SA Custom Shift Boots
04-25-11, 10:48 PM
#27
Pretty new bits arrived today, exactly 5 calendar days from notification of shipping; well done.
In general, Quality is extremely good; seams are tightly stitched, straight, and the stitch lengths are nice and even. Stitch length is the first thing to go wrong if sewing leather on a machine not made for it, and there's no sign of that here.
The shift boot fits very well over the pins on my surround; I havent actually fastened it on yet, but there is just enough tension to hold it firmly in place even without the clips on, and it fits smoothly and without creases or buckles all the way around the base. I have yet to put it over the lever, but based on the size of the hole in the neck, it should fit well.
I give the shift boot a solid 9.9, and two thumbs up.
The e-brake boot... I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed. Not so disappointed that I'd be worried about returning it or anything, it will look quite nice on the car, and it is quite well made, nicely sewed, good leather...
But I'm disappointed, because Redline substituted velcro for the traditional snaps on the front that hold it around the handle. And they did not provide a snap or any other means for securing it to the carpet. The original SA boot uses a snap to fasten the boot to the carpet at the low corner on the driver's side. The corner is there, but no snap. Por Qua?
Why didn't Redline provide snaps? Why resort to the easy and incorrect velcro on the front, and make no provision for fastening the boot to the carpet? It's not like snap-setting pliers are expensive or hard to come by. For $44 solo price for the boot, 15 cents worth of snaps would have made me a totally happy camper. Instead, I feel sort of like the kid who got the off-brand BB gun at Xmas.
Having now read through the install instructions on their web page, I'm even more confused... because their install instructions and photos supposed to be specifically for an SA 78-80 brake boot are clearly taken from an FB build... and don't reference the velcro front closure at all, instead indicating that the brake boot comes as a closed-sided tube, which is installed over the handle like a sock after wire-tying it in place, and then tucking it under a "carpet flap held in place by velcro." No such flap exists on an SA. So, the boot does not match the car, nor do the instructions match the car NOR the boot I received.
I feel bad harping on this, because every other aspect of the sale, shipment, and product were flawless. Could have been a perfect 10.
But the shift boot not being correct for the year, when it would have been so easy to make it perfectly correct, is disappointing. I can give the boot no higher than a 7.9 out of 10, and a Curly.
I'll be sorely tempted to try to correct it myself, and for this kind of money I really shouldn't have to.
I'll post pix once they're installed; I have several interior parts out right now to do some wiring.
In general, Quality is extremely good; seams are tightly stitched, straight, and the stitch lengths are nice and even. Stitch length is the first thing to go wrong if sewing leather on a machine not made for it, and there's no sign of that here.
The shift boot fits very well over the pins on my surround; I havent actually fastened it on yet, but there is just enough tension to hold it firmly in place even without the clips on, and it fits smoothly and without creases or buckles all the way around the base. I have yet to put it over the lever, but based on the size of the hole in the neck, it should fit well.
I give the shift boot a solid 9.9, and two thumbs up.
The e-brake boot... I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed. Not so disappointed that I'd be worried about returning it or anything, it will look quite nice on the car, and it is quite well made, nicely sewed, good leather...
But I'm disappointed, because Redline substituted velcro for the traditional snaps on the front that hold it around the handle. And they did not provide a snap or any other means for securing it to the carpet. The original SA boot uses a snap to fasten the boot to the carpet at the low corner on the driver's side. The corner is there, but no snap. Por Qua?
Why didn't Redline provide snaps? Why resort to the easy and incorrect velcro on the front, and make no provision for fastening the boot to the carpet? It's not like snap-setting pliers are expensive or hard to come by. For $44 solo price for the boot, 15 cents worth of snaps would have made me a totally happy camper. Instead, I feel sort of like the kid who got the off-brand BB gun at Xmas.
Having now read through the install instructions on their web page, I'm even more confused... because their install instructions and photos supposed to be specifically for an SA 78-80 brake boot are clearly taken from an FB build... and don't reference the velcro front closure at all, instead indicating that the brake boot comes as a closed-sided tube, which is installed over the handle like a sock after wire-tying it in place, and then tucking it under a "carpet flap held in place by velcro." No such flap exists on an SA. So, the boot does not match the car, nor do the instructions match the car NOR the boot I received.
I feel bad harping on this, because every other aspect of the sale, shipment, and product were flawless. Could have been a perfect 10.
