89Trooper

Guess you are waiting for this... TOLD YA SO!

89Trooper

Well, I just ordered the light BMR radiator brace to get rid of the heavy cross-member that's not needed any more since removing the sway bar. Of course, they are in Florida, so I had to pay stupid tax. Oh well, at least I'll get it quick.

I'll change it this coming weekend (now that I have a real weekend off)... along with the rear bumper reflectors.

pville piper

Yes, I had 97 GT that I bought new with a stick and owned it for 9 years before trading it in on this one. I haven't owned an auto since I converted my first car over to a stick waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy back in 1981... oooooohh I'm feelin old!
Anyway, you are correct that this shifter is a much shorter throw than the old SN95. But I never had much problem with that shifter and I NEVER had problems with down shifting and then not being able to get it into the desired gear. If I am doing 55 mph in this car and I want to go directly into 3rd from 5th it just won't do it without going into 4th before sliding up to 3rd. This wastes time and I have to stop and think about this as it seems un-natural to me.
And while I had the ocassional missed shift going from 2nd to 3rd in my 97, it is very common with this shifter. That fact along with the problem that once you miss the shift you again have difficulty in locating a gear to place the shifter into. It's like you have to wait and let everything settle down before it will go into any gear. Which by this time you have lost all momentum.
I don't claim to be some kind of super driver or something, but I have never had so much problem finding a gear with any other car I have driven. My 72 Gran Torino had a Hurst in it and I loved this shifter... You couldn't miss a shift with it and it was as smooth as silk to boot. That my friend is the reason I wish to dump this shifter. If I wanted to drive this car like Granny I wouldn't have bought a GT. I had a lot of fun with that 97 and never really worried about the shifter or missed shifts. Could it have been improved. Yeah, I almost bought the MGW but by then I was pretty set on an 05 so I didn't want to waste my money on the car.
The shifter is my biggest pet peeve about this car and I won't be happy until I replace it... But you know what happens when I do... I GOTTA GET MORE MODS!

89Trooper

If I am doing 55 mph in this car and I want to go directly into 3rd from 5th it just won't do it without going into 4th before sliding up to 3rd. This wastes time and I have to stop and think about this as it seems un-natural to me.
I don't think I have ever tried skipping gears downshifting... I usually go through them in order all the way down to 2nd. But, I'll try it tomorrow on the way to work.

And while I had the ocassional missed shift going from 2nd to 3rd in my 97, it is very common with this shifter. That fact along with the problem that once you miss the shift you you again have difficulty in locating a gear to place the shifter into. It's like have to wait and let everything settle down before it will go into any gear. Which by this time you have lost all momentum.
Ever consider that it may be the transmission? I guess you'll find out and will have to let us know. You'll be the first of us here with a real shifter swap. I miss 3rd now and then, but I think it's pretty much the driver not paying attention!

pville piper

Well, as fast as this car runs up to redline concentration maybe a problem... I am usually still recovering from my shock that I didn't hit the rev limiters in first!

habu

John,
Has MGW mentioned how much the shifter will be going for ?? Will it be that much cheaper than the tri-ax ? I have the Hurst and do really like it, but sometimes if it's cold getting it to shift into 2nd is difficult. This has gotten much better lately though.

I guess I'm asking because if I was going to get another shifter it would have been the Steeda one until I've seen all the hub-bub about the MGW one. AM I making sense ??

TacoBill

Good to hear, Leo. I'll give you my old covers just incase they hassle you on shipping them back. That way, you'll have them on hand instead of waiting for a Hawthorne trip.



Here's my issue with the stock/Saleen adapter... 1-2 shift is easy, 2-3 just as easy, never missed a shift yet. Problem is the 3-4 and the 5-4; it get's hung up and doesn't want to shift into those gates smoothly. The adapter block nut may be the cause of this (may need to be backed off another 1/8 turn).

Regardless, I'm too eyeballing the MGW as a replacement for the Saleen adapter.



I recall George mention the price to be between $250-300 bucks. Price is not only for shifter, but an entire kit incl the boot.

89Trooper

I don't have any shifting problems at all... and I do my fair share of wild shifting. I know I don't have the Saleen adapter, but neither does John. So far, any missed shifts were my fault, not the shifter's.

Our transmissions were made in two places - Mexico and Tennessee.

LEO_06GT

Bill-How does Saturday sound for tower cover delivery???

TacoBill

Wild shifting?? Let's see the video...

I wonder where my trans was built...

edit: Made in 2 places to make 1 unit? Or did they each produce complete transmissions?



So far, so good! Can't wait to see them and complete my install how-to thread on them.

89Trooper

Wild shifting??
As compared to Granny shifting.

I wonder where my trans was built...
Mexico. Mine? Tennessee.

(total units, 2 totally different places)

TacoBill

Wild shifting??
As compared to Granny shifting.
Still want to see your 'wild' shifting video.


I wonder where my trans was built...
Mexico. Mine? Tennessee.
That's messed up... not that Tenessee is much better!

89Trooper

Wild shifting??
As compared to Granny shifting.
Still want to see your 'wild' shifting video.
I meant... I don't baby it.


I wonder where my trans was built...
Mexico. Mine? Tennessee.
That's messed up... not that Tenessee is much better!
I know.

LEO_06GT

Not that any of us needs this but thought I'd post it considering it's reasonably priced.
http://www.mossmustang.com/Shop/View...eIndexID=57240

TacoBill

Wild shifting??
As compared to Granny shifting.
Still want to see your 'wild' shifting video.
I meant... I don't baby it.
And I meant, if you don't baby it, put it on video so we can all see you go thru the gears like a real man.




I can see if you're an Autocrosser or a canyon runner. But, for my 2 mile trips across the street for photo ops, I don't see a need for them. However, there may be other benefits to this kit?

habu

+1

(except for the 2 mile part ) I would love to try autocross though

89Trooper

John - I did a lot of critical analysis on the way to work today with the shifting. Although I have never shifted directly from 5th to 3rd before, I did it this morning every time I downshifted with no problem at all.

I tried it going 80mph from 5th to 3rd... going 55 from 5th to 3rd... I even tried going directly to 2nd from 5th and it slid right into gear (I didn't let the clutch out, though).

I granny shifted, power shifted, and speed shifted... all with no problems. I even tried going from 3rd to 5th and from 2nd to 5th and it went right in.

I'm serious about the transmission possibly being the culprit. The guy I work with has an '06 and needed his transmission changed already. If you continue to have problems, you may want to have them look at it before swapping shifters.

TacoBill

I remember driving my car home from the dealership and on the freeway, I did some non-traditional shifting (like Tom's experiment) just to keep the RPM's varying. I recall there was no issue with moving the shifter into any of the gates.

89Trooper

Right, so it is just the Saleen mod that is causing the hard-shifting problem? Instead of changing shifters, why don't you just go back to the stock set-up?

The only reason I could see for changing shifters is to raise the shifter **** up a little bit. But, since I don't put any drinks in the cup holders, it's actually pretty good just where it is.

habu

I agree that the stock shifter was pretty good. I never had any problems to just about any gear combo. I do the 5th-> 3rd or 3->5th sometimes and even that varies. I honestly think that IF it wasn't such a huge pain to replace I'd consider putting the stock back in. Especially if there was some way to keep the Hurst chrome stick and ball.

edited to add...
when I get an aluminum driveshaft it would certainly be the time to swap shifters whichever way I decide to go.