I was looking at one of my old mags(vw&porsche) read a article about making a short shifter
:it reads like this:( I have found a Cheap and easy way to drastically shorten the shift trow on my 1973 914.First cut the lower shifter extension (the mushroom shape piece) approximately in the middle of the shift. Weld a 1 1/2 inch long piece of steel rod of the same diameter between the two pieces,keeping the shaft straight.Then cut three 1 inch lengths of 1 inch diameter pipe.These are used to raise the base plate by using them as spacers.This requires longer mounting bolts.)
has any one ever done this ?

I don't think that will work. You would be lengthing the throw of the rod at the bottom.

It makes sense to me. If you moved the shift knob the same distance as before, it would result in a longer distance traveled by the lower part of the rod. Then raise to plate to allow the longer part to still fit in the tunnel.

Somewhere in my pile of crap while looking for shifter parts yesterday I found a shortshift kit for a 73-76 style shift tower. Weltmeister IRRC. Essentially a longer lower shaft as you describe. I'll try and post a pic.

The Weltmeister kit uses the same principle but you can't get too long with the rod or the shift rod throw will be too long.

SHIFTER

You sift flour, sugar and maybe dirt, but you select a gear with a shifter.

Want one free? Come and get it.



***Wow, that was hostile. I've had way to much coffee this morning***

Ron, down boy.

Spend a day building and assembling one or for the same money you can buy the Weltmeister kit that I no longer use and bolt it right in. It's for a '73 or later sideshifter. PM me if you are interested.

They all seem like a nice idea, but in reality, they don't work too well. The shift linkage is a compromise between excessive effort with short throws and low effort with longer throws. I'm sure Porsche experimented to try to find the right compromise, and they probably came up with the best solution. The short shifters are something that you should try on someone else's car before investing time and money on one. The fact that they're around for free should give you some clue how well they work.

I had one in my early car, and it was OK, but not as nice as moving into a side shifter tranmission with new bushings and careful setup.

My 72 "tail shifter" did improve with the Weltmeister kit. I also cut one inch off the top of the shifter itself.

I will not be useing one for the 74.