Tailshift to Side shift conversion - My experience., I accidentally posted this in the classifieds.. trying to move it to Garage... Options

[mikedsilva]

sorry for starting this in the classifieds section.. I must have been on drugs at the time...


A few months I bought my 914... its a 70 model, fitted with a 2.0litre motor.. but still with its original tailshifter.
Whilst I was able to find most of the gears, most of the time, I felt I wanted to convert.

There are some very useful threads on here and pelican but none with all the bits I wanted in the 1 place. This isn't a how to, but more wanted to share some of my findings.
Thanks to a couple of newly found 914 friendships at home, I decided to have a crack.

Rather than buy a complete side shifting transmission, I found that Brad Mayeur sold a "kit" of parts needed to do the conversion. Brad sold me everything needed.. and I mean EVERYTHING.
Shift lever and console, all the shift rods, coupler, side shift console, new engine mounts, engine cross bar, etc etc. He even included a new oil seal for the drive shaft in the box, and new exhaust gaskets.

Here are some pics of the bits I received...
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438894508.1.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438894509.2.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438894509.3.jpg)(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438894509.4.jpg)

[mikedsilva]

Not pictured is the shift lever console, and also gasket kit with different shim thicknesses for the intermediate plate to case joint.

All bushings were replaced with items bought from Pelican parts.

One point worth mentioning, is that the firewall bushing in tailshifter cars is different to side shifting cars.
But what Brad does, is weld a tube of the correct diameter, to the gear shift rod, so that where it exits the firewall, it is the correct diameter for the original bushing.
In this photo, you can see the steel sleeve on the right hand side...
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438896447.1.png)

The late side shifter bellows were not included, but I do have a new part which came with the car when I bought it.
Also, my side shift console cover is badly damaged, and was supplied by brad for free.. I have cleaned it up and intend to do a fibreglass repair.

Interestingly, because my car has a non original, 2litre motor, I thought that some parts were original.
My car already has the solid engine mounts so I did not use the ones that Brad provided me. Plus my engine mount bar was the same.. or at least I thought it was.

When I first installed the transmission, everything lined up great, but when trying to select 4th or 5th, the rod would bind in on the bar...
I took my original bar off the car and CLOSELY lined it up with the one from Brad, and it seems there IS a small difference! I tried to take some photos to show, but basically, the bar for a sideshift is about 5mm difference on the drivers side, to give that all important clearance.

looks same here
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438972107.1.jpg)

passenger side also looks same
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438972107.2.jpg)

But drivers side shows the difference.. the shiny one is the side shift bar freshly painted.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438972108.3.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1260.photobucket.com-18462-1438972159.1.jpg)