MGB Shortening a MGB shift lever

[tony barnhill]

Nice work, vince...you should offer that ervice...seems there are people who want it...I've got lots of shift levers I can send you to start your inventory.

 

[vping]

Send 'em up and I'll shorten one for you. I can take off as much or as little as you want. It's got over an inch of threaded area so you can fine adjust as needed.

 

[vping]

Oh and thanks for the praise.

 

[Guest]

If the Triumph folks get wind of this, they'll say the title was correct in the first place!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Jeff

The title was correct in the first place!

Triumphs have a knob for this like turning up the suck knob?

Wouldn't it be time and money better spent putting a hand crank in it? Most MG owners never get to use the shifter anyway.

.

 

[jlaird]

You do nice work. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[1965_MGB]

Nice work. I may just have to send a shifter up for you to have a look at. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[Basil]

Triumphs have a knob for this like turning up the suck knob?

Be nice - I have a Triumph /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grouphug.gif

 

[Basil]

If the Triumph folks get wind of this, they'll say the title was correct in the first place!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Jeff

The title was correct in the first place!

Triumphs have a knob for this like turning up the suck knob?

Wouldn't it be time and money better spent putting a hand crank in it? Most MG owners never get to use the shifter anyway.

.

Play nice kids... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grouphug.gif They're all little British cars after all!

 

[PAUL161]

Vince,

That looks like it just came from the factory!

You do nice work. Compliments around! Hmmmm,[mumble mumble] do I have anything around here I need cut down? Hmmmm. [sigh].

 

[vping]

I gotta install it yet so we'll see how well it works out before I start selling shares in this venture.

 

[davester]

I've always thought that the B had one of the best shifting gearboxes on the planet, so I wouldn't mess with anything that would affect the "feel" (and in addition do a mod which would almost certainly devalue the car somewhat). However, if you do want to cut down the height of the shifter, it might be easier if you modified the shift knob (so the shift lever extends further up inside it) than mess with the lever. I'm not sure how well this would work with the relatively small stock black knob, but if you have one of the larger aftermarket knobs it might make the shifter significantly shorter.

 

[ronzet]

Well folks...

Just to weigh in on this....

I have a 66 B, the most current of 4 that I have owned... I have always considered the B to have a very solid shift feel with the original shaft. Of all the things that I would change on the B, the shifter is not one of them....

However, my '57 MGA is a different matter. Shifting is talking nice to it and gently moving the shifter into the desired position...

Anyone with an A (now or in the past) have any suggestions that will improve the throw... even a little would be a major improvement.... Now it's vroom, long pause, vroom, long pause, etcetera.....

 

[ronzet]

A footnote,

Please forgive the 'vroom' sound effects... 'tis the best that I can do....

I German the word vroom means WHY. I have no idea what significance that offers, but there it is, film at 11... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif

 

[Steve_S]

The MGA and Mark I MGB gearboxes are basically the same unit. They should feel and function the same. Your syncros may be worn.

 

[ronzet]

Steve,

Thanks for the comment...

I think that you are right in that the gear boxes are basically the same but on the A the shift linkage is an external tower with the linkage exposed to a certain degree where the B is all internal in the tailshaft housing.

My problem seems to be in the linkage rather than the internals of the tranny. I had the internals rebuilt by a shop while I was restoring the car and had the syncro rings replaced.

Where my B has a fluid feel to it, the A is stiff and requires definite lateral pressure as I shift from 2 to 3rd and back again. 1st to 2nd and 3rd to 4th are less of a problem although I would not try to power shift(a non sequiter for an A) . I have lubricated the exposed linkage that produced a modicum of improvement.

It may be that there is a linkage adjustment for which I am unaware....or ????

 

[Steve_S]

It may just need to break in. The shifter on my C is very stiff, but with use it has loosened up a bit. You should try driving another A to compare to yours.

 

[ronzet]

Steve,

Let's see... 'nother A, hummm, 'nother A.... Hey I know a guy named Steve that has one... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif

Good advice. I'll check with the Club to see if anyone will let me drive theirs... The last one that I drove, other than my current one, was a 57 A I owned in 1966...

Yikes.. almost forty-two years ago... I can't say how much that scares me.. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cryin.gif

 

[ronzet]

Hey, I just noticed that I have been promoted to Jedi Knight!!!!

Now you guys REALLY need to pay attention... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

 

[Steve_S]

You can drive mine if you find yourself in my area. I have it with me in Culver City today.

 

[ronzet]

Steve,

Thanks for the offer.... I may take you up on it... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif