Ed Hughes

The deal with 911's is the finite market. There are people that will alter their cars, but I think there is a larger group that want pristine or restored. The most active companies dealing in modified suspension bits are going to be Elephant Racing and Smart Racing Products. Both design and build some of their stuff, and resell other components. Rennsport Systems here too. All are institutions in the 911 world now, and provide some first rate and innovative bits to make a 911 work better. You and your team should browse thru their goodies.

Of course, there is ERP, Tarrett Engineering, Rebel Racing Products and others offering bits and mods. All have been around, and to pass the test of time in the relatively picky and tightknit 911 community, have to execute.

foxpaws

So - after the first trip to the car spa... the valves are adjusted, nice clean oil, new brake fluid, and lo and behold I don't need a short shifter... They replaced some bushings and sockets and a metal connector piece and some other rings and springs and washers under the shifter, and voila - crispy. Very crispy. No play at all. Easy to shift - gates all well defined, even getting it into reverse isn't a bother.

Every 911 I drove to find the one that spoke to me was a little sloppy - I just thought that was the way they were, and had resigned myself to springing for a short shifter.

Money well spent - much cheaper than a short shifter. Now the car can remain totally original for a while.

Ed Hughes

I need to save this thread for my evidence locker. There have been numerous times I've told people here not to waste money on a short shifter. Spend the $30 on new bushings and be done with it. A short shifter can actually accelerate the death of an older trans. Glad to hear you found this out firsthand.

rusnak

She has the G-50.

Ed Hughes

Same difference

rusnak

Maybe true, I know next to nothing about the geometry and throw distance of the G-50 firsthand. I put maybe around 180,000 miles so far on my Wevo 915 shifter and it seems to work ok so far, even though the PO hobbled it with a messed up drain plug.

Ed Hughes

I think the operative word there is that YOU put the 180,000 miles on the box/shifter combo.

I just cringe when people who buy used 911's, find out the trans isn't up to snuff, and think they can fix all their woes with a short shifter. I think all can benefit from the replacement of the cup bushing, and 915's even more so by the coupler bushings and an adjustment. If a syncro or something else is heading "south", the added pressure of the SS can accelerate the problems.

rusnak

Oh yes, and I look at it this way: say I mess up my gearbox with my shifter. Great chance to remove that damned drain plug.

I understand your point about shifter geometry vs bad bushings or syncros. Steve Weiner has an awesome writup on these trannys, and Peter Zimmermann has that tutorial.

whalebird

Good going Foxpaws. You dodged the first bullet with the shifter. Ed is right on with the short shift kit being a gimmick. I will go one further and say that they throw the "feel" of the car off. The shifter throws, the clutch travel, and the throttle throw all are in the same margine...if you follow me. The short shift will happen faster than all the rest of the inputs and make it hard to be smooth. The same happens when the 944 guys put thos silly throttle cams on. it's one of the first mistakes.
The alignment rack is really nice. I, for one, am used to the string method for the 911, and it works well for them. The strings have limitations on other chassis where a correct caster angle needs to be set. Most of the string guys have their own settings, and it's in millimeters, not degrees. So there is something lost in translation. I would love to have a set of those trick alignment attachments in your post...the one with the bubble gauge and tape measure.
As for a little R&D on the Porsche chassis, the older cars are pretty straight forward...there is no magic and I would gamble that your shop can nail it with a little work. The newer 993/993/boxsters with multi link rear ends have a convaluted set of gauges that the factory says is needed. I don't doubt it, but I suspect there are folks out there getting results with those cars using good old yankee logic. I gaurantee Steve W. could nail a 993 with a set of strings. So, like Ed(Mr. Hughs LOL)states, be open minded and resourceful, but jump in there and get it going. You will be an expert in no time.
Keep us posted and keep the project pics coming. Oh, you may need a plug in the passengers front tire of the Caddy.

foxpaws

Those stilettos aren't that hard on tires Whale..

But, to really give the 'new' to me shifter a little test - took him out for a run - this was taken on Hwy 77 between South Park and Lake George... He was a joy to drive.

rusnak

I love "roadtrip" 911 pics the most.

race911

993s are the only ones that need kinematic toe set. (Think REAR caster!) And yes you need the special tool. Either the factory one for cars at/near stock height, or the race one (or Walrod and some others equivalent) to equalize the setting side to side.

http://fdmotorsports.net/index_files/Page1853.htm (Mark and Darin are resellers.)

whalebird

I've always had the factory tools for the multi-link setups. Boxsters and 996/7s have a similar arrangement. A 993 is a "satisfying" alignment to get right...I've done a LOT of alignments on lots of cars and the later Porsche cars are fun because they are so precise.