240Z2NV Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 If this is the wrong forum, I apologize. I didn't know where else to post it. I am contemplating a 'gated' shifter plate for my T56. When I say gated, I'm thinking along the lines of those commonly seen in Ferraris and other Italian sports cars (Maserati, Lamborghini...) I think that it would be a nice touch; but, have no clue how to make the template of the pattern accurately so that I could get a piece laser cut out of aluminum. Any ideas would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonzer12 Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Guy I know of (i just remember the commotion around the cnc machine) CNC'd his out of aluminum then polished it up. He said he just made relational mesurements of the edge of the shift lever in each gear so he had a rectangle encompasing the extremeties of the lever movement. Then he just cut out a cardboard trial template, fixed it in place and then just kept trimming it until it fit right. Then he programmed it all into the machine and out it came. He screwed it in place and it looked pretty good. He had a 5 sp tho. I imagine that it took a good bit of work. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewievette Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Gee, that's about what I was going to say! I'd like to add that after you get all your measurements and test fitting done, make one last template out of wood (or something that wont move out of the way of the shifter when you test it). That way you'll know exactly how the aluminum one will 'feel' when your shifting, and you'll know for sure that it is correct. Afterall, it might get expensive to have multiples cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedRacer Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Tom Edwards over at Scorpion Z Cars http://www.scorpionzcars.com/ sells one but I don't know if it will work on a T56. I would at least check with him. BTW, if you do contact him, please tell him that the price on his web site doesn't have the decimal in the right place and list the gate for $1,600.00! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguy95135 Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 I saw a Z with one at the MSA show, it looked like crap. (IMO) PLus wouldnt it make it hard to shift? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SeanyD300zxT Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 idealy, if the plate was properly sized and fitted it shouldn't even remotely hinder the shifting because it wouldn't be interfering with your normal shift pattern. I've thought about doing this on mine aswell, and after a few templates out of cardboard, I decided against it. That, and the shifter on mine isn't exactly something I want uncovered, and remaking the shift fork just to have a gated shifter....not so much worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 I was always scared of the transmission twisting and the shifter going off-center... and then the plate may damage the shift linkage. This steered me away from making anything like that. I eventually put a solid torque brace on my last engine to stop it from twisting at all... this worked great, but I never made a shift gate of any sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted December 16, 2004 Author Share Posted December 16, 2004 Not looking very promising to date....thanks for the input so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted December 16, 2004 Share Posted December 16, 2004 I've actually wanted to do this for a while.. but looking at the patern in the stock 4 gear, I decided it was a bit wide and would look.. odd.. I'm wanting to swap in a 5 gear (stock Z) this winter and may build a shift gate then.. I was going to make a whole 'plate' from 1/4" aluminum that would come back over the ashtray hole, and incorperate the choke lever and some 'extra' switches (fog lights, hidden switch perhaps for the fuel pump..) I don't see it being to dificult to build, and my shop has a CNC mill so I could probly get the nc guy to program it in, and run a few off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted December 16, 2004 Author Share Posted December 16, 2004 If that was a veiled offer, I REALLY appreciate it; but, I am running a T56 6 speed. Thanks though! Would love to see your results nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted December 16, 2004 Share Posted December 16, 2004 The T56 pattern is pretty close together which would make the 'legs' of the aluminum plate between gears (like between 1st and 3rd and 5th) very thin......I think it would look cool if bevelled nicely and polished.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 1bad180sx: You're right about the twisting of the engine and tranny. I know my shifter moves over alot as the torque is laid down. The thing with the ferrari's though, is that it most likely has a linkage that bolts to the body. That's why it makes more sense to have one on a ferrari. Z car? only if there was a seperate linkage involved imho. -Oliver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedRacer Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 On most old Ferrari's the gate is attached to the transmission Which is the way a T-5 is set up so I would think you would want to try to do the same thing. BTW, if you are interested, you can buy a 1/3 scale model of the GTO shifter http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=745&item=6939622940&rd=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 18, 2004 Share Posted December 18, 2004 On current Ferraris, its easy because the transmission ain't under the shifter.... like any mid engine car. I forgot about that point... good one. I wouldn't want a shift gate that rocks around with the tranny... that looks sorta funny, and would look really funny when its rocking around. Just make the tranny stop moving at all, and then get to making your shift gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted December 18, 2004 Author Share Posted December 18, 2004 The attached Ferrari pic is of a MUCH older production year than I was referring. I have seen the plate that I have in mind on CURRENT production models, and I truly don't believe that they are attached directly to the trans. Anyway, I was just 'fishing'. On a side note, "1Bad180SX" what's up with those LED tail lights?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grimlynsan Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 bump Has anyone made any progress with this yet? I have contemplated making one out of aluminium for some time now and the fairly standard L26 i'm using shouldn't create too much twist should it? I was thinking something like this: But obviously in that squarish part around the shifter. It looks as though if one were to chamfer the edges of the plate it would sit flush with some adhesive underneath. I really want to do it (in brushed aluminium though) but the problem is i don't want to be able to see through the gaps into the under console area. I've thought about putting a black rubber piece with a hole in it over the stick underneath the plate which would move with the stick but I dont think that will work because in 1st and 2nd gears the gap would show through 5th and reverse because I dont think the rubber can be made big enough without hitting on the nearside to the gear your'e in. The other idea was to make some kind of 'flap' system out of rubber following the shape of the hole. I don know how to make that work either. If someone can help me sort this out i'll do it and post pics. All help and critisism appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 i sorta took the gate out of the Ferrari at work and im trying to make it work with my Z's tranny. but its gonna be real hard. even with the gate off the shift pattern on the ferrari is the same.. gates there to guide it but really it doesnt really do that.. sorta there for looks and for that "CLICK" sound once you shift. were getting a 575M at the shop soon and a 355 so ill look at there shifters too. the shifter gate i have is from the 1992 Mondel. (sp?) mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grimlynsan Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 I am related to an aluminium fabricator so to make the plate will be relatively easy - just measure and whip it up on the milling machine and then anodise or powdercoat it. The reason I havent done it yet is that I cant work out how to conceal the underneath. I don't want to be able to see through. It will be purely for aesthetic purposes. I have new rubber bushing thingies where the stick meets the box so its nice and smooth and doesn't move from side to side. I don't want the stick to touch the plate at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 It will be purely for aesthetic purposes. I have new rubber bushing thingies where the stick meets the box so its nice and smooth and doesn't move from side to side. I don't want the stick to touch the plate at all. Don't use rubber! use metal bushings, It will keep the shifter moving in more of the pattern that it is created by the shifter. The rubber will allow the shifter to "squish" its way out of the normal path. The closer the shifter stays to its original path, the easier it will be to guide it along this plate you are making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grimlynsan Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Don't use rubber! use metal bushings, It will keep the shifter moving in more of the pattern that it is created by the shifter. The rubber will allow the shifter to "squish" its way out of the normal path. The closer the shifter stays to its original path, the easier it will be to guide it along this plate you are making. I wish I had an option but here in Australia with a population of only 20 million, we don't have the aftermarket support. They're actually not rubber but they're rubbery (maybe polyurethane). I ahd enough trouble finding those. It is very rigid though. The issue here is the rubber 'flaps' Thanks for the concern though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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