cable shifter setups?

TFI · 06-30-2000, 12:14 PM

what are the pros and cons of putting a cable shifted sideshifter in a 72 914?

and what is the shift pattern on a sideshifter at the tranny end of the linkage?
(anyone have a diagram?)

mike mueller · 06-30-2000, 12:46 PM

Considering that just about all OEM's now come with cable shifters the advantages must be good. The only real negative with cable shifters is sometimes the feel isn't as positive as with linkages.

Con's: nobody makes one for our cars unless you swap in a 915 or G50 tranny

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Mike Mueller
Antioch, CA
1970 1.8
http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/mmueller/personal.html

TFI · 06-30-2000, 03:54 PM

i'm considering making one myself, that's why i want the shift pattern at the side shifter transaxle itself. (and if i make some and more people are interested i might have something to trade for other parts i need)

John Rogers · 06-30-2000, 04:14 PM

The pattern at the transmission is basically fore/aft and in/out where the mechanism goes in the side of the tranny. The in/out are the sideways or gates of the shift lever and the fore/aft are the aft/fore movements of the shift lever. I think it would require two cables, one for each axis and you would have to measure how much the "ball" at the transmission moves for each movement at the shift lever. To do that pull off the cover and find some sort of reference plane then get a friend to move the shifter through each gear and then measure. If the idea of this whole exercise is to make a much faster shifter, you will probaably be out of luck as a 901 transmission was never designed to shift fast and only to use 1st gear in the pit lane which is why the 2nd to 3rd shift is the faster shift. I'd opt for a late transmission and cable shifter but that would end up being worth more that a couple of 914s probably? I know Patrick in Phoenix does these and they are not cheap but nice. Good luck.

TFI · 07-01-2000, 03:20 PM

the idea behind me wanting to know the shift pattern is so i can put the newer tranny in my older car. the shifter i have for a donor shifter has adjustable throw on it for each cable. I can move the cable end further out or closer to the shifter axis in order to make it either a longer throw or shorter throw. i won't get to it for awhile. i might not even do it, was just contemplating on the board to see what it would take.

rich · rich's Garage

I've got the same conversion problem as you. My one added disadvantage is my stock linkage runs dead into my 928 oil pan. If I could retain my stock linkage I would. I think that the shift shaft is trouble enough. When the shaft style linkage was adjusted and working in my car, it was still a PITA. 5' long Torsional cables can't possibly offer any more improvement. I'm redesigning my shaft style shifter using 3/4" percision shaft stock, and linear bearings instead of the nylon slides. As tempting as cables are, I'm not convinced there better than a well designed direct linkage. HMO

[This message has been edited by rich (edited 07-02-2000).]

mike mueller · 07-05-2000, 06:29 PM

Rich,
are you familiar with the "clutchless"
systems being made by RUF? He gets rid of the clutch pedal and has the tranny shifted by actuators which get their signal from microswitches that are located in the shifter. It's all micro-processor operated, but a much simpler design could be made.
Since you are putting in that big-a$$ engine a hydraulic pump wouldn't rob you of too much power to operate the actuators.

TFI, I believe the biggest complaints of the tailshifters is the shifting mechanisms itself, and not the tranny, so if you could make a decent cable shifter to replace the factory one for the tailfshifter it would be more popular than for the sideshifter....

IMHO....

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Mike Mueller
Antioch, CA
1970 1.8
http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/mmueller/personal.html

rich · rich's Garage

Hey Mike M, I hadn't heard of the RUF shifter. Sounds interesting enough. And anything is addaptable with a little nip and tuck. I'm proving that. Do they have a web site or e-mail address? Hey, How about an air shifter? Anyone have an old Indy car system laying around collecting dust? Seriously, 12V compressor,small air storage tank,a couple of areo-quip valves and few push-pull micro cylinders, and who knows.....

7391417 · 07-05-2000, 11:55 PM

Instead of hydraulic or pneumatic shifting mechanisms, you could go electric and use servos. You can buy servos for radio controlled airplanes at your local hobby shop. They make them in a variety of sizes and there are ones that are plenty strong enough and reliable enough to move the shifter piece that comes directly out of the tranny, they would probably cost about $50.00 each if you had to use the strongest ones (which I don't think is necessary.)
Now you could leave the clutch pedal in which would eliminate one complication (and would detract from the driving experiance anyways I think if you were to get rid of it) And the hardest part would be setting up the sensors that would be actuated by the shifter. The only other problem is you would lose the solid connection of the shifter to the tranny and the shifter would flop around, you would have to do something to give it a nice feel like it is going and staying into a gear.

All in all quite possible I think!

-Brent

mike mueller · 07-06-2000, 08:59 AM

Rich,
I think they have a web site but they don't sell just the shifter, only the whole assembly which last time I heard it was around $10,000. That price is supposed to include the one technicine that is flown from Germany to install it. As far as I know, it is only for the 964, 993 and 996 models.

Brents idea of the electric servos might be better than the pneumatics or hyd.

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Mike Mueller
Antioch, CA
1970 1.8
http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/mmueller/personal.html