes in the side to side motion. I used the bottom one to make the pattern as small as possible. The top hole will make it a larger pattern. You can use this as adjustment as well.
13. Once you're sure it all works and you're happy with the locations, use a small amount of blue Loctite on all of the M6 screws at the pivot hardware. You don't need a lot, but I've had the top front-back screw loosen slightly (the nylon washer does help this). There is less chance for the bottom and the side-side rod ends to loosen up because it is a pure linear motion.
More notes:
-The shifter sets up right between 3rd and 4th unlike the stock shifter that sets up between 1st and 2nd. You actually have to move the shifter to the left to get into 1st.
-Reverse and 5th are not aligned. The left-right space between 3rd and 5th is the same as 1st to 3rd. 4th to Reverse is about twice the distance. It messed me up for the first few drives.
-Loctite the screws in the shifter or make sure they are all tight. Mine and Russel's both had loose screws.
-You can cut the shift knob rod down to make it an even tighter and smaller pattern if you want.
-If you want to remove the shifter after installation, undo the 8mm ball joint and the rod end at the shifter to keep everything adjusted correctly.
Pictures of the different kits and the bases:
The full kit includes everything in picture 0506
Pictures 0507, 0508, 0509 show what to expect with the bases but it does vary throughout the run
Picture 0510 shows the contents of the box with the knob rod and extra hardware for the shifter
The Base with the pivot hardware is picture 0511
The Base only kit is picture 0512
Picture 0513 shows the different holes. The "double drilled" set of holes is correct.
Thank you all and let me know if you have any issues/questions.
Attachments
Last edited:
ccgillett
Well-Known Member
- ccgillett Well-Known Member
@SACTX this is a mighty impressive bit of work that helps the entire community. I've hung out on other car building forums, this one is an actual community that helps each other out. Thanks for doing this, and generally thanks to everyone for being super helpful. Great stuff....
SACTX
Well-Known Member
- SACTX Well-Known Member
Gotcha covered!
On another note, today did not go quite as planned. I got hammered late in the day at work and did not get quite as much done on this project as I wanted. I was only able to get 11 kits packaged and shipped out but will be back there tomorrow to get the rest going.
Also, was going to work this evening on sending out messages and getting shipping worked out but when I came home my event planner, AKA “Lovely Goblin Loving Wife”
, told me that we had things we needed to do… Apologies to everyone but I will need to push things off for a day.I will do my best to send out messages first thing in the morning for shipping and get the rest of the packages out tomorrow.
If you want to help, go ahead and send me a message with your name and shipping address, if you would like me to include shipping, and I will reply tomorrow morning with the UPS ground shipping charges.
Thank you everybody!
Scott Geyer
Well-Known Member
- Scott Geyer Well-Known Member
Gotcha covered!
On another note, today did not go quite as planned. I got hammered late in the day at work and did not get quite as much done on this project as I wanted. I was only able to get 11 kits packaged and shipped out but will be back there tomorrow to get the rest going.
Also, was going to work this evening on sending out messages and getting shipping worked out but when I came home my event planner, AKA “Lovely Goblin Loving Wife”
I will do my best to send out messages first thing in the morning for shipping and get the rest of the packages out tomorrow.
If you want to help, go ahead and send me a message with your name and shipping address, if you would like me to include shipping, and I will reply tomorrow morning with the UPS ground shipping charges.
Thank you everybody!
