Shift improvement opinions please

[goober]

I have an 84 Carrera with a freshly rebuilt 915 trans, new porsche short shift kit, new shifter bushings, and new shift rod coupler bushings. (can you tell I was going after a shifting problem)

I am looking to improve more.

I have looked at the Rennshift, Wevo, and ProTechnik kits. Would anyone with real track experience using these products please comment on your opinion on how they worked.

Did I miss any shift kit gems out there? Any other I should consider?

BTW, the car is an F class race car.

[rcecale]

Solid engine and tranny mounts are supposed to do wonders for shifting improvements...our host sells them.

Randy

[jester911]

I put a Rennshift shifter in my car a couple months ago. Two weeks after I put it in I drove it at a DE. I cannot say enough about this shifter. I honestly think it is the single best improvement I have done to my car.

Shifts like a different car and no worries of that dreaded money shift on the track. I have no experience with the Wevo but most race cars I have seen have those. The other one you might consider since you are talking race car here is the Hargett Precision shifter.
Again no experience with it but guys swear by it.
I think he just released the 915 version. It is more of a race type shifter with tower.

[Scott Clarke]

How about a u-joint style coupler?

[goober]

Has anyone used the Hargett Precision shifter? It looks nifty.

[Shawn 357]

I have helped develop the Hargett shifter for the 915 trans. Hargett has started selling the shifter.
This is what I think about the shifter:
I have one in my 1982 SC. The shifter is just like Hargett's G50 shifter as far as it mounting above the emergency brake and doesn't require that you cut holes in the pan or weld anything. I have always hated the 915 with the stock shifter (just my opinion). The Hargett shifter brings the shifter up and back so that it is much more comfortable for me to reach especially with 5 point harnesses on. It also has a shorter throw.

Goober,
I see you're in Chicago but if you ever come down to San Diego you are more then welcome to check out the Hargett shifter in my car, just give me a pm or email.
-Shawn

[goober]

Shawn,

Thanks for the offer. I'll look you up if I'm in the area.

I spoke with Mark re: the shifter. Sounds very interesting and he seems like a nice guy who has put a lot of development into it.

I'd like to hear from someone who has tracked their car with one of these installed. I am an F class racer so I like to get some 1st hand knowledge before investing.

[Shawn 357]

Goober,
The 915 shifter just started being produced so my guess is that I am the only person who has had the 915 shifter on the track. I know a couple people who love the G50 shifter on the track but that doesn't really apply because the G50 shifter is very different from the 915 shifter.
When I had the 915 shifter on the track it just felt natural. I did not have to stretch to reach, I didn't have to look down to see where it was, and it is closer to the steering wheel than the stock location so I had less time that my hand was off the wheel.
Hope this helps,
Shawn

[304065]

I turn my knuckles 45 degrees to the right going UP the box and 45 degrees to the left going DOWN the box. Works every time.

I race in H-stock.

[glenncof]

Of course Swepco 201 fluid for a 915, dino stuff.

My mechanic put in Redline synthetic. Bad news for sycro's.

I mention this just in case....

[Jack Olsen]

I go to the track every month, year round, and I've been doing it for seven years. I've got the full line of Wevo pieces (shifter, coupler, internal gate). It's all beautifully engineered stuff. I have to remind myself, periodically, that people have issues with the 915 transaxle. Because with the Wevo stuff, I don't dislike mine at all.

[Natchamp]

Hi people,

Yes, the 915 shifter is finally completed. After countless design revisions it is finally ready. As soon as I have some pictures I’ll share them. I would put my shifters up against anything else, any time, any day.

I’ve never used the Wevo stuff but would only say good things about them. They appear to put out great quality items. Their approach is different than mine. Like everyone else out there they started with the stock base unit and the stock location. That scenario has many benefits for manufacturing, installation ease, and cost. However, you can not escape the laws of physics. If you want to reposition the knob upwards and rearwards to where it should be AND you use the stock location as a starting point, you inevitably end up with a long handle. If you have a long handle you have increased leverage. If you have increased leverage you have less feel. There is no way of getting around it. That is why the most common comment from my customers is “it has incredible feel to it.”

Jack, so how much did you pay for all your Wevo stuff? If the shifter is $600, the coupler is $200 and the internal gate is $900. That’s a total of $1,700 and doesn’t include the installation cost of the internal gate.

[goober]

Mark,

How wide is your shifter base? I know it mounts off of the e-brake mounts. I have Recaro SPG XL's in the car and am concerned about fitting it between them.

[Natchamp]

It's 3" wide.

[Natchamp]

Here's some pictures of the new 915/930 shifter.

[stlrj]

Nice.

Now let's see how it looks in the car.

[rnln]

Natchamp,
umm.. will it interfere with hand brake and heater controls?

[Natchamp]

The shifter mounts using the same 3 holes as the e-brake (on the earlier cars). The heater controls and e-brake are retained. If you have the dial type of heater controls you would need to trim the plastic as the shifter is only 3" wide. To continue to use the e-brake you need to adjust all the slack out of the cables because you loose travel because of the shifter being above it. Hope that helps.