I plan on installing a short shifter on my 88 GT once I get out of college. I've been leaning toward Rodney's Comp II shifter but today I saw he had a logo shifter that I think looks awesome. Does anyone know if that shifter is shorter than the stock shifter or what it exactly is? There wasn't a whole lot in the description and I love that knob. Thanks!
Almost any shifter will be shorter than the 88 shifter. Be advised however that the reason Pontiac made them that long in the first place is because people complained about the high shift effort so that was the 'solution'. In other words be prepared for the higher shift effort with any short shifter, especially one that is longer on the bottom.
Rodney makes some awesome products, but I have to say I didn't care for the shifters that are straight up and down like the one pictured. It puts the shifter in the center of the console which is too far to the right for me. I had one of Rodney's shifters and ended up selling it.
In my opinion the best short shifter is the cut down 84 shifter. It has nearly a right angle in it that locates the shifter far more to the left which is a better location for me.
Rodney's shifters are the only ones I know of that actually have a shorther throw. The rest just have a shorter shifter handle. Nothing against any of them - just info to help you decide what you want.
I had Rodneys short shifter and drove it over 10 years in the 88 Coupe. After driving with it for 100k I didnt like the standard shifter at all. Rodneys shifter is the way the factory shifter should have been!! It looks better and is natural when sitting in the car. Just drop your arm down and there it is!! Hard to shift?? Donkey poop!
Steve W. NE Grand Rapids, MI 88 Coupe 1st Fiero hit & at Wellers Auto Parts 87 GT 3800SC 2nd Fiero
I think some are unaware that Rodney also makes a custom bracket for the 5spd Getrag, that also reduces distance of shifter throw.
I run this in combination with the Hurst Shifter he sells, and have no complaints.
I am running this with a cut down 84 shifter in my 88... my throws are ridiculously short, I can shift just by flicking my wrist and I have no complaints.
I merely pointed out that I don't care for the straight short shifters, I like my offset to the left.
also in Rodney's defense I am not using a stock Fiero Console...
But check out my cut down 84 versus the stock 84 versus the 88 shifter
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 04-10-2013).]
Same thing here. I installed Rodney's short shifter and "ultimate getrag shift kit" in both the manual Fieros I'd had. After driving with his shifters, I couldnt stand the stock ones at all.
I have Rodney's Competition Short Throw Shifter and I think it's great.
One thing to be aware of is that it does not have the shifter adjustment pin hole that you use to pin the shifter in place when setting the shifter cable adjustment. Not a big deal, just means you have to guess a bit if you have to adjust the cable.
My car came with Rodney's short shifter and while I like it, I think I would like the Hurst one better. My current shifter has a VERY short throw, I use my fingers for "1st to 2nd" and "3rd to 4th" shifts without even moving my wrist. This is great but comes with the added effort. The added effort to shift doesn't make it uncomfortable or anything but in my opinion, the shorter shift does not justify it. Nothing against Rodney, I love his products and this one is just as top notch as the rest, I just don't think its for me. Having said that, I've been driving it with that shifter for about 5 years now
There are several different lengths of the short shifted bracket that attach to the transmission. The picture shows the stock bracket on the left. The middle is a bracket I got from Rodney maybe 8 years ago. The one the on right came with a transmission I got. Origin unknown. I swapped the transmission which turned out is was very difficult to shift. So much so that I was going back to the original bracket until I realize the bracket on my original transmission was in the middle. I put that one and solved my shifting problems.
------------------ 88 GT 5 Speed Black with gray interior 3800 SCII Swap. Paint in Progress
IT RUNS!! IT'S QUICK!!
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