I mentioned this deep in a thread about a week ago, but here is a sneak peek at the new shifter I am building. It is not complete, this is just a teaser of what is to come.

The website needs work, but I wanted to get something up.

What is shown is the basic shifter body, the housing that attaches to the car and the shift handle are not shown on the site.

It will be about week and a half before the side shifter version will be finished testing and ready for sale, about a week additional for the tail shift/911 version.

Feel free to e-mail with questions, criticisms, or whatever.

http://members.rennlist.com/rennshift/

sounds pretty cool...cant wait to see it all

Lookin good James.

Yeah, looks great, keep us posted!!

Put me on the "list". Gotta have it
ETA?

I guess I should have said, I am building an e-mail list of interested people so you can know when it is all done.

I expect to be able to take orders in about 2 weeks for the side-shift version.

I will keep you guys updated, here, too.

Oh, and thanks for the encouragement!

Very nice. I like the fact that you are using a 2 piece design. This allows us to decide how long the actual stick is. Meaning it looks like we will have options due to the fact that the stick bolts on..much like a MustangGT Tremec or a SuperT10 shifter.

B

James,

-I'd like to be on this contact list
-I missed this earlier thread (which one was it)
-I assume you've already gone it to this in the earlier thread... but tell us details about how it compares to a wevo.. etc.
-have you been trial testing a unit yet? how does it hold up in real world situations.

thanks for your time
brant

Brant, thanks for the questions:
-I'll add you to my list

-I only mentioned it briefly in the "cable shifter" thread, no additional info there.

-It has better features than a WEVO, and it's half the price. The WEVO is not available for a side-shifter. The WEVO requires a late 911 shift housing to install it in, so that makes it even more expensive for us 914 guys. My bolt-on stick allows you to modify the reach or knob position more easily. If you don't want a short throw, you can get my shifter with all the other features in stock throw. If you could not tell, I'm pretty proud of this product.

-The shift mechanism is an already proven design, there will be no issues with durabilty in everyday use.

Can people elaborate on some of the benefits of the wevo...

I've never driven with one.
I've heard about them for some time, but have no actual experience in the benefits of a wevo or wevo type system...

thanks james...
brant

I will also be adding some info pages to my site which will clarify the benefits of my (or WEVOs) shifter and the deficiencies of the stock setup.

I want one.... no make that I want two of them.. one for my 914 and one for my 911...

let me know when they are available

Tim

That is an awesome looking piece of art...and its functional, I'm in!!!!!!! Great work.

Hey James,

I have to admit that when you first posted that you were doing something similar to the Wevo shifter (and having seen and "felt" the Wevo 915 shifter), my first thoughts were "yeah right"

Now that I've seen the pictures on your website, all I can say is: WOW!!!

It looks really impressive!

cheers,

Jeroen

Let us know when you get up that information. I looked at the Wevo site and they don't give a clue as to what their products do better than stock. They could probably double their sales with better marketing.

Deposit? Where am I on the list?

Wow guys! Thanks for the great encouragement!

Don't worry, I have a chronological listing of all those expressing interest, you will get an e-mail letting you have first cut on them as they get ready to ship.

Cool man! if i had cash, i would be in line! very trick!

I'd like to get in on the list.

I'm sure the sixer would like one.

Add my name too James. Thanks!

EDIT: Sideshifter model please!

Yes please include me also on your list...

Hey James! This rocks. You probably saved me a month of drawing and fabricating to make a decent shifter for my car.

Will this work with side and tail shift trannies? Here's why I ask: I've got a tail shifter in the car now and a side shifter on the garage floor that'll be going in the car at some future date (like when I'm not AXing the car almost every weekend ). Whadaya think? If tail/side doesn't matter put me on the list now, otherwise I'll catch up with one later.

Have fun,
Kevin

If they are not DOT approved then, well you know.
Hey thats looks excellent. Put me on your list. 83 911 Cab and 74 914 -6 sideshifter.
CCLinCAMP914

Kevin, there are to different versions depending on whether you have side or tail-shift. The tail-shift shifter has a ball on the bottom, while the side shifter has a hole with a bolt. Basically, the side-to-side rotation is opposite between the two.

For you, I would suggest waiting until your side-shifter trans goes in so you don't have to buy two different shifters. It will make that side-shifter upgrade that much better!

Everyone else, I am updating the list and ordering more materials!

I assume I'm on your list after our exchange the other day. If not, by all means, add my name. I will probably change my tail shiffter to SS, but I won't need a shifter until I have a solid tub to mount it on.

Ginter....

The tailshift boxes actually shift better than the sideshift boxes once you get a decent shifter in place with new bushings. The internal rails in the tailshift box are much better than the side.

I highly suggest you stick with the tailshifter if your planning on buying one of these shifters.


B

Brad, I thought the silly ball at the firewall was the real bad deal in the tail-shifter. The original /6 does not use that, correct?

Do you still suggest changing a regular /4 tail-shifter to a side-shifter?

Ginter - yes, I have already added your info. I suggested you change to the side shifter, but Brad knows more about the original /6 than me, so go with whatever he says!

