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datsun gearbox lever in bugeye

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J

JohnDough

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Has anyone been able bend the datsun gearbox lever in such a way that you could still use the original metal lever cover on a bugeye? the little steel cover in body colour just looks so much the thing than a big leather cover.

I was wondering if you bend the gearlever just above the pivot pin to the right if the offcenter movement would feel akward and if it will make changing gears difficult. The gearlever knob would move slighly up going into 1/2 and down going into 5/R
 
I'm pretty sure that Frank (spritenut) has done this. Pretty sure both of the biggest adaptor suppliers (Rivergate, Morrisservice) modify the shifters to work.
 
Here's the one Will at Rivergate did in my rebuild/kit. It's shortened, moved off-center, and rethreaded for the stock knob. My car is a '62 Sprite, but it uses the same metal lever housing as the Bugeye, I believe. The cost is minimal and listed here:

https://www.rivergate5speed.com/pricelist.html

Ray

P1010013.jpg
 
I have modified the stock Datsun shifter to work in the metal shift can. I heated it up and bent it a little.
I do not have any specs, just sort of by eye.
I also cut it down and re-threaded it.
Amazingly enough even heating it enough to bend it, the chrome steel wooled back to bright and shiny.
You do have to cut a little out of the shift can, sort of make the hole in the middle egg shaped. First gear is a longer throw so nip out a little curve on the front left side (1st gear) and the same on the right rear side for reverse.
The original Sprite rubber boot covers the elongated holes but it pops out in 1st & reverse so I use an MGB shifter rubber boot. It is accordian shaped and works just fine.
 
just have rivergate modify it. I did. It was cheap, and it works perfectly and looks completely stock. I used the metal boot, rubber gaiter and shift knob. It looks perfect, and works great
 
Thanks fro all the advise and pics! that will this weekends fun.
 
If you've got a MIG welder, why involve anyone else? Measure and cut off the Sprite shifter as seen in Ray's picture above. Cut off the Datsun shifter leaving a 1" stub and weld the sprite shifter to the right side of the Datsun stub. Done.
By using the Sprite shifter upper end you will already have it threaded correctly for the sprite knob. By wleding it yourself, you can adjust the shifter angle to suit your taste, radio console access, shift can choice or whatever.

Glen Byrns
 
Thanks, I did it this weekend!, my clutch is a bit on the heavy side but works well.

Instead of welding the parts directly as per th pic, I added a 5mm spacer between the two. shifter does get close to the sides (1and2 , 5andR) and deforms the standard rubber a bit (rubber does not jump out) when in those position but shifter does not jump out of gear or anything.

Thanks for the help.
 
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