I want to shorten the shifter on my 7 and am looking for anyone out there who has already done this themselves. I know that shortening it will not really shorten the throw that much, but i am mainly doing it for the look of a sportier interior anyway. I guess that my shifter is in 2 pieces(i have an 88 GXL), so should i separate it? I have heard of people just cutting it and rethreading it too, how would i do that? Just looking for someone out there who knows what they are talking about. also, any pics?

thanks a lot

craig

 

yoohoo!....................

 

Just cut to where you have enough thread to get the **** back on. Dont cut all the threads off.

 

You are correct, the shifter is two pieces. The thing is getting them apart. So far I have used a torch and heated to the point that they fall apart, but still leave a mess, melted rubber, glue etc. After you get them apart, you can cut either piece or both if you want, then re-glue, weld, or whatever ... I would suggest that you cut the upper piece, on the end opposite the threads (lower end) appx 0.500". The lower piece
doesn't have to be cut, but can be depending on how you put it back together, it just fits up into the upper one.

 

Seperating the pieces is actually really easy. Just twist.

 

Or you can save yourself a lot of trouble and get yourself the shortened throw shifter from the 89-91 that came from the factory, pick up one of Totpkg shortened shifters from that model year, put in new bushings, and inner boots, get a new shift boot from doeskin leather that I am making for the 2nd gen and you'll be completely in business. Mine is really nice and I really like Totpkg's job that he has done. Real quality job and my shifter is tight, feels like new!
Ok that's unabashed advertising, but its all true!!!
Ralf

 

yeah, droptop i was thinking about changing the bushings and everything too, but i just don't want to have to buy the new inner boot at 40 bucks. I will maybe do that after this upcoming semester at school, but just for now i wanted to just change the shifter itself(just by cutting it or something like that). So, i remember reading a post like this about someone who actually had their shifter break off and they cemented it back on . Who was that and for whoever that is, when that happened could you have cut it shorter and still be able to cement it back in place.
I am thinking about just pulling the shifter into two pieces and then cutting the top one shorter and then JB welding it back in place. do you think that would work. That would be the easiest way cause then i could just use the same shift *** and so on....hands getting tired....must stop....

 

Mine is shorter now. Here is what I did. After I took the top part off, I cleaned all the rubber off the bottom piece. The I filled the top part with Permatex and slapped it back on. With the missing rubber it sits about an inch lower.

It's free and works great.

Yea that was me that cemented it back on. It did not "break" but just the top piece came off because the rubber snapped.

 

Or, email totpkg@hotmail.com and see what his shortened shifter costs. He does a really nice job with them. They turn out great and the finish is pretty nice. Doesn't hurt to ask and he's got experience with them.
RW