1. Please put me on the list (djm914-6@attbi.com)

2. Need a /6 tail shift model with manual throttle

3. What difference will I feel in my shifting? Please explane the benifits.

Thanks

That's exactly the feedback I was hoping for. I've heard similar comments from you before in that regard. I intended to start a new thread at some point. The 72 1.7 actually shifted quite well for a tail shifter. The shifter was a bit sloppy, but it was always much smoother than any other 914 I've driven. The /6 has a worn out shifter with a Welt short shift kit and it sucked. BTW - The shift rod in the /6 was different than the shift rod in the 72 1.7 tail shifter. This comment triggered that memory:



To answer the question, yes, the /6 shift rod does not use that silly ball. It actually bolts to the front rod securely. I'll get some pics of that tonight and start a new thread if necessary.

djm, I will be adding all this info to the website (along with some scary pic of the wear in the stock shifters that is common), but I will go over the highlights.

When you shift from 1st, you have to joggle over a hair to get 2nd without hitting reverse. When everything works correctly, you don't consciously joggle, you just guide the shifter forward. But, usually the factory spring mechanism to keep you out of reverse is quite worn, so it does not do a good job letting you know the gate between reverse and 2nd. If you joggle over just a little too much, then you hit 4th as ther is nothing to let you know where 2nd or 4th are. My shifter has another spring between 2nd and 4th.

So with my design, going from 1st to 2nd, you just push the shifter forward and it guides itself into 2nd. The down shift from 4th to 3rd works the same way. It makes a huge difference. The bushings are tighter in my shifter, and the throw can be shorter if you order it that way, so it has a bunch of advantages over stock. The spring gates are the big deal, though. The way they are designed they will not wear over time like the stock shifter.

All of the stock shifters I have taken apart have some wear where they hit the reverse lockout plate. It is very uneven, so you can't just re-adjust, it changes as you move the shifter between 1st and reverse.

There are also bushings in the shifter. One shifter I took apart had the entire center of the bushing gone. The pivot in the stock shifter is iffy, because it is held up by a spring. As you load the shifter, the spring can compress and the pivot can move around adding more to the "where did that gear go?" feeling.

I am working on getting the web pages together to show all this stuff, please check it often and more info will come.

Hope this is helpful. The questions are helpful to me as it gives me an idea of what to address on my web pages.

Can someone please explain the difference between the shiftlinkage of a /6 and /4 tailshifter
Pics any one?

I'm trying to decide wether to get a shifter setup like this or get a cable shifter for my tailshifter (/4 conv'd to /6)

Thanks,

Jeroen

I'll get some pics of the /6 shift rod tonight if need be. I sold off the 4 cylinder shift rod last fall, so no pics of that. Someone else will have to provide 4 cylinder shots.

Here you go, number 40 is the bad one in the /4, number 32 is the better one in the /6.

That oughta cover it....

Thanks again James. Just a suggestion BTW. You could add a link to your shifter web page in your sig?

I thought I had one - it says "see my new shifter" - it is a hyperlink. Does it not work or do I need to make it more prominent?

I'm half asleep... Nevermind. Works fine.

Apart from the existing product description on our web site what other information do you think we should list? It is always good to receive feedback about how to improve product descriptions.

WEVO 915 Shifter link

Thanks,

Tracey

Windrush Evolutions Inc.

James,

A couple of questions: how do the shifts feel? Even with the short throw version, I don't imagine you'll get the "snick" of a miata or S2000, but I was wondering if was better than stock. When I replaced ALL the bushings in the shift mechanism, the shifting went from best guess to very predictable.

Also, are there plans for the 915 in mid-engine? Aside from flipping the R&P, this seems to be a great way to address the hardest part of that upgrade.

Thanks, Gary

Hey James looks great! Add my name to the list 914 sideshifter
Thanks
Van

yes, i need to be on this list (what list?) too.
911 now, probably 914/6 later (if i can talk myself out of the tricko FabCar/SmartRacing 935 style setup...)

Van- sure thing.

Gary, the shift are incrementally better than perfect stock - as you probably know the bushings in the linkage are the real culprit for slop in the stock setup. The stock shifter itself has some "give" with the spring that makes up part of the pivot - my shifter is solid in that regard.

The biggest difference my shifter makes is the spring loaded gates. This is what really defines the gear pattern and inspires confidence in the shifting.

Bushings and motor mounts have to be good if you want the shifting to be good, of course.

I am working on info to explain all this on my website, it is hard to find time with finishing the jigs and everything else (plus I have a real job!).

I'm not sure how this would help with a 915 upgrade, and I think Brad might have been working on something and WEVO just came out with a 915 conversion I believe.

Thanks for the questions!

Rich, the list is the one I am keeping (its actually an Excel spreadsheet on my computer) to inform people of when I am ready to ship shifters. I will e-mail people in the order I have received interest and see if they want to buy at that time.

Consider yourself officially added.

Please add me to your list. looks good

Steve Hurt
shoguneagle@yahoo.com

I have sent e-mails to everyone on this post about ordering a shifter - if you did not receive a message asking if you were ready to order now, please let me know.

Thanks!
James

Hi James

I didn't get an email, but then I recall your were starting production with the side shifter units first.

When will you be ready with the tail shift version? Specifically and 914/6 tail shift version with provision for the hand throttle?

I'll send you a PM.

Please add me to your notice list. I hope it comes with good instructions for installation.

The instructions are included on a CD with good (real) pictures of the install.

I am also adding more info on the peripherals as I have time, such as shift bushing replacement, clutch tube fixes, and stock and new replacement (hint, hint ) coupler bushing install.