280zx shifting throw

[DatMo]

So I have a 280zx tranny I believe that's a 79 on my 510 currently and throw is god damn ridiculous. With that being said, I've considered a multitude of ideas.

 

To start, I've read that the bearing is the issue leaving it somewhat harder than a normal car to find exactly what gear the car is in.

 

Second, I've considered cutting and re welding the shifter stick to a shorter height to give less of a throw because it would be a shorter distance.

 

Anyone ever find a solution. I also read that it could potentially be that the rod doesn't enter deep enough into the tranny hole (lol) that it makes it harder to find gears which I don't quite understand because that would clash with the function if it weren't long enough.

[datzenmike]

The '79 was a one year mid ratio transmission, all the others '80-'83 (non turbo) had a shorter throw shift.

 

Yes you can shorten the shifter length but it's shorter and harder to reach comfortably. When you shift it looks like you dropped your cell phone.

 

How was the shorter shift affected with the later transmissions? By raising the fulcrum point and lengthening the lever below it. Does the same thing but keeps the shifter the same height.

 

 

Here's what you have....

 

 

Here's what you need. The pin hole higher.

 

 

And lengthened below the fulcrum pin....

 

 

What I did was swap the entire rear case from an '85 720 diesel that had the higher pin mount, but you could surely drill your own holes 1/4? 1/2"?? higher and add length to the bottom of the shifter. Higher you can go the shorter the throw. You can still use your shifter fr this, I just happened to be using that later 720 design.

 

 

What I have is a nice 'long' shifter up comfortably near the steering wheel where you don't have to grope for it and a reduced forward and back throw.

 

Sloppiness is the worn out plastic shifter bushings. If you can find them they are cheap and will return the shift to new. Or get Chrysler door bushing kit....

 

 

I did this trick on my truck but found the brass bushing just a C hair large. One slice with a hacksaw and...

 

Perfect fit and never wears out.

[DatMo]

Couldn't I just lengthen the shifter from the bottom points then? Why would I have to adjust the hole on the trans mount? I want to stay away from any work on the actual trans.

[datzenmike]

You can try that, but the bottom of the shifter may already be bottomed out in the striking rod below it.

[darrel]

This is a late 5 spd trans.

 

This is what you can do to make a short throw shifter.

 

The late 5 spd can let you make it a short throw shifter by drilling the upper hole and extending the bottom of the shift lever.

 

The difference between the 4 and 5 spd trans is the pivot point. The 4 spd is about 5/16" longer than the 5 spd.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Great idea and nice work.

 

If you're proficient with a welder, just weld that longer piece to the stick. It's not like it needs to be adjustable once you have the length set.

[darrel]

I filled the stud with nuts to take up the space. It's not perfect, but seems to work ok.