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Posted by: obscurity May 23 2021, 02:03 PM

It has been years since I have been on 914world in a meaningful way or even worked on my '71 914. I am getting back into it and replacing the firewall. It occurs to me that if I ultimately want a side shift transmission I may want to go about this in a particular way. How should I go about making this change to side shift? I understand the linkage is a little different and that people often do this conversion without changing the fire wall but since I am here is there anything I should be doing?

I have been doing searches but so far have not found a definitive thread on the subject.

I could be totally off base and maybe someone has figured out how to make the tail shift more usable and nobody makes the change anymore.

Posted by: bdstone914 May 23 2021, 03:49 PM

You dont need to change anything on the firewall. The tai lm shift has a differetn size hole for the shift rod and flange to mount the boot.
You would need a doner panel to add that. I dont have any.

Posted by: obscurity May 23 2021, 03:53 PM

Thanks! I should mention that I have the restoration hardware firewall which I assume has the later model setup. I do not have anything else for the sideshift including the shiftrod and transmission. I can keep the original setup if that is the better move.

Thanks

Posted by: bdstone914 May 23 2021, 04:24 PM

Here is a set of parts i sold to show all that is needed. I have many of them now.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=351711&hl=


Looks like RD makes both the early and late firewall. I would ask them if you can install the late wall in the early car.

Posted by: obscurity May 23 2021, 06:42 PM

I'll have to check with them and see. When I bought it they were only offering the late model

Posted by: obscurity May 27 2021, 01:10 PM

Just an FYI, I spoke with Restoration Design and confirmed that the only difference between their early and late fire walls is the shift rod opening

Posted by: rhodyguy May 27 2021, 01:36 PM

They differ, early to late, in their shapes where the plastic cap/cover (early) and rubber boot (late) cover the F/R rod connection. Figure out your final path before you start welding the lower? Firewall. No point in the early version if you intend to go SS.

Posted by: 914Toy May 27 2021, 02:06 PM

There is a piece of sheet metal in the early "end-shift" cars, roughly 4"x2" welded transversely to and inside the tunnel, about 6" to 7" from the rear of the gear shifter mounting hole. The gear shift rod in these "end-shift" cars, which is connected to the bottom of the shifter, passes through a 1.5" (approx.) round hole in this piece of sheet metal. This shift rod rotates in the early cars (with "end-shift" tranny's), where as the later "side-shift" mechanism has this rod rotating but also swinging from side to side, corresponding with the three gear shift gates. This hole needs to be increased by roughly at least 1/2" on each side (making it oval) to allow the rod free side to side travel. Unfortunately it requires cutting a small access hole (4"x2" approx.)in the top of the tunnel behind the location of this plate. Once you have access to the plate in the tunnel, you can see it and cut it accordingly to allow unrestricted movement of the shift rod.

It is almost impossible to correctly adjust the shifter rod mechanism without this small modification.