Short Shift

Will a short shift kit for '73 fit a '72. I want what appears to be a more solid shifter and the '73 looks like it would fit the bill. Also how difficult would it be to adapt '77 CIS to a 2.4l engine?

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John Birkett
73'T Targa

The '73 and later shifter mechanism in its' entirety (the one with pressure-cast aluminum housing) can be retrofitted to a '72. If you purchase such a shifter, then you can also add a short-shift kit for the '73-'86 cars! The factory short-shift kit is vastly superior to the Weltmeister kit, at a slight price premium!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Well, with all due respect to Warren, I own a 1978 Porsche, a 930, and I can say unequivocally that the factory short shift kit for that car is not "vastly superior" to the Weltmeister kit. If anything, the Weltmeister kit may be a bit tougher, as I've heard of the factory kits breaking, and I've never heard of the Weltmeister kit (for the 930, at least) breaking, although that is admittedly hearsay. I've driven both in a 930, though, and decided to go with a Weltmeister kit for my car. No complaints whatsoever.

Bruce, No offence taken! The very specific reason I said the factory kit is superior is very simple: with Weltmeister you get a new shift lever and an aluminum spacer, PERIOD! The factory kit, which came from the 954 RSCS limited production car, provides a new shift lever, spacer, 2 new pressure springs, a new guide plate, 2 new fork plates, a new pivot pin, and a new carrier plate with reverse lockout latch. That list includes five new parts that are subject to wear that would be re-used with a Weltmeister kit!!! Granted, a person installing a Weltmeister kit COULD order those new parts if he/she chose to, but most wouldn't know what to ask for, unless they have a parts catalogue! I seriously doubt if breakage is a problem with the factory or Weltmeister kits ... it MAY be with the cheaper kits that only give you an extension piece to fit onto the existing shift lever! As usual, your mileage may vary ...

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I have a 1979 911SC and have installed both the Weltmeister & the factory short shift kits on my car. The Weltmeister gives you a shorter throw but because of its' design it puts more pressure on the gears, too much leverage. (after running the Weltmeister kit for several years I had tranny problems) My shop (the most highly recommended, independant Porshe shop in the S.F. bay area, said they had seen these same tranny problems in other Weltmeister equiped Porsches'. I've been running the factory kit ever since, which they recommended, trouble-free.

Hmm, isn't that what some of the seemingly more knowledgeable people on this list warned against, before being shouted down?
I remember this because I had the same experience with my '80 SC, but was hesitant to pass along such "judgemental" information.
My mechanic, FWIW, *guaranteed* me that I would wear out my rebult trans much faster if I kept the Weltmeister in.

Thanks for all the good advice. I found a '73+ shifter at PartsHeaven in Hayward. For the cost it made a tremendous difference. I was only looking at the short shift to give a more positive shift pattern. The difference between the '72 and '73 was unbelievable. I don't mind the longer throw and will probably leave it as is for now. This is my first Porsche. I always thought that my dream car was a '62 Corvette, boy was wrong all these years.

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John Birkett
73'T Targa