Chopped automatic shifter - Manual shifter installed
#1
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I knew some guys were curious about this so here are a few pictures and a little guide.
Tools - dremel saw and some booze(keep it outside the car, metal dust will get find its way inside your glass, trust me)
parts - automatic shift adapter which can be found here - Non-Sponsor Link Removed and any manual shifter
First things first we have to take off our junky *** lookin stock auto shift ****. To do this you'll have to pull a pin out. Put your cars parking brake on and put the car in 1st. The pin is located on the bottom part of the ****, look carefully. Get a flathead screwdriver and pry out the pin, then give that bitch a tug and she'll come right off.
You'll notice the shifter shaft is made of steel and holds a piece of plastic that moves up and down that allows you to shift. We are going to cut both the steel and plastic down using our dremel saw to compensate for the height that the adapter adds. Decide how much you'd like to cut off and start off by ONLY cutting the steel part(be careful not to cut the plastic!!!).
I personally suggest you start off at an inch and decide if you'd like it any lower after you've cut that much off. There is a point at which you will be unable to cut any further because the width of the plastic will change, please do not try to go beyond this point, doing so may screw up the shifter. Once you have finished cutting off the outter steel shell, you're going to chop that EXACT amount off of the plastic.
You've succesfully shortened your shifter but you need to make 2 more cuts before you're done. When you first started cutting the steel shaft had 2 slits on either side. These slits will now need to be extended. CAREFULY extend the slits to a measurement of 1 inch. These slits help guide the shift adapter and are necessary.
That's it! Attatch any aftermarket shifter to your adapter and put it over the shortened shaft. You now press down on your shifter, NO BUTTON! Now go get yourself a nice custom shift boot to cover up that ugly *** adapter and you're set.
Pics of the finished product
![](http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9432/im0002083ir.th.jpg)
![](http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/9605/im0002090ej.th.jpg)
![](http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/6195/im0002100oa.th.jpg)
![](http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1768/im0002134ii.th.jpg)
![](http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/4049/im0002148ts.th.jpg)
Good luck!
Tools - dremel saw and some booze(keep it outside the car, metal dust will get find its way inside your glass, trust me)
parts - automatic shift adapter which can be found here - Non-Sponsor Link Removed and any manual shifter
First things first we have to take off our junky *** lookin stock auto shift ****. To do this you'll have to pull a pin out. Put your cars parking brake on and put the car in 1st. The pin is located on the bottom part of the ****, look carefully. Get a flathead screwdriver and pry out the pin, then give that bitch a tug and she'll come right off.
You'll notice the shifter shaft is made of steel and holds a piece of plastic that moves up and down that allows you to shift. We are going to cut both the steel and plastic down using our dremel saw to compensate for the height that the adapter adds. Decide how much you'd like to cut off and start off by ONLY cutting the steel part(be careful not to cut the plastic!!!).
I personally suggest you start off at an inch and decide if you'd like it any lower after you've cut that much off. There is a point at which you will be unable to cut any further because the width of the plastic will change, please do not try to go beyond this point, doing so may screw up the shifter. Once you have finished cutting off the outter steel shell, you're going to chop that EXACT amount off of the plastic.
You've succesfully shortened your shifter but you need to make 2 more cuts before you're done. When you first started cutting the steel shaft had 2 slits on either side. These slits will now need to be extended. CAREFULY extend the slits to a measurement of 1 inch. These slits help guide the shift adapter and are necessary.
That's it! Attatch any aftermarket shifter to your adapter and put it over the shortened shaft. You now press down on your shifter, NO BUTTON! Now go get yourself a nice custom shift boot to cover up that ugly *** adapter and you're set.
Pics of the finished product
![](http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9432/im0002083ir.th.jpg)
![](http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/9605/im0002090ej.th.jpg)
![](http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/6195/im0002100oa.th.jpg)
![](http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1768/im0002134ii.th.jpg)
![](http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/4049/im0002148ts.th.jpg)
Good luck!
Last edited by phantomzer0; 04-15-2007 at 11:48 PM.
#3
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I'm having a custom boot made from these guys redlinegoods
They seem very proffesional and have responded to my emails quickly and curtiously, I'll post pics when the boot is installed. As for further shortening the shifter... The adapter is what really lengthens it, if you were to stick the original **** on it would be about an inch lower than it was stock. I suppose it would be possible to drill into the adapter and try to shorten it a bit more that way.
Either way it looks way better now, and nothing is cooler then pressing down on the shifter to change gears ;o)
They seem very proffesional and have responded to my emails quickly and curtiously, I'll post pics when the boot is installed. As for further shortening the shifter... The adapter is what really lengthens it, if you were to stick the original **** on it would be about an inch lower than it was stock. I suppose it would be possible to drill into the adapter and try to shorten it a bit more that way.
Either way it looks way better now, and nothing is cooler then pressing down on the shifter to change gears ;o)
Last edited by VSGLS1; 02-08-2007 at 09:30 PM. Reason: Non sponsor link
#5
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Thanks a ton for posting this up. Seeing an MBA ball on a shortened stick is what made me want to do this but it looks like the adapter makes up for the amount you cut off anyway
I wanted it to be pretty low. Guess I'll have to try and find out myself.
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#6
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All that work for that ugly shift ****
joking man!! It looks awesome, HUGE improvement over the stock shift ****, i'm going to have to try this. Great write up and good work!!
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#7
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I'm having a custom boot made from these guys redlinegoods
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concubine_number_4 - sent you a PM...
-Jay-
Last edited by VSGLS1; 02-08-2007 at 09:30 PM. Reason: Non sponsor link
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I used a Dremel Reinforced Cut-Off Wheel - the kind that has the small hole in the middle that mounts to a mandrel. Cut right thru the shaft with no problems...
Reference my thread on T/A A4 Shift ****/Boot Mod writeup:
A4 Shift ****/Boot Mod
-Jay-
Reference my thread on T/A A4 Shift ****/Boot Mod writeup:
A4 Shift ****/Boot Mod
-Jay-
#11
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Well, I did this on my own couple years back (with a B&M Hammer handle - a little over the top really...) without the adapter - just figuring it out myself....but the handle would spin and was so heavy it compressed the spring. Had to get a used assembly to go back to stock.
Might try this, since it's all worked out!
Thanks.
Ram
Might try this, since it's all worked out!
Thanks.
Ram
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i was also wondering about the length of the shifter. could you have cut all the way down to the shifter plates and then put the adapter on? it would be a lot shorter then. or are you restricted before you can get to that point by the plastic getting thicker?
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Originally Posted by 1QUIKWS6
I emailed them also and got a very quik response
concubine_number_4 - sent you a PM...
-Jay-
![Happy](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_stretch.gif)
concubine_number_4 - sent you a PM...
-Jay-
hm...pistol grip or hurst style shifter... might look cool with a boot