Seems I saw a thread a while back where someone had shortened their automatic shifter. I did a search and found nothing related. Anyone ever done this (Im sure lots have)? If so, how do you do it? Thanks!

Why would you do this? Its not going to shorten shift times...

I have done it. Are you wanting to keep the stock shifter, or use an aftermarket one? Makes a huge difference in what is needed to shorten it.
PM me for details.

LOL!!! WHAATTTT??? you mean it wont shorten shift imtes!?!?! j/k. No, I am finishing up my interior and prefer the look of a shorter gear selector.

I want to use the stock gear selector, just shorten the height a bit. Any details you can provide would be awesome! Thanks!

I cut mine down a while back and I like the height it sits at now. I just used a hacksaw and went to cutting on it. I have a manuel shift knob on mine even though it is an auto. I have it where no button needs to be pushed and I also removed the plastic stick and spring on the bottom on the shifter so it never locks in gear. It didn't make my shifts faster but then again they are already faster than any 4/5/6 speed there is out there.

Back when my Fiero had an automatic transmission, I shortened the auto shifter so it wouldn't smack into the cup holder when I put the transmission in Park. Plus, the shorter shifter looks better. Basically all I did was chop off the top 1.3" or so (i.e. three "beads" off the plastic plunger rod), and recreate the slots and grooves on the shortened lever. I used a hacksaw to chop the lever, and a Dremel tool with a cutting disc to make the slots.

Here are a couple old photos of it. The first photo shows the "beads" cut from the plastic plunger, and the metal removed from the lever. The second photo is the shortened shifter, with new slots cut for the shifter handle and retention clip.





When I swapped in the Getrag 5-speed, I gave the auto shifter to a local Fiero club member. He seems to be pretty happy with it.

As noted it is for looks and erganomics. Blacktree's write up is what you need to do.

The shortened shifter is a little more comfortable when resting your hand on it while driving. Also if you change shift knobs it could help as well. When I had an auto I liked the "cobra head" shifter. With the stock height shifter it was too high and looked goofy. I shortened the shifter and it looked/felt better. In the before pic you can see that the top of the shifter is almost as high as the center vents. In the after pic it is near the bottom of the A/C controls.

Here is the "Before" pic:


Here is the "After" pic:

I didn't like the stock T-bar shifter either. Most others sometimes look oversized for the Fiero's console. Some different ones here https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/087166.html

I got a 84 Corvette dark-grey leather wrapped shifter and shortened the steel shaft by 1-inch. The knob matches the dark-grey of the interior. I got a new soft-leather shift boot from Dickman.

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