Sorry, still not up for it, but some time this week for sure.

I think we're good DB, don't chance another back episode crawling around under the car with a tape measure. 9-ish feet and 7-ish feet seem to be the safe bets. If they are a little long we can always zip-tie 'em. Plus Kent will do his install soon and we can get another perspective there.

The lesson here is that the cables need to be much longer than I/we initially thought. Your pics were very helpful there. Would have never thought that side motion cable had that much of an arc to it. Thanks again for your help so far. Hope your back gets better soon!

Hey guys, just wanted to let everyone on this thread know that i am officially reopening in December. Going to move the rest of the shop over during/after thanksgiving and get some cable shifters out before Christmas!

just fyi I also plan on ordering cables to fit in bulk to cut down costs for everyone.

Finally Fabricating again soon

Just let me know. I am ready to buy this and the half shafts.

Im getting settled into the new shop today, planning on getting the prototype shifter built this week, turing it into a CAD drawing and sending it to laser cutting. Hope to have production models finished ready to ship the end of next week.
-Ian

Cool Ian. So what will the setup come with exactly?

Well, for the immediate future just the hardware and bracket for the transmission end. the Cables themselves will be added as soon as possible afterward. I don't have the capital to bulk order cables at the moment, nor exact measurements to order with.

OK that works. Reason I ask is I'd actually rather use my own shifter which is a Honda Accord unit so the measurements wouldn't be the same as an MR2 or other Toyota shifter anyway. In looking at Kent's thread it seems that once you get a good bracket for the trans end the rest falls into place.

Makes sense... really it should not matter which front end system you go with, the cables should be long enough to cater to most of the systems out there.

Oh and I might mention, while I'm on a cable shift fabrication stint, I have a 901 sideshift that is calling my name... will probably get to it the in the first part of the year.

When measuring my shifter cables I just used a long length of copper wire tied to each mounting point and added 6 inches for wiggle room and that was my full length.

That is probably what I'm going to do... But I don't have my 914 with me at the moment and I want to be 100% sure of the fitment before i order a bunch of cables 1" to short...

This is awesome news. I'm also VERY glad that you aren't attaching it to your engine cradle. I JUST got mine back from powder-coating...and it'd suck to have to scrape/weld/re-coat.

Put me down for 1...as soon as you have them ready!

i am in for a set

FYI, your lookng at about 150 for a pair of cables with ends

Thanks, that's about where I had them priced for the good ones. hopefully ill be able to get the price a little lower by ordering in bulk.

So are we talking $200-$250 for the bracket and cables?

Just curious.

If you use wire as a measuring stick be sure to allow for the correct min radius. Bob's method (w/ the plastic tube) insures you won't make it too tight of a turn. You will notice a bit of drag as you approach min radius so try to make gradual turns. Someone mentioned 4" throw cables. The tranny has < 2" travel so 4"' travels too long. 2" travel is enough. 1/4" cables are all you need.

Thanks Kent.

It will depend on laser cutting and steal costs, but I don't see it being to much more than that range.

Yes thanks Kent, DBCooper, and everyone else who has contributed to this.

Awesome. Put me on the list...or even to test something. I'm happy to help however I can. I'll be test-fitting the engine/trans in a few weeks.

Ditto on the awesome. Now take a quick look at this Grassroots Motorsports video of the installation of the cable shifter from Factory Five for the Subaru transmisssion (converted to two-wheel drive) in their 818 kit car.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Y1u8pJwjM



What's cool is that the transmission linkage looks exactly like what y'all are doing, so you're good. In fact it looks so similar I wonder if they didn't watch the original video of that for my car. Whatever, it's an affirmation. The cabin shifter mechanism is different, appears custom, new, all plastic (!), and cables-forward, but works the same way. And if you aren't into fabricating you could probably buy just the shifter parts from Factory Five if that made sense for you and your project. Can't imagine it would be cheap, but it's another alternative.

A thought I've had in watching the 818 develop is that a 914 with a WRX engine/transmission isn't all that different than what they're putting together. The 914 is 200-250 lbs heavier, but that's like taking your big beer drinking friend along when you go for a ride in the 818. Plus the 914 has roll-up windows and other amenities, so not a bad adder for anything less than full-on race car. I've thought about getting an 818, it's sure good looking, but can't imagine it would be that much more of a thrill than what I already have.

Saw this photo in the FF 818 forum of their rear brackets:



I wonder if someone should tell them the angles are off and that's too small a radius on that cable, it won't last. It's weird reading their posts, they're just getting to things we've done some time ago, speculating how it might work.

