Long shifter (pic heavy)

[bugdust]

I've built a few (6-8) long shifters over the years. I have built most of them one way which I will document and post as soon as I get time and parts to do another shifter. I decided to take a few pics as I built one today a different (easier) way.

I started with a stock 68+ bug shifter. They are cheap and plentiful. I stripped it down to the basic shifter.



The little spring-loaded ball (not really a ball) has to come out so a roll-pin can be inserted to keep the shifter straight. I just clamp the shifter in the vise and grind across the ball. It doesn't take much and then the ball will pop out.




I don't remember the actual size of the roll-pin (I got them a long time ago). I have used JB Weld to hold them in and I have just tapped them in with a hammer. Do whatever you like.



Then I use a cut-off wheel to cut the end of the shifter off with about an inch and the threads. I will use this later. I also cut off the other end leaving about 1-1/2 or 2". Discard the center and keep the two ends.



I clean up the cuts with a grinder, bevel the edges and then use a step-drill to clean up the inside (both pieces)


I bought some 1/2" tube at the local hardware a few years ago. You can buy it in 4' lengths but it's a little pricey that way. You can also get it at Tractor supply and Home Depot, etc. Grind a bevel on one end of your tube as well.


To sleeve each joint I used a 3/8" carriage bolt that I cut the head off of then cut in half. You can use whatever you have. I had to grind the threads a little to get it to drop in the shifter.




Here's the parts so far


I slid one of the bolt halves into the shifter and then the 1/2" tube over that. I clamped it to a flat surface and welded it together





I used the bench grinder to take off most of the weld and then the soft pad to clean it up the rest of the way



More pics in a minute

[Cat Box]

looks good so far i cant wait for the second installment...

[bugdust]

Then, I took the stock shifter out (my 62 vert) so I could decide where to bend the shifter. I left the plate right where it was. I just stuck the shifter in place, not bolted in.



I marked the shifter with soapstone. Then, I heated it up with the torch (to make it bend easier) and stuck the end into some tubing and bent it until it looked right



Then, it was back to the car to see where the second bend needed to be...same as before; mark, heat, bend (opposite direction)



Then, I cut off the excess tubing, beveled the edge and cleaned up the inside with the step-drill



I stuck the other bolt half into the threaded end and then into the shifter. I repeated the clamp, weld, grind routine.



Voila!! a shifter


Then, I put the quick-shift kit on and bolted the shifter in place. This is where you make sure you can get all gears. This one wouldn't hit 1st or 3rd without hitting the windshield so I had to tweak the first bend a little.


Aluminum spacer in place (Do not buy the plastic kit)


mushroom in place. You may have to use the step-drill or dremel to take a little material out of the inside so it will slide around the bends.



cover on (no boot shown)


Make sure the roll-pin is in the slot in the shift rod (68+ cars will need this notch put in the shift rod cup...another how-to coming soon)



Check that it works, pull it out to tweak it if needed, paint it if desired, bolt it back in and top it with your favorite knob. Done!



Painted (along with another one I did a while back)



Total time was about 1 to 1-1/2 hours including pulling out my stock shifter and putting it back in when I was done. Paint time not included.
Total cost was:
late bug shifter - free (usually $5 or so at swap meets)
quick-shift kit - $6-7 last time I bought one (I buy 10 @ a time)
bolt - $.50 maybe
1/2"x48" tube - I think it was $6-7?? (been a while)

So, for $20 and a little time you can have your own! Have fun.

[jkien65]

Also needs to be in the tech bin.

[vwfanatic]

jim is our new mr moto.....MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS!!!!




pretty sure that is what charlie had in mind there jim

[jkien65]

Originally Posted by vwfanatic

jim is our new mr moto.....MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS!!!!




pretty sure that is what charlie had in mind there jim

Ya think? at least I am good at SOMETHING

[bugdust]

Yeah, I'm just trying to put some current info on the site for the new guys. the problem is, A. I have not done much that was useful to building a "volksrod" and B. what I have done I didn't take pics of.

Maybe you Mods can filter out the BS posts (like this one) if you add it to the Tech Bin?

[Jon]

Great write up Charlie,
I have something you might wanna dd to it.

to make things easier you can drop the mushroom spacer on before the bends or if your getting fancy in the case of a chain shifter, sword or anything where the spacer will not slide over put it on first before you add your slug and weld the extension on.

[Stray Catalyst]

Thank you - this tech article will make some of my harebrained schemes work more easily.

Stray Catalyst

[pet19821]

so does the extension cause excess wear in the tranny from the weight?

[purplemyth]

so does the extension cause excess wear in the tranny from the weight?

Rob~
"actually it can cause wear. Same thing if someone drives with their hand on the shifter all the time. It puts pressure on the shift forks."

(I asked cuz I did not know and now know to keep my hand of the shifter while driving!)

[bugdust]

Originally Posted by pet19821

so does the extension cause excess wear in the tranny from the weight?

I believe it can. Someone pointed out that the Bentley says something about holding/resting your hand on the shifter while driving causing premature wear...same idea here I would think. The shifters I made before, including the dark grey one in the last pic, were made from solid round bar. I even made a couple out of 5/8"...talk about heavy. This one was made from thin 1/2" tubing and is notably lighter than the solid ones. I'd say it isn't any worse than a heavy shift knob on a stock shifter but I have no scientific data on the subject.

[pet19821]

well im not dissing rat rod shifters or anything. i use my car daily so i wouldnt do that just cause it would kill my tranny. but like alot of you guys that have show cars and stuff no biggie. one of these days when i have a car that i dont have to rely on as my only means of transpo you bet your ass it will have a four foot stick. btw anybody no how to tells if your diffs crapping out in an late IRS tranny. i think mine is i was hangin a louie and all the power suddenly went to the right and threw me around a bit. i guess pm if you want to start a tranny thread cause i know id like to start tech on that.

[BonesTheRipper]

Originally Posted by pet19821

well im not dissing rat rod shifters or anything. i use my car daily so i wouldnt do that just cause it would kill my tranny. but like alot of you guys that have show cars and stuff no biggie. one of these days when i have a car that i dont have to rely on as my only means of transpo you bet your ass it will have a four foot stick.

dude i have an extended shifter on my daily/only car... 71 rat no top no fenders.... i speed shift on the fuckin thing all the time... i race my buddies all the time.. i've had that thing for over 3 years now... it doesn't have to be just for show. it's for whatever you want/need it to be. as far as wearing out the tranny, according to any vw manual you read, EVERYTHING will cause premature wear.. there's no denying that. these things were built to take a beating and volksrods guys really know how to beat em up..

[ONETYPE]

what i found to do is just use a bus shifter on the bug chassis the mushroom is weld higher on the shaft then use the shift kit it will shift dang close to stock if not a little faster