89Trooper

I would pay $500 for a new shifter if I hated the stock one. Bill still hasn't answered whether it is worth $300 or not for my 4 scenarios. Or whether it is worth $300 period.

Why do you dislike Granatelli stuff so much, again? I can see Edelbrock, because they stiffed ya, but Granatelli? I have an entire Granatelli rear suspension (adjustable upper and lower control arms) on my '89 and they are awesome. I can adjust ride height with the spring mounts on the lower control arms (front-to-back and side-to-side) on that car! Wish the '06 had that kind of adjustment, but there isn't because the springs are on the axle now, and not on the lower control arms.

On this 289 Cobra.

fxdwg2002

Well I like it and that's what's important to me.

89Trooper

Since when does what a person think about their own car matter?

fxdwg2002

I guess my whole point of this is that I bought the car because I liked the car. I put things on that car that I like. Granted there are things out there that I would like to put on my car based on what people have said about a particular product, but I don't put s!@#t on my car just because someone else thinks I should. I completely understand why you feel the way you do about the whole shifter thing. I also know that alot of what has been going on here on the subject is to flip you S@#t about it, and it's all about having fun poking eachother and that's fine also. But there's a point where it's gotta end. I really don't care what others say about my ride, although it's nice to hear, but bottom line it's what I like and what I think that I need or desire to place on the car.

** I step off the soapbox**

89Trooper

I agree. And I'm sure you knew I was kidding (my last post).

fxdwg2002

Of course I did. I just felt it needed to be said that's all.

TacoBill

Okay, everyone chill.

All the agruements to Tom about the shifter are nothing more than a friendly debate. It may sound like war, but if any of you followed Tom's threads from way back when, he never gets serious. Me in particular, like giving Tom a hard time. We agree on most things, but don't see eye to eye on some mods every once in a while.

Tom, those 4 scenarios are confusing as heck to me. All I know is, I like my new shifter and you like the stocker.

As far as Granetelli's concerned, ever since someone highly respected here in TMS (as well as just about all other performance forums), pointed out that they basically ripped off another company's design, I have lost respect for that company. Why in the world would I support that kind of business practice?

89Trooper

It may sound like war
Sometimes it did!

Tom, those 4 scenarios are confusing as heck to me.
I thought you had a brain? I think it would help others (if money was a factor) on whether they would buy it or not. Take a measly 5 minutes, read part a) (both parts) and say YES, it would be worth $300 in that case, or NO, it wouldn't be worth $300 in that situation. Then read both parts of b), etc.

I'll make you a deal - if you take the time to say YES or NO (with a short explanation) to all 4 scenarios and you honestly say YES to scenario B, I will totally change my mind and consider buying this shifter. THAT's how much I trust your judgement.

As far as Granetelli's concerned, ever since someone highly respected here in TMS (as well as just about all other performance forums), pointed out that they basically ripped off another company's design, I have lost respect for that company. Why in the world would I support that kind of business practice?
I vaguely remember you mentioning that before. But, it must be some of their products, not all. I've never seen another company make an adjustable lower control arm with ride height adjustments for the Fox body.

Boltzman

if I wanted something bad enough for this stang,unfortunately I would probably be too weak to draw the line

fxdwg2002

Please dont' get me wrong. I'm all about a hardy debate on a subject. But Like I said before " where's the dead horse icons" the line has to be drawn.

TacoBill

But, Bill... answer that in several ways. Is it worth $300 if...

a) you want to drag race and know you will be slamming gears.

b) the car is a daily driver and you aren't having any problems shifting with the stock shifter.

c) the car is a daily driver and you are having trouble shifting/finding gears with the stock shifter.

d) the car is a daily driver, you aren't having any problems, but would like the ability to adjust the throw.

Don't forget to add the notchyness into the equation:

a) in this case you wouldn't care at all about the notchyness and may like it to get more positive shifts.

b) this would be where the notchyness would be the least desired.

c) this person may also like the notchyness if it improved their shifting/finding gears problem.

d) this person may or may not like the notchyness, depending on how bad they wanted the adustability of the throw.

A) Yes. To drag race or even getting on it on the streets, positive shifts are not only essential, but critical.. regardless of the shifter being notchy.

B) Yes. Hear me out.. You don't have to have a problem with shifting the stock shifter in order to upgrade it. If there's a problem with the stock shifter, it's either your inability to operate a manual transmission or the shifter/transmission is defective in some way.
Now, part 2 of the question is the stopper. If you don't have a problem with the stock shifter AND you dislike the notchyness, it's a no brainer, the answer will be no.

