Manual Shifter Upgrade

[Lonny]

For some time now we have been designing a shifter to replace the worn-out stock shifters and reverses and have now finalized a design.

It has changed a little from the image below. After testing we redesigned it to be closer to the passenger side of the Goblin.

We have the prototype installed in Adam,s Goblin.

We replaced the rubber dust covers with flexible socks to reduce the drag on the cables.

We will be testing it around here and if all is well we will have it in while at the meetup next week.

The production shifters are still several months out.
They will be anodized in various colors and clear.
The kit will include a replacement tunnel cap.

The complete shifter kit price will be?????
TBD at a later date.

 

[JBINTX]

And how about the “feel” versus stock?
How does the throw distance compare to stock?
reuses the cables already on the goblin?

 

[Lonny]

It feels like you are shifting the transmission directly.
It is close to the same throw.
It reuses the cables.

 

[Lechlis]

Count me in when they are available.

 

[Ark :D]

More fine work by DF!

I am very happy with @SACTX 's shifter but reclaiming a few inches in front of the shifter is tantalizing... watching with interest.

 

[ctuinstra]

Looking forward to seeing this in person next week.

 

[DCMoney]

Well done!

 

[jamesm]

That’s pretty sweet.

 

[winddude]

looks cool and very smooth. But reverse lock out looks like a bit of a nuisance, especially if you're dreaming of a gated shiftier.

 

[Fozda]

Man, I sure love the eBay billet shifter I found and made work but this is just so clean that I might have to change it up again when it's available!

 

[Lonny]

Looks cool and very smooth. But reverse lock-out looks like a bit of a nuisance, especially if you're dreaming of a gated shifter.

I would suggest sticking with the stock shifter for most people. Especially for the ones that do not care as much about smooth, quick-shifting because with the stock shifter the reverse lock-out can be moved without taking your hand from the shifter knob.

Our shifter is designed more towards performance and would not be for everyone. The lock-out has two functions, it allows you to go into fifth gear without hunting and it keeps you from accidentally going into reverse.

Originally we had thought about using a gated plate design but were worried that we could end up with the shifter shaft rattled against the slots unless our builders got everything adjusted perfectly.

We also felt it would be best to lock out reverse because if you are topping out in fifth (178 mph) and try to grab sixth we don't want you accidentally grinding reverse.

 

[r3drckt]

@Lonny looking out for the money shift haha. It's a great design.

 

[Corgithulhu]

looks cool and very smooth. But reverse look out looks like a bit of a nuisance, especially if you're dreaming of a gated shiftier.

It doesn't look too hard to make some sort of modified lockout plate that extends the tab higher and around a gate.

 

[DCMoney]

Now that this design is pretty much done, and we have multiple aftermarket shifter options, can you get back on the rear adjustable suspension design?

 

[Lonny]

Now that this design is pretty much done, and we have multiple aftermarket shifter options, can you get back on the rear adjustable suspension design?

We are working on new assembly videos after hours and weekends, maybe after we get those finished we can get back on the suspension, front and rear.

 

[Dale E]

Hmmmm! I wondered when that was coming!! Looks familiar! Secrets crumbling one by one!! Good job!

Dale

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

I would suggest sticking with the stock shifter for most people. Especially for the ones that do not care as much about smooth, quick-shifting because with the stock shifter the reverse lock-out can be moved without taking your hand from the shifter knob.

Our shifter is designed more towards performance and would not be for everyone. The lock-out has two functions, it allows you to go into fifth gear without hunting and it keeps you from accidentally going into reverse.

Originally we had thought about using a gated plate design but were worried that we could end up with the shifter shaft rattled against the slots unless our builders got everything adjusted perfectly.

We also felt it would be best to lock out reverse because if you are topping out in fifth (178 mph) and try to grab sixth we don't want you accidentally grinding reverse.

Grab sixth?!? Oh right, I do have sixth gear to grab at phenomenal speed.
For those of us who had a real Hurst Super Shifter on our M22 Rockcrusher (behind a BB), the reverse lock out lever was needed and not a nuisance.
So this shifter would work with the F40? I'm asking because 6th is left and forward (right next to 1st) rather than right and back.

 

[Lonny]

The F40 transmissions may be similar to the F23s. F23s do not have a reverse lockout on the shifter so we omit the lockout when our shifter is used with an F23.

The F23 transmission has an internal mechanism that does not allow you to go from fifth to reverse. If the F40 does not need a reverse lockout on the shifter then I would say yes it will work.

 

[Rauq]

Definitely count me in on this one... would this shifter as a retrofit be a good enough reason to look into splitting the stock tunnel cap into pieces?

 

[Brett]

I got to swing by DF today on the way up to Dallas to visit family for Mothers day.

As always Lonny and Adam were excellent hosts.

Below is a top view of the shifter.

A couple of notes.

1. You do not have to install the reverse lockout. However the reverse lockout switch plate also makes shifting to 5th gear very direct and positive.
2. While the height looks taller than the stock shifter, it is basically the same height. It is an optical illusion based on the big black bits of the stock shifter we are all use to.
3. If you feel like you might need reverse, before you get on your way, you can always move the reverse lockout plate to the "reverse" position and the car will still shift like normal, just engaging 5th becomes more of a "guess". Other than on the highway, we really dont use 5th that much. I know I never made it to 5th in mine.
4. The effort to shift is minimal. You can flick your wrist to go from 3rd to 4th.

I see no issue with the parking brake even though it is not in the car I sat in. I think it might need to be shifted further back.