280zx Short throw Shifter?

[JMortensen]

K, try again.

[Darrel]

Confused now.

 

Why would the 5 speed shifter have a 3/4" shorter throw than the 4 speed? According to the pic Darrel posted' date=' the sticks look damn near identical in height, and we all know that the distance from the pivot to the ball is shorter than the 4 speed. So what gives?

[img']http://album.hybridz.org/data/500/medium/z_78_77_shifter05.jpg[/img]

 

This does say one thing for my solution. Cut down like it is it has a 37% shorter shift than a stock 4 speed. That at least is some vindication for the short throw aspect of what I'm running. It is more than just "noticeable".

 

This difference in the throw between 4 speed and 5 speed makes me think we're missing another variable here. We already checked the throw of the shift rails, then you just have the pivot to the bottom, and the length from the pivot to the top. What else is there???

 

Both of these shifters came from a 1st gen one 4 spd the other 5 spd. The other measurements I noted came from a zx 5 spd shifter which is 1.5" shorter.

[Tony D]

Given the information available, how many people think the lever on the RIGHT would have a shorter arc of travel at the operator interface (shift lever) because of a longer pivot on the bottom of the shaft?

 

The way I looked at it, while the total distance moved is 10mm from one gear to "N", if you were at the BOTTOM of the hole, the linear arc you would make would be LONGER with the lever on the RIGHT, than with the lever on the LEFT which sat in the TOP of the hole. (given the same pivot location in the ears)

 

Same as if you cut the top of the handle down, where you engage that fork lever depthwise will have the same effect, only compounded because of the proximity to the fulcrum point (follow that gibberish).

 

If you RAISED the pivot hole using the shifter on the RIGHT, so it engaged the fork actuator rod hole to the SAME DEPTH as the lever on the LEFT (when it was in the original pivot hole), you would THEN get a shorter arc at the shift lever end. Given the same pivot, indeed the depth of engagement in the shiftrod hole will alter the throw characteristics. I can go back and measure the available depth of the hole in the fork actuator rod, too!

That should allow us a relative easy modeling formula if we know the dimensions on the available rods, and can predict the throws, and where the pivot would have to be located for optimum advantage.

Ideally I would see that the pivot just in the top of the hole in the fork actuator rod would be optimum placement because the scribed arc for the linear distance travelled would the minimized. This would follow with the post above about relocating the pivot in the ears higher for a shorter shift. This theory on pivot placement in the fork actuator rod would explain that phenomenon. And I'm sure graphically we can replicate it on paper!

[Darrel]

cut, drilled and tapped 1st gen shifter for use in a late long eared 5 spd transmission. Pics of other transmissions and shifters in the gallery for comparison.

 

I'll use nuts and washers as spacers to help solidify the stud. Thunderz will put it in his car in about a week. With the location he drilled the transmission ears the length of the pivot compared to the msa short throw shifter is 1/4" shorter.

 

[Trevor]

Here sre some pictures of modified stock shifters:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4601264752&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fmotors.search.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D4601264752%26fvi%3D1

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8026163837&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3APIC&rd=1

 

And the extended MSA lever:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8022452186&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

[Darrel]

WOW! $100 for a shortened shifter? I'm in the wrong business. The first 2 are cut off 4 spd shifters.

 

By the looks of the msa shifter, it will only work on the 4 spd transmission with the short ears. It won't work with the early or late 5 spds unless you want to cut the ears down. That is a great price on the msa short throw so far.

 

What I am trying to do is modify the long eared late 5 spd transmission to accept an actual short throw shifter.

[BillZ260]

What about the B&M or similar shifters? Which lever style is better to use the Camero (Straight Stick) or the Mustang (offset back)?

[alexx933]

I feel as though this thread has a lot of good information. If cleaned up of extra bits and conversation, this could prove to be a great piece to add to the FAQs. Possibly coupled with links to the shifter bushing threads or the how-to on atlanticz which covered bushings. I have read this before, but having forgotten the specific words I used to search, it was difficult to find again. If it were in the FAQs, the few beginners such as myself may spend less time searching for the answers and more time actually enacting them. Plus, who doesn't love short throw shifters!