I'm making my own Fi-Euro gated shifter.

Using Rodney's replacement Euro shifter, which is ten times better than the original...

(shorter shaft, thinner shaft, better materials, smaller knob, true short-throw, well made)

I am making my own gate plate, which is also going to be much nicer than the original...

(better fitment in console area, tighter shift area, longer gates, better material, overall better eye candy)

Looking for opinions on 2 areas...

1) what thickness would you use? 1/16"? 1/8"? Other?

2) would you use aluminum or stainless steel?

Picture of my prototype...

Picture of original shifter (yuk) and original gated plate (double yuk)

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 12-16-2004).]

Mine is the original yukky one I like it, never had a problem. Yours does look a little better with longer slots. If I remember (cars not here) its 1/8" stainless. I did use a different ball. Machine shop next door had a nice catalog with all kinds of threaded balls (for machine handles).

I would use 1/8" SS. I would use it because SS would be more resistant to wear and scratches than aluminum, and 1/8" would be less likely to bend than 1/16".

Just my opinion.

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Chris

Thanks...

it's not just the slots that make it look better, if you look close everything has been tighten up. Middle section smallest possible, basicly when you move the shifter around to it's maximum positions, there is only an 1/8" gap between the shifter and the plate. As a result, it allows you to be more creative everywhere else. Gate area is narrower, slots are longer, distance between outer edges of plate and interior cutout is much larger, and so on. Gives a better overall look. There is little room for error. Rodney's shifter must be used. And all your components must be in good shape... shifter bushings, cables, etc.

I was thinking the same thing about the stainless. Thought maybe there is a reason I should use aluminum that I didn't think of.

As far as thickness... I was afraid 1/8" would be too thick. Hmmmm...

1/16 is ok for stainless - would need 1/8 for aluminum

i'd vote for 3/32 laser cut stainless, deburred and polushed
(but honestly its cheaper to chrome plate steel than machine SS)

Thanks, maybe I'll go the 3/32 steel route and have it chrome plated, I like that idea!

I had a conversation (via email) with Rodney. He said the Fiero shifter would not allow the shifter arm to go into any of the gates. I was bummed.

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Take a deep breath... smell that? It's a cleaner, fresher PFF!
***Custom 85 under construction, 87 Coupe in the driveway. The fun never ends!***

That is correct, the piviot point is too high (too close) to the top of the console. Not to mention it's a cable shifter, which is much looser than a linkage shifter.

The Fi-Euro gated plate is strictly cosmetic, just like any leather or vinyl boot on a manual shift car. It's sole purpose is to hide the guts and uglyness.

I always liked the gated look, love the shifter style, but hated the Fi-Euro's huge center opening with very short gates, it just looks cheezy (no offense to current Fi-Euro Owners, just an old design), which is why I decided to build my own.

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 12-18-2004).]

Has anyone ever tried to make one that WILL work with a Fiero shifter? Big wide gates that it, or Rodney's shifter will fit through? Or is it just not possible the way its all designed?

see above

Due to the shifter piviot point being so close to the console, there is very little movement of the shifter shaft where the plate is.

All you shifting takes place in the middle section. The original design is very obvious, but I thought I did one hell of a job on the re-design. I think it looks 300% better!

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 12-18-2004).]

I have seen guys that can shift the lever thru the actual gates. They had built the console up high enough that the arm actually moved farther when you shifted it. WIth the orig style console, the pivot point is right below the gate like he said and only moves maybe a 1/2" in any direction.