depami

Please explain your opinion.

This car shifts like Charlie Browns' trick-or-treat bag!

If it shifted anything near as well as my MKIII Supra I wouldn’t even be asking this question!

But, I am guessing it will cost MUCH more than 5-10 K to make it shift as well as the MKIII!

Will a hundred dollar piece of metal make this Porsche shift as good as my Toyota?

I'm guessing NOT! YMMV!

Lizard928

The shifter that I designed is not for everyone. But those who do drive with it for 2-3 days LOVE it.

A few people that I know who have used it with stock early boxes say that it helped with the syncro problems and made it so that they could actually find the gears.

My shifter requires new bushings (Delrin) in the back from Rog as well.
It really does make it like a gated shifter. It is very precise and there is no rowing left in the picture. It also eliminates that pesky ball cup bushing, and front shift rod entirely.

Maybe put a shout out to the board and find if the there anyone in your area that has one installed. Or go to SITM, and ask anyone there. I believe that there were a few of them that made it there.

But the difference between my shifter and any of the other short shifters is HUGE.

Landseer

^^^I've been present for an install, trying to help eyeball where to drill the holes, and driven it a couple times. One of the few "upgrades" I'd consider. Worked nicely on later gearbox.

Dave928S

Colin .... I'm considering that as an improvement on my GTS ... but I want to keep that car as original as possible. I'm definitely going to put delrin rear bushes in ... how much difference would that make compared to the complete kit? No play in the front as it is now (ball cup is good) ... all the play is from the rear (although I should also take a second look at the shifter bushes).

Chris .... how tight and notchy was it compared to original? I prefer that to stirring a bowl of custard.

Landseer

I know Jadz928 could give the better comparison, and he did a couple videos of the install that you probably have seen already a while back. He has a way of describing it like a surgeon.

To me it felt like it gave more precision and control to the 87 box shift. Makes sense, since the front shift rod gets disconnected and tucked out of the way. It definitely didn't feel to me like mushy, imprecise feel, just the opposite. Part of it might be loss of leverage, meaning the box 'detent" feel is enhanced and becomes controling. Its a good piece. Hopefully the later ones have improved fit and template for hole drilling. Lining it up was a bit of a PITA on the prototype.


The older boxes with 1-2 synchro problems that I've got installed are a challenge --- my opinion is that the new shifter configuration, or any short shifter stem, isn't going to improve it. The longer shifter is easier on my wrist when having to feel and occasionally abort a shift.

If the older boxes were clean and new, and still shifted in 1-2-3 & 3-2-1 like they still do for me 3-4-5 & 5-4-3, then the short shifter or new configuration shifter might be a better upgrade.

Ducman82

for me, this shifter reminds me of my WRX that i had. nice and crisp, but also no real play. so its stiff, but precise. i ended up with eh Bronze bushings in the rear coupler, some people had a buzzing transfer from the trans to the shifter but mine does not.

Jadz928

Video at 11.... actually Post #2.

I agree with Landseer about the early boxes. Must have good synchros!

Also agree about the drilling template for the Lizard shifter. Which is part of the reason for the way I designed my 2-stage prototype.
All the credit goes to Colin for the original design though. I'm just a hack looking to improve fitup, installation, and reduce potential vibration thru lever due to being chassis mounted.

Landseer

How are your synchros on the 81, Ducman?

I've got an 84 with 928 intl short shifter and bronze bushings.
Pretty good setup. I agree, not that much vibration.
Would be a whole lot better if synchros were alive and well, though.
Am moving back to the long throw on this one.

Jadz928

Good move buddy.

Ducman82

i thought the old boxes had things that "looked like" syncros...... :-) mine seem to be ok so far.

Lizard928

The only reason that a template was not made was the ability to ensure that everyone was printing off 100% the correct size would have been hard to control.

As well, I did consider making a couple of additional pieces which would have even allowed for an install without requiring the two holes to be drilled.
However that would have doubled the cost in manufacturing, and as I am not completely made of cash, and have other things to spend money on. Well you get the picture.

It might help as well for future revisions if Roger was actually to market them!
The only ones sold have been word of mouth. It has never actually been listed. I just got another email today asking me about it, who sold it etc.

Courtshark

Another word-of-mouth sale in the works...

Landseer

You would have appreciated last year at SITM.
Steady stream of folks climbing into Jim's Perl car to checkout the Lizard shifter.

Lizard928

JWise

Colin speaks the truth. I had a brief drive in Herman's GTS equipped with the Lizard shifter. To say it is much shorter is a dramatic understatement. It felt more like flipping a switch than shifting a gear. It's THAT short a throw and will likely take some getting used to for most people. It is much tighter and more precise IMO.

I would note the throw felt shorter than what it looks like in Jim's videos above.