I think I've read every Rennshift post on the forum trying to figure out WTAF is going on with my car and this installation.

Here's the quick and dirty version:

• Put the stock into 2nd gear
• Removed the stock shifter
• Put coupler onto shaft, flat face forward
• Seated the new shifter.
• It won't line up with the mounting holes

I got under the car, tried to adjust the shifter rod where it links up behind the firewall, but it's just too short. I can't put the gear into 2nd no matter what I try.

It has not been modified.

I was thinking about either adding length to the front of the rod in the cabin, or removing it, drilling a new hole for the pin, and extending it forward by the inch or so that is needed to make this work... IF there's enough length to do that.

I'm super annoyed by this.

is that a 914 side model JWSTRSSDSTSN

Yea, What's pictured is a stock side shifter but the rod in the tunnel has a tail shifter cup.
The stock rod would have a round shaft at the end, not a cup. Did you change it for some reason?

No. I got the car this way. It's always shifted like crap. I wonder if I'm screwed here.

The tail shifter cup came with the Rennshift as a way to mount to the rod. That's what I was told I needed, anyway.

who ever told that,,seems to be wrong,, https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/JWST...amp;SVSVSI=0716

Pelican told me that. I even asked them to confirm the part was correct when I ordered it. Man, this really grinds my gears... (yeah, you can fire me.)

Gearbox/Car Type: 914 Side-Shift (Clevis attachment under shifter) ('73-'76)

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0521/8792...df?v=1665708537

see page 2.. pic on left.

I'm really confused here.
Is your car a tailshift car? Or a sideshift car?

Please send a pic of the bottom of your rennshifter as you would have it right before installing it into the car.

Take that cup off the shift rod so its just the knurled end.
Transfer the attachment from the stock shifter to the Rennshift, with a new bushing.


As far as general poor shifting...
If the rest of the bushings along the shift bar are trashed, the Rennshift WILL NOT fix your shifting issues. In fact it WILL MAKE THEM WORSE. To get the benefit of the Rennshifter, you NEED new bushings all the way from the firewall to the transmission.

I have a feeling it’s just a miscommunication about the part on the rod in the tunnel. Like Zach said, show us the bottom of the Rennshifter and we’ll go from there. Chances are you just need to move parts over from your stock shifter (linkage piece and metal bushing) and then get the correct rod or parts in the tunnel. Probably all an easy fix. Take pics of everything, show them here and the guys here will help you get it right.

This seems to indicate you have a tail shift linkage.

"I got under the car, tried to adjust the shifter rod where it links up behind the firewall, but it's just too short. I can't put the gear into 2nd no matter what I try."

I would also take some pics of the engine side firewall at the bottom where the shift lever exits the car and the back of the transmission- just to confirm what you got.

Oh, no, I totally get it. I trusted that Pelican knew what they were talking about and advised me based on my car and what I bought. I thought I was going crazy. A 1974 falls squarely in the side-shift bucket.

I hope they make it right.

It's a side-shift. I am now familiar with the difference after a week and this thread's confirmation.

Make sure they select...
Gearbox/Car Type: 914 Side-Shift (Clevis attachment under shifter) ('73-'76)

They're going to make it right. Effectively, since they drop-ship from JWest, I'm getting a return slip. I'll simply have to buy a new one.

Now that I know, I will get the right thing. This was simply something I wasn't aware of before purchasing, which is why I asked them about fitment at the time of purchase. I also kept a lot of records when talking with them about my installation issues...

I'll give Pelican and JWest credit on how they handled this. I'm glad they're doing the right thing. They even waved my restocking fee.

Great News,, Is it Raining in Seattle?? l Lived there 55yrs..

I am sure if you contact James at JWest, he will help you for the installation.

Good luck!

I'm sure JWest wasn't the issue. Pelican did the right thing, I got it RMA'd and the new one arrived on Monday. I installed it on Tuesday. Took about 15 minutes, then adjusted everything - I had to slide the coupler back a bit on the rod because it wasn't shifting into the 1/3/5 plane real well... then I took it on a good drive to test things out.

Love it! I've had this car for years, owned another for years prior, but this is the first time it felt like I was driving a Porsche. The shifting is tight, precise, and clean. It doesn't feel like I'm moving a pencil around in a pint glass, which is how the old shifter felt.