Hi guys... have any of you fitted a short shifter to your 944 and if so whats it like, which type is the best and wheres the best place to purchase one from? i sat in a GT3 at the weekend which had a shortshifter fitted and it felt realy tight and the gears throws were realy close, i know my 16 year old 944S2 box wont feel anything like that but will it make much difference ?
Short Shifter...
- Thread starter stevespic
- Start date
Neil Haughey
New member
I had one I got from Paragon products about 3 years ago. After having it reajusted twice ( 4 hours total workshop time ) it failed completely a couple of months back leaving me stranded on the A303 near Amesbury. Looked like a lovely piece of machined ali but IMHO had a couple of design flaws, last time I saw it I was chucking it into the recycling bin at my local dump. I now have a standard shift link set that is completely new and it feels fantastic.
My advice is save your money and fit a new standard shift linkage and any/all of the other bits that are worn. When the shift is right and the clutch is good gear shifts in the S2 are a joy. The speed of the shift is only limited by how fast your arm moves.
Is this like the one you had:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=220127018151&rd=1,1
If so its a good job I didnt have a bid. I used to have a very short shift on a golf, but it put a lot of stress on the linkage and it needed messing with every few weeks, but was a very nice shift when woking well.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=220127018151&rd=1,1
If so its a good job I didnt have a bid. I used to have a very short shift on a golf, but it put a lot of stress on the linkage and it needed messing with every few weeks, but was a very nice shift when woking well.
Check with Jon Mitchell. I have had 2 of his and you can get either a short street one or more of a race one. They are built very well. I have had both having changed from the 'street' to the 'race'. The 'race' is very short and feels quite tight but you get used to it. I like it.
poprock
New member
I picked up a new 944 Turbo at the weekend, and it has a short shift setup that was custom built by the previous owner. He manufactured a replacement shift lever at the gearbox end with less travel and cut down the gearstick to a shorter length. It's well put together and has an extremely solid, positive feel.
Neil Haughey
New member
That one retains most of the guts of the original whereas the one I had replaced the whole thing. It did make the shift very short and rifle bolt in feel but also very stiff and yes it never went more then maybe 2K of driving before it needed adjusting again. Usually either 1st or 5th and reverse would become almost impossible, and getting back into 1st from 2nd was always difficult.
From what I hear the one Jon M does is pretty good and doesn't have a heavy feel. However my own experience was that 90+% of the unhappiness with the standard shift was down to a worn clucth then a worn set of linkages.
It is amazing how a poor shift makes you think the gearbox is shot, you then get a new clucth and shift linkages and the gearbox feels great.
From what I hear the one Jon M does is pretty good and doesn't have a heavy feel. However my own experience was that 90+% of the unhappiness with the standard shift was down to a worn clucth then a worn set of linkages.
It is amazing how a poor shift makes you think the gearbox is shot, you then get a new clucth and shift linkages and the gearbox feels great.
Neil Haughey
New member
I believe he is on something like www.jmgarage.co.uk
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