Hey, i need advice on which performance gear shifter i should buy for my bug. I was told that berg shifters are the best but i am on a bit of a budget and i dont like the feel of T handel shifters. Does anyone have a shifter for sale or know where i could get one? Is it possable to convert my standard one to a short throw? Also, because i have my seats all the way back i have trouble shifting into 1st and 3rd as i have to lean forward to get it in, is there a way to angle my shifter further back?
Thanks for your help,
Alex.

For the budget conscious I would recommend a quick shift kit (a little plate that sits under the stock shifter) which shortens the throw a little, plus you could make (not sure who sells them) a shifter extension that has a bend in it to angle the top of the shifter back.

Hurst shifters have a knob on top instead of t-handle. I use a berg shifter and love the notchy, positive feel and wouldn't go back to stock - but sometimes it is personal preference.

Alan

Not wanting to state the obvious, before you install the new/modified shifter have you thought of the following:
1. A new coupler for the shaft/gearbox.
2. Give the tube a good clean out. (Remove the shaft, get an old clutch cable, splay the wire end, attache the good end to a drill and place the splaid end in the housing, spray in some degreaser, and drill away and watch all the old grease/muck come out. Grease up the old shaft and place back in.......now just like new!)
3. how about taking your old Shifter to a metle fabrication place with an old Kombi one, have the Kombi one bent and shortened to your specs then welded (TIG/MIG) to your beetle base! Could be cheaper then after market and you are using genuine VW parts........
4. Then use the base as in the previous post and you will then have a shorter throw gear shift that is Genuine VW....all be it a little modified.

Anyhow something to think about.

Regards

Mick

[Edited on 18-9-2003 by kombiluva]

Or try this: http://www.importperformanceparts.net/imports/scatvwshifters.html 

I have a Berg Shifter, but I think this may be cheaper. It's got a bit of a bend too.

I have an empi trigger quickshift and love it. I shortens the throw and has a good solid feel with the trigger to activate reverse.

[Edited on 20-9-2003 by vassy66T1]

go the scat drag-fast shifter you won't ever look at another shifter again.:thumb

Thanks everyone! Where could i get a empi trigger quickshift? They have a knob on the top instead of the T handle dont they?

http://www.empius.com/s/shifters.html

you don't see to many new ones getting around you can try and write or phone EmpiUS themselves and find out who the distributer is they have a toll free no: check the link bellow

http://www.empius.com/contact_empi.html

Just a quick note

I know that you dont like a T bar but the gene berg shifters come in three different rakes/angle back : straight, small rake, large rake

the later been great for buggies with bucket seats

nIck

I too had a Berg one but didn't really like the feel of the T-handle. People also kept saying to me "Is it an automatic?" :cussing

So I went this way:
http://aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=CFS0002&carti...

plus replaced the coupler and bushing.

If you're still after an EMPI shifter, try Leon's Motors, 7/284 Musgrave Rd QLD. Ph (07) 3277 7489.
They are an EMPI distributor and (at 22 Dec 2003) have both the Hurst/trigger style and the T-bar style for $95 with angled shafts in short and regular lengths.

Hey dude do a search for shifters,a lot of the geezers prefer type 3 shifters OR SO IVE HEARD.

Hey Alex, Are you sorted with your shifter?
I used to be annoyed by leaning forward for 1st and 3rd in my superbug as well, so when doing our late model KG I went to the effort of using early "bent" shifter. You can't simply bend a late model shifter because it will rotate when you attempt to change gears, but the early bent shifters have a pin in the side of the ball (at the bottom of the shifter) to alleviate this problem. You do have to remove the shaft from the tunnel of a late model bug, however, to put in a slot in which the pin can travel. Hmmm, I think I'm making a simple job sound complicated - if you need help, let me know.

Being on a budget i got a standard shifter from a type3 and added a short throw kit to it, this combined with my home made gear knob which was atcually a snap on screw driver handel felt great! It was a very good setup.
Alex.

I have one of those short throw kits if some ones looking for one >seagull

i have a scat dragfast shifter,and when changing down from 3rd to 2nd it wants to try to go into reverse, any body know why??

cc71 i dont know much about that shifter but on my bug the reverse lock out plate was a bit out of alignment AND the bottom of the shifter, where it touches the plate was worn down, meaning that it didnt lock it out anymore. replaced plate and shifter -> fixed now hopefully yours is just the plate alignment.

try classic vw in sydney george will help you with any thing and i saw one there the other day for $124

Aside of that the kit works quite well.

ALEX; Love to see a pic of ya budget shifter.

I never got a pic of it and a sold that car a while ago, sorry.
Alex

[Edited on 7-7-2004 by crazyfiggi]