Your observation is sound indeed. Of all the conditions proper for cable longevity, alignment and actuation normal to the axis are crucial, in my experience. Look at the Boxster cable shift mechanism, and you'll see proper execution where the cables make a straight shot at the linkage pick up points. You'll also notice no big looping of the cables.....Think about it, when you loop a cable like some vendors products do, any force applied essentially tries to straighten the cable. These push-pull cables work best and last the longest when they are as straight as possible.

Andys

That's true to a point. I'm not familiar with the Boxster cable mechanism so can't compare, but isn't the rotational motion in that transmission made internally? If so it's not really possible to duplicate it on the Subaru transmission, which works like a 901 tailshift. But the reason to use cables is to be able to make curves, and sometimes putting in a curve means you can simplify the rest of the mechanism. For example the curve in that cable eliminates the need for a bell crank or other mechanism to change rotation, so all in all a pretty good trade.

As long as you stay within specs that cable ought to outlast the rest of the car. It just seems to me from the cables I've seen that Factory Five setup is a bit too tight. They may be using a different cable with different specs, I don't know, but there's no excuse for not aligning the brackets with the cable's pull direction.

Great info !!!!

Good eye, DB. Don't use the bracket to str8n the cable. It should be properly aligned before passing thru the bracket. Also, check your manufacturers min bend radius on the cables that you buy. Sent from the "from Land of BBQ" on my IPhone.

Hey guys,
I have the first production prototype drawing at laser cutting, the holidays ended up delaying parts for the cradles and now the shifter a little bit, but I really like the deign and think its going to be a winner.

I agree with what you guys are saying on the straitness/mounting of the cables, which is why I decided to go with bell crank in the design. It keeps both cables the same length, strait through their entirety, and pretty flush against the transmission. I also found a nice bell crank with a sealed bearing to reduce the drag as much as possible.

Ill report back when i get the part back from laser and can do a final test mount.

-Ian

Hi Ian, I am available to test immediately. Trans and motor are in, mR2 shifter in hand and ready to be installed.
Looking good!

YES! Bring it! Ready whenever they're done.

Just a teaser shot of the production prototype. Everything is clearing perfectly, can't wait to get if finished up, very fun working on this product.

Click to view attachment

need. need soon! once I have this and the half shafts I can finish my exhaust!




this year maybe!

Very nice! Was JUST about to bump this.

Ian, that looks awesome! I was planning to do exactly that on my project, but now it looks like you've saved me some time :-)...and cost me some money...

Ian, I have no doubt that you'll get this done well...but I can't for the life of me figure out that picture. looks like they're both pushing/pulling on the same axis.

Like I've said a number of times....put me on the list ASAP. I'm happy to pay for a 'tester' product if need-be.

the cable connected to the bell crank rotates the shift rod clockwise and counter. the bell crank change the direction of movement from forward/backward to up/down, it seems.

the other pushes and pulls it, I think.

looks great

Jim has it right, as I said earlier in the thread, decided to go with the cables routed parallel and use a bell crank at the end get the twisting motion on the shift rod. It's great because I can get both cables the same length and pass the savings on, Just need to finish fabbing the last part and get it on one of my other transmissions to do a dry test.
-Ian

AHHHH!!! I get it now. :doh:

Very cool. Can't wait!

come on Ian!

Yes. Buying this when finished.

I think that makes 5 of us he has stacked up here waiting!

Playing the devil's advocate with "0" engineering experience ; how many moving parts have you added and will your bearing require protection from the elements or maintenance?

Well - if you don't count the two heim joints that I assume will connect the bell crank to the gear selector then the bearing/bell crank is the only additional moving part

6...Ian is your email address still valid?

LOL! It's more than 6 I'm sure.....feels like junior high waiting in line for concert tickets..."hey quit shovin' man! I been here since last Tuesday!"

I'm not going to have my car on the road for another 60-90 days, but I want to get ALL the parts I need as soon as possible, so I can keep going when I'm in the garage. This is one of the final pieces to my puzzle. I was worried about having to figure out how to fabricate something, and hoping that someone would have SOMETHING made up before I needed them.

Looks like my wish came true!

Good question, not many more moving parts were added but I did take special care to source a sealed bearing that will not have any issues in the elements. Furthermore when I designed the cables, I sought the advice of the manufacturer (midwest control) trying to figure out which rod end would hold up to the exposure under a street vehicle, as well as in the sand for any guys building dune buggies with a subaru transmission. The answer was using their high quality stainless rod end, with a stainless race, A little more expensive but it should hold up to sand and road grime just fine.

Today went Awesome! Have not had so much fabricating in a while. Happend to find everything I need to build the last part of the shifter, and it will be easy enough to make it in house rather than get it machined. Ill try to get it all buttoned up tomorrow and post a video of it working.

Can't wait. This is exciting shit.

Yep, Im here also, standing in line hopping the concerts not canceled by finding a brown M&M back stage.