But the shift boot not being correct for the year, when it would have been so easy to make it perfectly correct, is disappointing. I can give the boot no higher than a 7.9 out of 10, and a Curly.
I'll be sorely tempted to try to correct it myself, and for this kind of money I really shouldn't have to.
I'll post pix once they're installed; I have several interior parts out right now to do some wiring.
04-26-11, 02:19 AM
#28
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I am holding off on ordering since I do not know which size to get. I havent measured the stock location and compared it to the short shifter of my t56 yet so I need to wait. Has anyone done the armrest too? I am curious to how it turned out from them. Is it a bolt in deal or do I need to send mine in or install it on mine?
04-26-11, 02:52 AM
#29
DD - Likewise noted the diffs in the brake boot I got from RedLine too. Banzai beat me to the punch in sending RedLine a sampler SA boot, so maybe he can walk us thru the prototyping of this? Chris?
It took me several go-rounds with Redline to get the shift boot sorted, ultimately sending an actual shift panel they could template off of. I think they really try to get this stuff right DD and would bet an email to them explaining your concerns will get a response. Do you have a loose OEM boot you can photo WITH theirs to show diffs your unhappy with? I do if you don't.
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
It took me several go-rounds with Redline to get the shift boot sorted, ultimately sending an actual shift panel they could template off of. I think they really try to get this stuff right DD and would bet an email to them explaining your concerns will get a response. Do you have a loose OEM boot you can photo WITH theirs to show diffs your unhappy with? I do if you don't.
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
04-26-11, 09:05 AM
#31
DD - Likewise noted the diffs in the brake boot I got from RedLine too. Banzai beat me to the punch in sending RedLine a sampler SA boot, so maybe he can walk us thru the prototyping of this? Chris?
It took me several go-rounds with Redline to get the shift boot sorted, ultimately sending an actual shift panel they could template off of. I think they really try to get this stuff right DD and would bet an email to them explaining your concerns will get a response. Do you have a loose OEM boot you can photo WITH theirs to show diffs your unhappy with? I do if you don't.
It took me several go-rounds with Redline to get the shift boot sorted, ultimately sending an actual shift panel they could template off of. I think they really try to get this stuff right DD and would bet an email to them explaining your concerns will get a response. Do you have a loose OEM boot you can photo WITH theirs to show diffs your unhappy with? I do if you don't.
I'm not sure if I can locate my OEM boot; last I recall seeing it, it was in a drawer in the sewing machine, where it had been for a dozen years since I did my own boot. Looked briefly the other night, didn' t see it. If you've got pix of your OEM boot, I'd be happy to include them.
The rotor emblems are a couple of Rotary13B1's gauge surrounds, to which I soldered three brass countersink-head screws on the rear to allow for panel mounting.
The odd thing is, I sewed those door panels every bit of 6 or 7 years ago, intentionally working in the rotor motif, just based on the width of the overlaid stripe I'd planned. I first saw the gauge surrounds at JCCS 5, only 18 months ago; yet the two fit together in size as if I had planned it.
Which of course I did, using my time machine.
The center of the emblem, by the way, is exactly over the manual window crank hole. So if I ever revert to manual windows, the cranks go right in the center of the design.
04-27-11, 06:50 AM
#32
Stu,
Like yourself, I sent them an actual e-boot to use as a templet. It didn't need disection like your shift boot and I requested it back when through. After recieving mine, I too noticed the velcro in place of the snaps and the lack of attachment. However, as these are not OEM boots, I wasn't concerned with exact authenicity. Thats what I have my OEM ones for.
I bought and installed these boots in a couple cars just to trim them off slightly differenty and can go back stock if desired. I guess from there, they figured all was good and didn't realize that DD was expecting snaps and DD didn't realize they were using velcro.....BTW, the 79 e boots do have a snap at one end but are actually sewen right to the carpet at the other.
04-27-11, 10:04 AM
#33
The 80 e-boots have two carpet snaps (rear center and kinda front-side-like)- must have been an upgrade from 79!
As I said, not such a severe lack that I'll be returning it, but yeah, when I buy a part that is intended to be a direct-fit replacement for a vintage-age car, I do expect it to have the original attachments unless the description says otherwise.
