INTRUDER

Okay, We've had a few days to think avbout it ... any new ideas?

Arrow

Yeah. Let's send 10,000 nastygrams to Ford and tell them how stupid they were not to build one of these in the first place.

shaun_beauchamp

Well, my interior is Parchment and I didn't buy the shift mechanism off of Ebay primarily because all I need is the top part...in Parchment.

So... I'm going to talk to my guys at Hiller Ford on Tuesday night. We are going out to dinner and I will lay this on them. We should be able to take apart both an S197 and MKX.

Once I get more info, I'll post what the "fix" will be. I'm hoping to have some machine drawings and a prototype part by Valentine's Day. (Need something "romantic" for the wife. Well, it's shiny at least!)

Arrow

Here's a question...When you remove the square metal plates from around the shift handle, is the actual shift stick a metal bar, or a rod? If it's a rod, you could probably quite easily put any sort of handle you'd want on it, even if you have to re-thread it. If it's a bar, that'll be a PITA...

shaun_beauchamp

It is a rod. It has a button on top to disengage the lock. Basically, it's a piece of cake if your new handle is set up to depress that button. Also, the OD button has to be somewhere the existing harness can reach and or plug into. I believe the MKX handle will go piece of cake, the only problem then is the difference in the "H" beam style base and the rectangular base of the two shifters.

My concept was to simply make a cosmetic part to compensate for the geometrical difference of the two shaft covers. I believe that will be all that is necessary.

As stated, I will invest time and money on this in March. If anyone is dying to get this moving, maybe we can do some collaboration prior to that time. I'll buy an MKX shifter in Parchment or Burlwood if the price is good. Anyone know where (beside the dealer) I can find one?

Arrow

Anyone got any pics from a repair guide or whatnot showing the shifter exploded (taken apart)?

I'd love to help out with this, but I really can't afford to be taking my car's shifter apart. It's my only car and I can't have it in peices for any length of time.

If I could get ahold of some schems or some really good pics, it might get the brain grease going...