RP Short Shifter (get in the queue...!)
 

If you've been following Richard Paul's Axial Flow Supercharger thread, you'll be impressed with the quality of his engineered products. I see Richard is about to get into machining short shifters for the RX-8. I suppose he will have to start advertising if he wants to be a vendor, but as he is not selling yet I thought I'd start this thread to encourage him and create a pre-order queue for those who are interested.

Get in line behind me.... :D .

Gomez.

I'm right behind you Gomez.

Maybe we'll be able to negotiate a discount on shipping, nojooce!

I got a better idea, if we negotiate to be the official Australian distributors, we might even get our ones for free. :p

All you guys who want these things PM cortc and NICELY ask him to get me those old parts so I can get started. He's having trouble getting himself to the UPS store due to his workload. We understand that but we are all selfish and need our fixes. Or if someone else has old parts that are well preserved so I can engineer the new parts I'll get them back to you.

As for you Ausie guys maybe we can help with the shipping and duty costs by making my freind Hymee a dealer for these. I havn't thought about it but if you guys down there want I'm sure he'll go along. How about that Hymee, wanna help out your fellow countrymen?


Richard

Almost forgot, Thanks Gomez for the boost.

hey cortc if you do this could you also make a new boot to go around the short shifter so it doesnt look silly and if you can make a short shifter kit for like 200 and its quality i might look into it sounds aweesome.

i meant rich paul not cortc srry

maybe a short throw / axial flow sc combo. im inline.

beers

Hi magixpuma, the shifter should be able to use the original shift boot. A short shifter does not necessarily have a lower height, it's designed to have a shorter throw between gears. The effective pivot point of the shifter is raised on the shift housing, resulting in a shorter throw to engage gears. I'm sure Richard could lower the height as well, but you can then run into other problems. The effort required to slot into the next gear will be higher if the shifter is shortened....go too far and you will run the risk of missing gears as your normal shift action will not do the job!

I wouldn't mind the shifter being lower....just a wee bit though.

Gomez.

you know what i wouldnt mind........a custom made e brake handel that puts the damn thing in a cumfortable place so that i can actualy use it for something other than parking. i was even thinking it could turn a 90 a few inches befor the shifter and have the release button on the end. now that would be awsome :D oh and im so in on the short throw........?=$

Where's Hymee? :confused:

Someone organise to be the official Australian distributor asap because I'm dying for shorter gear throws. :p

Note to Richard, I have PM'ed cortc for your shifter..... :D .

Regards, Gomez.

If Hymee is busy, I'll step up to the plate.... :)

Gomez.

As I said, I want one asap, so remember me Gomez when you get sole distribution rights for downunder. :)

As the Hymee distributor for Europe, I think such a product could definitely enter the Hymee enHanced catalogue. But Hymee is the only one who can decide. I'm sendig him a mail although it's already 10 pm there!

Correct, in fact the MS shifter is even slightly higher than the original one, which leads to a better ergonomic position imho (... and the ashtray isn't blocked by the shift knob in odd gears anymore).

OK,

I'm in.

I'll contact RAP directly. During my recent visit, I saw such items coming out of RP's factory, although they where of the RX-7 variety. I also saw a factory(?) unit for some other make of car he was going to re-engineer.

Cheers,
Hymee.

Great !

how much shorter can it get than stock?

You didn't read my earlier reply to magixpuma, did you!

This may be a problem though, there are people out there who are happy with the height of the shifter and think this thread is all about lower shift knob height. It's not, it's about SHORT THROW shifters. Short throw shifters allow you to complete the gear change quicker with a lesser drop in revs during the change, thereby allowing a smoother shift as well. I wonder if it's possible to change the title of this thread and add the word "throw"....?

Gomez.

The throw is 20% shorter and the knob is 5 to 10 mm higher. But there is almost that much adjustment in the shift knob. Exactly how much we shall see.

That's the MS shifter you're referring to Richard? Were you planning an exact reproduction of the MS unit....or maybe go for a stock height or slightly lower unit. I don't suppose the change can go much more than 20%, can it? We'd run into geometry/clearance problems I imagine....

Gomez.

I'll take one

i will as well.

No, I am not copying the MS unit. I have never seen one nor will I buy one. It's just a common amount to change the throw on an already short throw. The hight addition is equal to the pivot point relocation. I can raise or lower the shift knob hight and will experiment with that before finalizing the design. It is a pesonal thing I guess. Maybe we should make a couple of different size shift knobs so there is a choice.