C) Answer to Part 1 is the same as B. Part 2, the answer is yes. Whether or not the notchyness exists, if an aftermarket shifter improves one's shifting skills, it's obvious that a new shifter will be at the top of the mod shopping list.

D) Yes & no. To those who enjoy tinkering with their toys, playing around with the adjustability of the shifter's throw can be quite fun. However, if you have no desire to monkey around with the car (like used just for transportation purposes), there's no reason to upgrade the shifter, or anything else in the car for that matter.

89Trooper

Good, I think this would be very helpful to some people. Really not trying to beat a dead horse, but just want to clarify a few things. And now at least we have something to talk about, instead of speculation.

A) Yes. To drag race or even getting on it on the streets, positve shifts are not only essential, but critical.. regardless of the shifter being notchy.
I was sure this one was YES. Worth it to make sure shifting is extremely positive and the shifter is beefier to handle hard shifting.

B) Yes. Hear me out.. You don't have to have a problem with shifting the stock shifter in order to upgrade it. If there's a problem with the stock shifter, it either your inablility to operate a manual transmission or the shifter/transmission is defective in some way.
Now, part 2 of the question is the stopper. If you don't have a problem with the stock shifter AND you dislike the notchyness, it's a no brainer, the answer will be no.
I know you don't need to have a problem to change it, but the question was "is it worth $300 if you are NOT having a problem". I don't have a problem... so it isn't me, my shifter, or my transmission. I'm not trying to force you to say NO, but what I'm looking for a YES or NO to is this:

"Bill, I don't really have a problem with my stock shifter. In fact, it's much better than any other Mustang's shifter I've ever used. I'm hesitant to get an MGW shifter because of the notchyness associated with the change. Knowing all of this, do you think, in your honest opinion, that it would really be worth $300 for me to change my shifter?"

C) Answer to Part 1 is the same as B. Part 2, the answer is yes. Whether or not the notchyness exists, if an aftermarket shifter improves one's shifting skills, it's obvious that a new shifter will be at the top of the mod shopping list.
Was pretty sure this one was YES, too. Worth it to try to fix a problem.

D) Yes & no. To those who enjoy tinkering with their toys, playing around with the adjustability of the shifter's throw can be quite fun. However, if you have no desire to monkey around with the car (like used just for transportation purposes), there's no reason to upgrade the shifter, or anything else in the car for that matter.
This would be a total YES, then. Someone who used it for transportation purposes only, wouldn't desire the adjustability benefit. Removing that from the equation, I take it your answer is YES if someone wants to tinker with the adjustability and doesn't care about notchyness to get it.

TacoBill

Keywords to your question are; no problems with the stock shifter, (dislike the) notchyness, $300+ dollars.

Answer is no.

There goes my commission.

matko

As far as Granetelli's concerned, ever since someone highly respected here in TMS (as well as just about all other performance forums), pointed out that they basically ripped off another company's design, I have lost respect for that company. Why in the world would I support that kind of business practice?
__________________
. I wonder if Granatelli is the only company out there that has capitalized on someone else's idea. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors. Should I stop eating at Mcdonalds because they have a big deluxe that looks like a whopper?

TacoBill

Of course not!.. Which is why they're still in business.

Feel free to Granetelli away with your car!

But, you won't find any on the TacoBill's GT.

karman

I have no love for J.R.
I have the dual strut tower brace because it is exactly what I wanted and NO ONE ELSE MAKES ONE EXACTLY LIKE IT.
They don't just copy everything.
They make their own stuff and copy everything they can.

matko

I guess what you don't know, you're not concerned with. It may have swayed my purchase if I knew what you knew. But then again, Granatelli is the only company I know of that has a CAI with their own MAS. Are you sure all your aftermarket parts are original designs. Maybe you don't want to know. Does MGW hold the original design for a short-throw shifter, or did they use someone else's idea and change it a little?

TacoBill

Post from Tom, he's having issues logging into TMS, so he asked me to post his updated painted strut cover pic.

"Not perfect yet, still have a tiny bit more to touch up."
"It's a crappy shot cause it's in the garage."

89Trooper

Thanks for being honest.

It's called a Big N' Tasty. Get it right.

Thanks, Bill... but of course I can get on fine now. Here are more pics:

Attachment 23552 before touch-ups

Attachment 23553 Attachment 23554 Attachment 23555 after touch-ups (make sure to enlarge the pic after clicking on the attachment)

mikes rx

Tom, I really like the way you painted the "4.6". Looks much better.