A newbie's perspective on 915 shifter improvements - LONG!

[tobluforu]

Short shift=$145, Custom coupler=$225, robotek=$300, Fabcar=$950-includes coupler and custom shift rod. It's more money but the feel of these shifters are amazing. I have never driven one, but i have sat in a 74 race car last weekand pretended. The feel is like no other. The throw is very short, the gates feel like there about a half an inch from each other(not sure how they accomplish this). The shop I was in last week had 4 911 race cars-different yrs. All 4 had them. The owner of the shop swears by them. Not sure how they would look in a car that is a every day driver. It would be the first thing you noticed when looking in the car.

[APKhaos]

I had a very competitive PCA club racer as my instructor at a recent DE. His immediate reaction to riding in my car was "best improvement you could make to this car is a Robotek shifter - we have used them in every one of our non-turbo race cars for years. Sure enough, the two cars in his trailer had the Robotek.
Faster, more positive shifts, with close to zero risk of a missed shift.

Given that my car is a driver as well as a DE car, I'm wondering if I can hide the Robotek under the faily large leather shifter boot - its an Alan Gunn aftermarket boot. Anyone tried?

[DANNOV]

Originally posted by APKhaos
I had a very competitive PCA club racer as my instructor at a recent DE. His immediate reaction to riding in my car was "best improvement you could make to this car is a Robotek shifter - we have used them in every one of our non-turbo race cars for years. Sure enough, the two cars in his trailer had the Robotek.
Faster, more positive shifts, with close to zero risk of a missed shift.

Given that my car is a driver as well as a DE car, I'm wondering if I can hide the Robotek under the faily large leather shifter boot - its an Alan Gunn aftermarket boot. Anyone tried?

I don't have the Alan Gunn boot, but I have a leather boot over my rubber boot. My leather boot seems to have a lot of room for the Robotek. In fact, I considered using the leather boot itself, if I could not get the Robotek under the rubber boot. As It turned out it fit under the rubber boot - with some effort and WD40 - and the leather boot easily covered everything. The real question is whether your leather boot fits tightly to the shifter housing or if there is some play? I would say you need about 1".

[TimB]

Toblu,
Does Fabcar take the place of the short shift kit, robotek, and custom coupler? Is the install fairly simple? Does anyone have a link with information on this?

Thanks

[Jack Olsen]

http://www.smart-racing.com/ProdCat/Shifter/Shifter.htm

[TimB]

Thanks Jack.
Looks like the way to go.
Anyone ever install one of these? Is it an easy DIY for a true novice?

Thanks

[tobluforu]

Hey tim, just call them-smart racing. They will be glad to help you. Since you live in alameda, your only about 40 monutes away. Drive down there and check out their shop. I have bought a few things from them. They have a good reputation for the quailty of the products they sell.

[TimB]

Got an email reply (imagine that - service!) from Craig Watkins. He advises NOT to go with the 935 shifter for 915 transmissions, even though it's listed as available. His reply:

Tim,
I would not advise a 935 shifter for 915 transaxles. They were
designed for transaxles with internal detents and 915's do not have those.
I'd encourage you to take a look at a factory short shifter in conjunction with
our Robotek shifting device. It works beautifully and use one on
my own race car. We've never had anyone complain and we've sold hundreds
of them.
Check them it out on our website.
Performance parts, then,
Shifters.
Let me know what you think.
Craig

[68_912cbb]

Excellent info......thanks guys......I will be upgrading my shifting....

[AirCooledExcellence]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone have a web address for Robotek, or know if they have any UK distributors?

Cheers,

Tim.


_______________
1983 SC Targa

[old_skul]

Jack posted their addy above.