merrellbr

Got the car, got the OEM short shift kit, got the new bushings, etc. Ready for better shifting and stop "rowing a boat".

Now need some advice before I tear into it. Do I absolutely need to take out the front seats or can it be done leaving the seats in?????? I am basically lazy and don't want to do more work than I need to! The seats and rails are fine, so its not that I can/need to do anything to the seats or rails while I am into it.

Any tricks or sage advice to get the original shift **** off without breaking it?

Thanks!!
Bruce

Oldtee

Take out the passenger seat 8 minute job. You can do it without removing the seat but it is much easier since you need access to the side of the shifter.

Motoracingltd

where did you get the OEM short shifter? I took my 81'SC to Red Bones Garage in Orlando, Fl and had asked him about putting a short shifter in and immediately said not to because the original shifter box wasn't made for something like that and will end up being more trouble than help. He also said that, once i have enough hours in the car and figure out how she wants me to put it in each gear that I will be just as fast and smooth with the original.
anyone suggest something?

theiceman

I had my car for 5 years before putting the short shifter in. The short shifter is nice as it doesn't hit the front seat now going into second ( I have short legs and the seat all the way to the front. You should be as gentle as if you had the regular shifter and don't pound it like a honda just because you have a short shift and it will be fine. It took me a while to retrain my brain as to where 5th was and was really nervous for a while but I am fine now.

I did it with the seats in , it is no big deal . You do have to lift off the centre console to lift the carpet that is underneath it over the shift housingand it is a bit of a pain.

Advice -

1. loosen the allen key screw and lock nut that is in the housing while it is still in the car. it is bitch tight and having it bolted to the car really helps.

2. be carefull with the heater switch light down in the carpet as the wires are fine ands the screws are small.

Other than that it is pretty straight forward and will take a couple of hours max.

Good luck and have fun.

genripper

I did not take the seat out, and took the whole shifter housing out and did everything on the work bench.

I was even drinking a little bit when I was doing it, still came out ok!

Be careful when you take the top plate off,it's under alot of spring pressure.

It must be worth doing, even my wife said "what did you do to this, it shifts so much better?"

Good Luck.

genripper

Put a 14 or 15mm (I can't remember exactly), open end wrench under the **** and beat it judiciously with a hammer. 50/50 proposition at best it comes off without breaking it.

rusnak

I took both seats out. I find that it's actually easier and you do a better job if you take both seats out and have good access to your work. I took the center console out as well. While I was at it, I replaced the shifter bushing, cleaned and greased the shifter, and adjusted the parking brakes.

I like the advice as to the allen bolt (tension adjustment). I have a bench vise, but not everyone does.

This is not a hard job, so do it right.

A quick tip on re-installing the "defrost" light: Use an icepick poked through the backing plate hole. You'll find the screw hole in the center tunnel 10x faster that way. Use the icepick as a pilot to center the backing plate, and the little screw will go in like buttah.

merrellbr

You guys are great!!!

I am getting old and not a supple as I used to but so maybe taking the seats out would be a good idea! Seems to be the general consensus. Besides, don't want to have to be rescued from a embarrassing position by my wife and be accused of "getting it on" with the Porsche rather than her!? Although the thought has crossed my mind!!?? Really love my Porsche!

Great tips, especially ice pick tip. I to am height challenged and hoping that the kit will help that also, maybe I won't have to keep moving my back and butt in the seat every time I shift.

I picked up the kit on E-bay, they regularly have both the OEM -like kit and the Weimester(SP?) kit listed. Search '911 shifter'. About $100 w/o the bushings which I ordered from Pelican. Most of the reviews and "101 Projects" say that the OEM kit is preferred. The kit doesn't come with the shift ****, thus the issue of taking the old one off without breaking.

Again, thanks to you all! Please have a wonderful and SAFE holiday season.

My best,
Bruce

911tracker85

while you are at it, you may want to consider the Seine gate shift kits. search this forum for lots of postings. this gate shift helped me a lot. fairly inexpensive, I think it was a little over $100 when I bought one. it is spring loaded for the 3/4 gear plane. once I got it installed and adjusted correctly it has really helped me hitting the gates cleanly.

RL911

You must have been drinking very heavily if you let your wife drive your porsche

Motoracingltd

hahaha

genripper

Yes I was drinking heavily! And when I met my wife she was driving a 84 944 with a stick, and I sold her an Audi 90 with a stick (Back when I was selling at the Porsche+Audi store), only because her 8 year old daughter wanted a car she could see out of from the back seat. That was in 1989. So she is definitly Porsche qualified!!!

And I've been drinking heavily ever since.

merrellbr

Well, I finally did it and all of the tips and tricks really helped!!! Man, the first drive and it was nothing short of a new car, this is the way I always expected a Porsche 911 to drive and shift. Wouldn't think such a simple install would change the character of the car!!!

Why! Oh! Why didn't Porsche make these standard rather than an option???? Maybe so we would appreciate the extras!?

Again, thank you for all the tips and I certainly would strongly recommend anyone who hasn't to "just do it"!!!

Have a happy ans safe New Year to all!!!!!
bruce

theiceman

Great Job, glad it all worked out ... happy new year to all