mdmaclean

Has anyone added a new shift **** for their RX-8?

I have been looking at the various sizes and finishes. I am leaning towards a pearl finish 2" sphere. Has anyone tried the pistol grip style voodoos?

Voodoo Shift *****

Ike

Those are awful, they look like some of the bad shiftknobs from ebay. No offense, but just not my taste.

Kev

NO WAY!!!

Don't even consider it - they are disgusting.

NoVa

I dont know, but I think they just took door ***** and called them shifters ..... Not my cup of tea but if you like them go for it....

mdmaclean

I have only seen web photos, never one in person. I have read a few posts that imply that they are nice shift *****...

What would guy recomend as a replacment? Or just keep the stock one (it is stylish, but not super comfortable).

Dick Carlson

I had one on my Miata, and still have one on the wife's SVT Contour, and I'm ordering one for the RX-8. Wouldn't live without it. And you know you can have it engraved by Joe Portas the Knobmeister.

mdmaclean

Which style/color do you think matches the RX-8?

Gord96BRG

(ETC!)

You guys are obviously unfamiliar with the legendary Voodoo shift ***** - They're more than just shift *****, you should know...

Seriously, they have a huge following in the Miata world - they were patterned after the classic Ferrari spun aluminum shift ****, and are machined from billet aluminum with threaded collar (no lame set-screws here). I own two of them - a crinkle-black regular Voodoo ****, and a polished aluminum Magnum Voodoo **** (I also have a custom wood shift **** made by one of our local Miata club members). They really do enhance the shift feel of the car - major functional improvement, if lacking the flashiness that impresses the cruising crowd these days (avoiding the rice word). I've thought of getting one for the RX-8, but figure Mazda put so much effort into providing that rotor-shaped shift **** that I feel obligated to stick with it a while longer!

Regards,
Gordon

VividRacing.com

Not my cup o tea, but if it works for you then that's all that matters. Personally, I can't use a solid metal shift **** here in Phx, It gets to dang hot. I tried that before with a brand that had thier logo engraved on it and the first time I got in the car to drive somewhare after the car had been sitting out in the sun all day, I felt like that **** guy in Indiana Jones when he brands his hand on the medalion.

Omicron

Nope, no way for me. While I can see the apeal to these replacement *****, one of the things I like best about my 8 is the rotary-shaped shift **** it came with. Plenty of other things to spend money on too.

eccles

One thing to remember if considering a replacement shift ****: the OEM **** is quite heavy. I suspect that this is to improve shifting feel and/or reduce vibration; replacing it with a lightweight alternative may be detrimental in one of both of those areas.

Shocka

i like the stock **** i dont see myself replacing it unless i get the leather light up one

texlaw

I also like the look and style of the stock shifter. There was a post however of someone having trouble with the finish wearing off. Has anyone else had this problem? I haven't yet and I am at 2500 miles.

eccles

I think the only people with wear problems are those that like to fondle their **** while they drive.

f1 tech

blizz81

This is a ferrari-style ****, not a pistol-grip clear plastic LED-ridden ebay ****. This coming from Mr. Function-over-form

I had a team voodoo **** in my acura - it helped out shifting feel because the stock **** was very tall, and the thread only ran up about halfway through the ****. In extreme summer/winter temps here it wasn't too bad in that respect.

But since the stock **** in the 8 has a good feel already, I don't know if I'd spring for one.

Nubo

I can attest to the amount of thought that went into the Voodoo ****. As I recall its development stemmed from a lengthy thread on the CompuServe "Miata-ville" SIG, which I frequented back in the day. (This was a few years before Al Gore invented the Internet).

Aluminum was chosen for its light weight, which results in a lower moment of inertia (quicker shifts), and also reduced thermal mass (so it doesn't burn through your palm on a hot day). Titanium would have similar properties. The sphere also serves to lower overall height, resulting in a shorter throw (quicker shifts). I sense a pattern...

My idea of a copper **** was shelved because of the thermal issue.

Somewhere I have the 5 1/2" floppies which I used to download the message threads to my C64 at a blazing 300baud. Serious! Funny, there seemed just as much good information available then as there is now with high-speed internet. Maybe that represents some kind of universal constant

Anyway, I never got over my copper jones and put off my purchase; ended up cancelling CompuServe at some point (it did cost $6 per hour!). Nice to know the legend survived. It must have been 12 or 13 years by now. I still have the Miata too, but I think it's going to be swapped for an 8 pretty soon. Maybe this time around I'll use some VooDoo. The pearl aluminum looks fine.

santino

Voodoo Bob does offer a Titanium Voodoo ****, but it is a little pricey. but it is pretty nice. i am still debating on ordering the Ti **** or the regular polished/chrome piece.

santino

mdmaclean

Well, I took the plunge and ordered a 2" pearl shift ****. I will post again about it once it comes.

Dick Carlson

I'd like to see that pearl **** installed. Almost went that route myself but have ordered the smooth black instead with the thought of getting it engraved.

christi88gxl

Hey,

If you're interested in some Titanium shift ***** or similarities, check out:

obbnmotorworks.com

Look around :D

Dick Carlson

Trouble is, many of those look like beer tap handles, golf clubs, or marital aids. Where do I put the batteries?

atr_hugo

Read POS for 'company cars' on Carlson's sig line. (Speaking of thread drift... ;-)

Ike

Speaking of that sig. what year Lotus Elite, I don't suppose you have any digital photos of it?

And to stay on topic, I'll take a Momo ****, or my current Prodrive ****. The Voodoo **** just looks cheap and cheesy to me, maybe they are great ***** but I'm not impressed by the pics.

blizz81

I still don't get what can even look cheap about the voodoo *****. They're so simple. Maybe if you have a black spun one with an 8-ball engraved on it, but this does not look cheap to me:



Especially when compared to this, for $70 and from what I can tell is a set-screw universal ****:



The momo ***** I see are similarly brand-name over-priced and are set-screw mounted. I'd rather have something that threads directly in.