Short Shift Kit installed!!!

ChemMan · ChemMan's Garage

I just installed a factory short shift kit in my 86 carrera (thanks Steve Wilkinson). The decrease in the throw is not much, but it does feel much "crisper" if that makes any sense. As a plus, the metal tab for the reverse on my original plate was broken of and the new one was complete.

Oh Haha · 06-09-2009, 06:39 PM

Cool. I was hoping you would get that completed today.

See ya Saturday.

oregonmon · oregonmon's Garage

Just did one on my 79 SC which is supposed to get a more decreased throw I believe and I am happy with mine as well. Crisper, quicker, more exact.

mkossler · 06-10-2009, 04:40 PM

Got a weltmeister on mine, and I may have a small issue. I am so dang tall that I really need to reach forward and down to get to the shifter. I'll see how things go at the DE this weekend, and might have to do some adjusting.

I recently ran in a NASCAR ride through the Petty experience in Vegas. That thing had a monster shifter which put me off when I got in at first, but was very easy to use on the track (not that I was paying much attention to shifter ergonomics while I tried to survive the experience). It may have changed my mind a bit about the whole short throw thing.

ChemMan · ChemMan's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkossler

Got a weltmeister on mine, and I may have a small issue. I am so dang tall that I really need to reach forward and down to get to the shifter.

I had the opposite problem. Being shorter, the reduced throw makes it much more comfortable. I will get more driving time this weekend

Wayne,
Ready to go on getting that brake fluid done!

mkossler · 06-10-2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChemMan

I had the opposite problem. Being shorter, the reduced throw makes it much more comfortable. I will get more driving time this weekend...

Yeah, I'm sure I'm in the minority with my particular issue. The kit was installed by cousin Dev, the previous PO who is among the greatest people I've ever known but built on a significantly smaller scale.

I remember taking a torch to my shifter in my '66 bug to get it to come back to papa, and I may just need to employ this technique again and add a short extension. I'm learning as I go on this ride!

oregonmon · oregonmon's Garage

Did I read somewhere that the Weltmeister does shorten the lever length? Being 6'1", with the stock shifter I had to reach a bit to hit 3rd and 5th, but now with the factory short shift it's not such an issue.
Really glad I put it in.

tobluforu · tobluforu's Garage

I have the welt and the lever is short as hell. Going into first sucks, but every other gear goes in pretty damn smooth with a little funkiness going into second. I'm 6-4, getting older and I think I'm done with it. Going to get one of those 500 dollar jobs and call it quits.

bourgeois911 · 06-11-2009, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkossler

Got a weltmeister on mine, and I may have a small issue. I am so dang tall that I really need to reach forward and down to get to the shifter. I'll see how things go at the DE this weekend, and might have to do some adjusting.

I recently ran in a NASCAR ride through the Petty experience in Vegas. That thing had a monster shifter which put me off when I got in at first, but was very easy to use on the track (not that I was paying much attention to shifter ergonomics while I tried to survive the experience). It may have changed my mind a bit about the whole short throw thing.

I did the 8 lap deal through Petty at Michigan, I'm pretty sure I was done shifting before I got off of pit road. It would be nice to have that kind of throttle response in my 911.

tobluforu · tobluforu's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by bourgeois911

I did the 8 lap deal through Petty at Michigan, I'm pretty sure I was done shifting before I got off of pit road. It would be nice to have that kind of throttle response in my 911.

I did one of those as well in vegas and did 16 laps and then did the hot laps with another driver at a hair raising ave. speed of over 180.

ljowdy · 06-11-2009, 09:09 AM

I cut a 3" piece off my stock shifter handle then tig welded it to the short shift handle after grinding a taper in both ends. (created a "V" channel for the weld filler) I then ground down the weld, added slightly more bend to the new handle and when it was correct, I spray painted the new handle black.

It makes shifting much easier and I'm not reaching for the gear shift knob.

Joe V · 06-11-2009, 10:01 AM

ljowdy,

Sounds interesting. Got pics? Please post.

ljowdy · 06-11-2009, 10:02 AM

I'll try to take a photo today and post later

911pcars · 06-11-2009, 11:38 AM

The WM shift lever is shorter than the factory versions. That's one reason why the shift throws are shorter as well. However, as many owners have discovered, what one gains (actually loses) in shift throw distance, one also gives up on leverage. This result is increased effort to shift from gear to gear. There's also a tendency to rush the synchros since the throw distance is reduced, resulting in faster synchro wear.

The difference between the factory SS (B) and the WM short shifter (C) and ) is 25% and 39% respectively.

Sherwood

ljowdy · 06-11-2009, 11:44 AM

Here's a photo... The dimple on the shift lever a few inches below the shift knob is the seam. Also, It took a lot of heat to bend the shift lever

YZR500 · YZR500's Garage

I am planning on installing a short shift kit in my '86 Carrera, can someone tell me in what way the Factory short shift is better "if any" than the Rennshift perfomance Shift kit ???

I like the price of the Factory Short Shift better than the Rennshift,...

Thank you