Is there an easy way to tell if a factory short shift is fitted?

[nyne11]

Before you flame me...I have used "Search" and did not find the answer. Is there a way to check for factory short shift without dismantling the centre console and gear lever?
Dave.

[DRACO A5OG]

Do you have a Pic, I just replaced mine to a Factory SS.

I thought I had one but the POS actually cut the OEM standard shifter to make a Ghetto Shorter Shift. Yes, it was short than the Factory SS but did not work like it :EEK:

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by nyne11

Before you flame me...I have used "Search" and did not find the answer. Is there a way to check for factory short shift without dismantling the centre console and gear lever?
Dave.

The information you're looking for is here:
http://www.seinesystems.com/ShiftType.htm

Sherwood

[nyne11]

As I am not home at present. Don't know if they are any help.

[911pcars]

Dave,
Measuring the shift lever pivot point is more accurate, but did you miss this part?

How to Identify Factory vs Factory Short Shift

Quick Method:
With a factory short shifter (FSS), the distance from the center of the shift knob to the lower edge of the ash tray is approximately 4 1/4" in first gear and 9 1/2" in second gear.

Hope this helps,
Sherwood

[nyne11]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

The information you're looking for is here:
http://www.seinesystems.com/ShiftType.htm

Sherwood

Thanks buddy.....very helpful. Will have a look when I get home. The PO said it had a factory SS but a lot of PO's can prevaricate a little when a sale is imminent.
Dave.

[175K911]

Thought at some point (either 84 or 86) the factory shift action was shortened on all cars for the US. I know my old 86 shift travel was much shorter than the 83 SC I replaced. Know it was factory since I ordered that 86 new.f

[rs6er]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

Dave,
Measuring the shift lever pivot point is more accurate, but did you miss this part?

How to Identify Factory vs Factory Short Shift

Quick Method:
With a factory short shifter (FSS), the distance from the center of the shift knob to the lower edge of the ash tray is approximately 4 1/4" in first gear and 9 1/2" in second gear.

Hope this helps,
Sherwood

I installed a PMO short shifter (yes, they used to make them) when my car was fairly new. Not sure you could tell it's the factory version by just measuring.

[ttweed]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

Measuring the shift lever pivot point is more accurate...

Sherwood-

I just measured one of mine and it looks like it is 2" from the bottom of the base to the pivot pin. Your site shows 1.875" as the largest measurement. What the heck have I got? Housing shows part #911.424.019.06 and the shift rod has the little collar welded on just below where the knob goes--I always thought that was an indicator of the SS kit on the early cars--no?





Thx,
TT

[RWebb]

Well, that p/n means it is a shifter base, from somewhere in the range 1974-86. The later ones have an extra adjustment ('86?). I guess they don't have a different p/n (or Wayne doesn't have it in his catalog).

[911pcars]

The adjustable set screw in the shifter base started appearing in '77. Prior to that (74-76), there were two split tension pins that provided the pivots for the shift lever fork.

Tom,
The collar at the top end of the shift lever is an indication of a factory short shifter. However, not sure if that collar also appeared in '85-'86. These are called the factory semi-short shifter (FSemiSS), that provided a shift reduction of around 10%.

From dimensions on the web page (http://www.seinesystems.com/ShiftLever.htm) are my measurements from the samples I had on hand. Here are 3 shift levers for comparison. From the top:
a. Standard factory lever (X = 43mm)
b. Factory short shifter (the collar at knob end has been removed), 55mm
c. Weltmeister lever, 59mm


In a factory semi SS lever, dimension X is around 46mm.

The definitive indicator is the shape of the shift lever fork (the rectangular-shaped box that contains the lever. Here's the standard shift box. It's a two-piece construction on pre-77 shift housings and one piece construction on '77-on shift housings. The pivot pin hole (L-R) is in the exact center of the fork:


On a FSS kit, notice the fork has a curved section that contains the relocated pivot hole (higher up). The Factory semi SS fork looks like the above photo, but with the pivot pin hole between the standard and the FSS fork locations.


Looks like you have a factory short shifter in your photos.

Whew. Hope this helps,
Sherwood

[ttweed]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

Whew. Hope this helps

Very much so, Sherwood. Thanks a bunch!

TT

[javadog]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

The collar at the top end of the shift lever is an indication of a factory short shifter. However, not sure if that collar also appeared in '85-'86. These are called the factory semi-short shifter (FSemiSS), that provided a shift reduction of around 10%.

The collar is for locating the top of the leather boot on cars so equipped. I don't have my notes handy but I seem to recall it started in 1985. I think that was also the year they started installing the shorter throw shifters (the factory semi-short shifter, as it is ususally known) to provide clearance between the shift lever and the driver's seat bolster on cars with the new design of optional sport seats.

JR

[ttweed]

Originally Posted by javadog

The collar is for locating the top of the leather boot on cars so equipped. I don't have my notes handy but I seem to recall it started in 1985.

Are you sure about this JR? I have seen a lot of early cars with the old rubber boots, not leather, that had this collar on the lever.

TT

[RWebb]

Sherwood - what exactly does the extra adjustment look like on the last year or two fo the 915 shifters? It is alluded to but not pictured in the Panorama article on these things. Bill V. noted in a long ago post that it was an extra adjustment for .

Do you have a pic of the thing?

[javadog]

Originally Posted by ttweed

Are you sure about this JR? I have seen a lot of early cars with the old rubber boots, not leather, that had this collar on the lever.

TT

Tom,

They didn't come from the factory with just a rubber boot and the collar on the lever. Lots and lots of 911s have had the shifter modified. At one time, shifters were one of the most common DIY modifications, along with strut tower braces and the like. I've purchased many used 911s and only one had a stock lever.

Porsche always does everything for a reason. In this case, there were a couple of things that changed. They introduced new seats and also modified the height of the seats, at the seat rail. They described the changes to the shifter in one of their new product information booklets. I suppose it was only a problem for really short drivers that ordered sport seats. I have sport seats in all my cars and never had an issue with clearance.

Looking back, they changed almost all of the parts for the 915 shifter over the years. There were very few years they didn't change at least one part. I once made a list of all of the changes and it was quite a challenge to keep it all straight.

JR

[javadog]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Sherwood - what exactly does the extra adjustment look like on the last year or two fo the 915 shifters? It is alluded to but not pictured in the Panorama article on these things. Bill V. noted in a long ago post that it was an extra adjustment for .

Do you have a pic of the thing?

Randy,

Are you talking about the adjustable friction in the side to side movement that results from adjusting the pivot pin and lock nut on the rear of the housing? That's the only one that comes to my mind and was introduced in 1977.

JR

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Sherwood - what exactly does the extra adjustment look like on the last year or two fo the 915 shifters? It is alluded to but not pictured in the Panorama article on these things. Bill V. noted in a long ago post that it was an extra adjustment for .

Do you have a pic of the thing?

Randy,
I'm not aware of any extra adjustments on 85-85 shift housings. The only different adjustment feature is the large set screw at the base of the tower to adjust the side-to-side play (clearance) of the fork - nothing to do with actual distance between gear positions. Other than this, shift housings are interchangeable.

Sherwood

[RWebb]

No, this is something else besides the 1977-on big nut with dimple bolt design. I'll see if I can find that Pano article...

[MrPerkles]

Sorry to barge in on this thread ,when I change from 5th to 4th on my Factory short shift it sometimes feels like i am snicking a cog (very faintly) .Is there any way you can adjust these kits