The front snaps are an aesthetic thing, mainly (the velcro makes it stiff and makes 'that noise'), but without hold-down fastenings the boot doesn't stay in proper place. So I'll probably just bite the bullet and set a pair of snaps into it. I'm waiting to see Stu's OEM pix so I be sure I buy the right type. Haven't seen my old worn out OEM boot for a lotta years.
As I said, not such a severe lack that I'll be returning it, but yeah, when I buy a part that is intended to be a direct-fit replacement for a vintage-age car, I do expect it to have the original attachments unless the description says otherwise.
The front snaps are an aesthetic thing, mainly (the velcro makes it stiff and makes 'that noise'), but without hold-down fastenings the boot doesn't stay in proper place. So I'll probably just bite the bullet and set a pair of snaps into it. I'm waiting to see Stu's OEM pix so I be sure I buy the right type. Haven't seen my old worn out OEM boot for a lotta years.
04-28-11, 03:42 AM
#34
hey Guys- photo of stock brake BOOT attached - this is a 1979 model boot, with snaps galore. There is a separate PN listed for the 1980-
79:
8871-75-011 (this one)
80:
8869-75-011
go figure. Can't get at my 80's to see attachment detail (damn RX8 seat!).
photo is an odd angle (my bad) but shows snaps. No sign of velcro and there is a HOLE visible on a lower inside seam that might suggest the "sewn-on" application Banzai is alluding too?
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
79:
8871-75-011 (this one)
80:
8869-75-011
go figure. Can't get at my 80's to see attachment detail (damn RX8 seat!).
photo is an odd angle (my bad) but shows snaps. No sign of velcro and there is a HOLE visible on a lower inside seam that might suggest the "sewn-on" application Banzai is alluding too?
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
04-28-11, 10:55 AM
#35
That pic fits my memory of my OEM boot (and the locations on my homebrew one as well, which I patterned off the old stock one), and the snap positions are similar to the ones in my carpet; one at the rear center, one low and forward.
Three snaps along the front edge to close it around the lever.
Actual fit to the lever is relatively loose.
The inboard edge always just tucked under the console on my car; maybe it was stitched inboard for the cars that had the ashtray-but-no-armrest build?
I'm heading to the fabric store at lunch today, to see if I can find appropriate snaps. They are physically the same type as the snaps used to close the seatbelt buckle attachment bolts, which you pretty much never see unless you remove a seat.
Three snaps along the front edge to close it around the lever.
Actual fit to the lever is relatively loose.
The inboard edge always just tucked under the console on my car; maybe it was stitched inboard for the cars that had the ashtray-but-no-armrest build?
I'm heading to the fabric store at lunch today, to see if I can find appropriate snaps. They are physically the same type as the snaps used to close the seatbelt buckle attachment bolts, which you pretty much never see unless you remove a seat.
04-28-11, 02:32 PM
#36
PARTS SOURCE NOTE:
A very close match for the snaps (black oxide coating instead of painted black, but otherwise near-exact) are available as:
12mm (15/32") Mini Anorak Snaps.
Dritz sells them as part number 651603, 10 to a pack, for around 7 bucks at fabric stores - I lucked out, and they were on sale at Jo-Ann Fabrics for $3.49
The required attaching tool (Dritz 651600) is $8.99 (Sale price $4.49)
10 snaps is enough for two boots, unless you mess up installing one. Or five boots, if you're just looking to do them for the carpet attachment.
A very close match for the snaps (black oxide coating instead of painted black, but otherwise near-exact) are available as:
12mm (15/32") Mini Anorak Snaps.
Dritz sells them as part number 651603, 10 to a pack, for around 7 bucks at fabric stores - I lucked out, and they were on sale at Jo-Ann Fabrics for $3.49
The required attaching tool (Dritz 651600) is $8.99 (Sale price $4.49)
10 snaps is enough for two boots, unless you mess up installing one. Or five boots, if you're just looking to do them for the carpet attachment.
04-30-11, 09:58 AM
#41
I hadn't had time to do the snaps yet - - bought them Thursday at lunch, had a meet to go to that night at 7.
I'll probably install at least the carpet-fastening snaps today. I want to think through the impact of removing the velcro before I go further, though. Have to make sure there's enough leather to still close up right when it's only fastened at three points.
I'll probably install at least the carpet-fastening snaps today. I want to think through the impact of removing the velcro before I go further, though. Have to make sure there's enough leather to still close up right when it's only fastened at three points.
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