When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Is anyone using a gracing short shifter on their 81-85 rx7? I tried a cheap miata short shifter from ebay for my 81, and after a lot of modifications to make it fit, I didn't like the feel. Ended up ordering one of the gracing shifters from Keith and hope to have it sometime next week.
Tell us what you think, and some PIX!
Tried a SS some years back, but made my SA gearbox feel 'notcher'/too stiff - ended up just shortening (a bit less) a stock shifter instead. Bliss!
Woah, did not know about this supplier. Looks like a nice product.
Would be good to hear some feedback on it from FB installations. I believe the FB 5speed is quite similar to the NA Miata so should yield similar results...
Edit: I emailed them just to confirm fitment for the FB. The website wasn't too clear if they have something for our chassis.
Last edited by tommyeflight89; 01-08-22 at 08:37 AM.
Woah, did not know about this supplier. Looks like a nice product.
Would be good to hear some feedback on it from FB installations. I believe the FB 5speed is quite similar to the NA Miata so should yield similar results...
Edit: I emailed them just to confirm fitment for the FB. The website wasn't too clear if they have something for our chassis.
The website says it fits the 84-85 FB. I spent some time on the phone with Keith, measuring diameters, distance from the fulcrum, etc., to determine if it would fit my 81. Turns out, it should fit, but won't be angled backwards as the stock shifter. I was looking for something taller but with a short throw. This should work well. I'll post photos when I get it installed, most likely by Tuesday next week.
I don't have the gracing shifter yet (should be here early next week) but the ebay miata/fc short shifter is about the same height as the stock shifter. The main difference, aside from the shorter throw, is that the miata ss is straight and the stock one is curved (see the photos below, the miata ss is the one installed). I want a shifter as tall as possible, but with a reduced throw. That's what the gracing shifter should do.
If you don't mind, take some pics during installation of the new shifter, I am curious to see what your trans extension housing looks like, specifically where the end of the shifter sits inside the rectangular block with the centering spring.
The shifter finally arrived today. USPS decided to send from Florida to California via Hawaii. Anyway, it made it! I'm including some photos of the installation below. It took less than 15 minutes, including taking pictures. This shifter is awesome. The thing is solid, the gears are easy to find, and the bottom spring does it's job. I filled up the shifter tower (is that what it's called?) with 75w-90 to just above the cup, and used assembly lube to keep the delrin bushing in place during installation.
Is it worth the price? 100%. Don't waste your time with other short throw shifters like I did. It's taller than the stock shifter and the throw is even shorter that the miata ss. I'm thinking I should have gone with the taller shift ****, but that's easily fixed! I have no affiliation with Keith or gracing, just a very satisfied customer.
Stock, ebay, gracing shifters Gear oil up to the cup Assembly lube was used to keep the delrin bushing in place Assembly lube was used to keep the delrin bushing in place Perfect fit Bolted down Done! Done!
What an awesome looking product, you can see everything is quality. No expense spared on that bushing and cir-clip retainer.
Thanks for the details on install. I will be placing an order, can't wait to see how it feels. Will be installed in my summer daily riven Streetport 12A with factory 5speed.
Hows it to get into reverse and fifth? My old short shifter I have installed now (Mazdatrix style I believe) feels a bit awkward for those two gears.
The GRacing shifter is a seriously nice bit of kit, I will be using one on my car as I rebuild it using a NC Miata 5 speed.
One of the nice things about the Mazda 5 speeds is they pretty much used the same design from the 70’s up through the NC Miata at least, maybe even longer.
This is a picture of one of the transmissions I built using the center section and gears from a Miata, with a rotary bell housing, and an FB tailshaft housing. This is a well-known setup to get closer ratios and better splits between the gears, it really helped my car out a lot.
If you look close at the shifter tower it is also from doner the Miata transmission, one of the upgrades was to the shifter centering mechanism, it has spring loaded plungers on either side of the shifter block, so you don’t have to fool with the awful hair spring which comes standard on the FB transmissions.
For the NC Miata they made the shifter fully integrated into the tailshaft housing, without a separate bolt on tower and tube.
Very impressed with this product, awesome to have these small business to support our cars and vice versa.
Keith does not spare any details. The aluminum housing is nicely machined then anodized, and the other hardware is black powdercoat. The spherical pivot is retained by a circlip and i think a wave washer to allow for some movement (not sure on this).
Enlarge the opening in OEM rubber boot, it fits snugly over the housing. Certainly not OEM looking, but the black powdercoat makes it as subtle as it can be. I think fits well with the Alcantara shift boot.
Is this only for racing applications or can it be use for street driving?
The added height is what made me look into it. If you want it for looks, and you like a lever as short as possible, it would be cheaper to figure out a way to cut the stock shifter. Even at that height, the Gracing shifter throw is shorter that those "ebay" short shifters. I'm considering getting one of Keith's taller shift ***** to make it even higher and as close to the steering wheel as practicable.
Yes I bought it for street driving. Improves the feel of the shifter, makes it feel more precise and quality. I believe the height, other than ergonomics for steering wheel location, also is to address the increase in mechanical force required to make a shift which would accompany lengthening the portion of the mechanism below the pivot.
My car is a Streetport 12A with all the usual mods. Sort of a period correct type of resto-mod. I think the shifter adds to it nicely!
I am sure Keith could tailor the length to suit your needs, just keep in mind the force will go up accordingly.
Edit, also mhr650 this is some great transmission info. I will look into it further.
Last edited by tommyeflight89; 01-25-22 at 05:13 PM.
On an SA you could always use the standard shifter, unscrew the **** and install an aluminum spacer back towards the driver, then install the **** to the spacer. Not exactly a good esthetics but it should work, they do something similar often in the T5 transmission world.
I've had the Gracing short shifter on my FB since 2019. I believe I was like the 8th person to buy one off ebay. I noticed he has made some improvements on the shifter since then. Mines rattles and make a lot of noise at high rpms. Which is kinda annoying when you take long drives lol. I seen there is a derlin bushing for the bottle ball of the shifter now. Does the shifter make any rattling noise on yours? The shifter works great and totally changed the way the car feels. Just the rattling noise on my . Would totally order a new one of that sound is gone.
I bet if you email Keith he would send you a bushing!
I will have to see what mine is like when we have no snow in many more months. As long as things are ok on the highway and around the city at normal RPM's, that's fine with me. I have the Mazda Competition engine and trans mounts, so high rpm stuff rattles anyway. Part of the fun.
I've had the Gracing short shifter on my FB since 2019. I believe I was like the 8th person to buy one off ebay. I noticed he has made some improvements on the shifter since then. Mines rattles and make a lot of noise at high rpms. Which is kinda annoying when you take long drives lol. I seen there is a derlin bushing for the bottle ball of the shifter now. Does the shifter make any rattling noise on yours? The shifter works great and totally changed the way the car feels. Just the rattling noise on my . Would totally order a new one of that sound is gone.
I haven’t driven mine yet, but the delrin bushing was added to take care of the rattling. I think you would need to send Keith your shifter so that he can machine the ball end to fit the bushing. A lot cheaper than buying a new one!
01-04-22, 05:02 PM
. Would totally order a new one of that sound is gone.