"VWTaiwan" and his vintage shifter

Has anyone heard of this guy? I want to look at the shifter he offers--I was told he posts on the Samba but I can's fing anything on him.

Thanks!----Jack

Jack,
I just purchased Ming-Tang's Vintage shifter at the Sacramento Bug O Rama. He makes a five-speed version of it as well.
The workmanship is very nice. It's a very solid piece with very good action. There is one issue for the conventional shifter, two for the 5-speed:
1) The shifter is too high - about 2". To cut it down you would have to taper the end after cutting and then re-thread; not as easy as it sounds.
2) To engage reverse, you lift up on the shifter, same if you want to engage fifth gear. Because the seats are lower and further back in a speedster compared to a bug, it's a bit more difficult as the arm leverage is a little awkward. It's just about impossible to shift in/out of fifth.
Ming-Tang has expressed an interest in producing these shifters for Speedster replicas and will be looking into it in the near future. I decided to do my own modifications and will keep you posted if you're interested. I can say that if you have a four-speed and you don't mind cutting it down yourself, it is a beautiful shifter. Much nicer than stock or an Empi trigger and on par with Berg and CSP.
The coolest thing about it is that it looks like a stock shifter.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=815285

His exhaust systems are absolutely beautiful as well.

Wow! That is nice looking. Jack, the ivory color would be perfect in your car, particularly if you changed your knobs and bezels to ivory as well.

'Terry and Lane---yes--it does look like a stock shifter, but do you think it looks too much like a VW Bug shifter rather than a Speedster shifter.

I'm flumoxed now as to what to do.

That huge ball on the CSP looks sooo large---reminds me of one of those big dice shifter handles---I just don't know.

Advice???---Jack

Unique shifter :

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=680558

Alan,
Same guy.
Jack,
If you cut it down it won't look like a VW shifter. If you're not in a big hurry you can wait for a few months and see if Ming-Tang can offer one designed specifically for our cars.
Once I get mine sorted I'll snap some pics of it. I've had it in my car and it looks "right" except for the height.

Jack, without a doubt that looks more original that a CSP/Berg. If you can get it cut down, I think it will look perfect in your car. Although my CSP does not look original (nor does the super wide body it sits in) once you start driving the car you soon forget the look. I never miss a gear and it brings the driving pleasure up several notches. It's especially helpful when you have to slow down in hurry and get down into second and make a 90 degree turn.

Marty

Alan---yes it is unique---too much so for my tastes!

I wonder if the CSP comes with a smaller ball?

I'm leaning towards the CSP based on what Marty and Lane say about it
but I will miss my good looking Porsche shift knob!---Jack

Jack, take a look at mine in Townsend. You're welcome to drive it as well. You may be able to fit a smaller knob. I even have one you might like. I'll bring it if I can find it.

Lane--many thanks for the kind offer. I sorta have to make a decision soon because the plan is to take it to Jake right after T.O.D. so he can install it when he installs the new engine and new tranny.

I didn't know a smaller knob would work--is one available if you can't find yours? (Do you prefer the larger ball?)---Jack

I prefer the feel of the large ball. I ended up painting mine to match all of the other ivory trim. The smaller one that Carey sent me looks like the one that's on the Taiwanese shifter. After driving with the big knob for a while (there's an opening for you, Vince :-) I had gotten used to it, so I switched back. Also, the smaller one doesn't cover all of the top of the trigger mechanism. You could have your existing one drilled out, but be aware that there are two different diameters at different depths. I can tale some close-up pictures if you need me to.

The one below actually shows the smaller knob.

Ditto what lane said, I tried a stock knob and it doesn't feel right with the butterfly trigger and the beefy stalk. Don't feel bad Jack you have a new high performance engine and you need a high performance shifter. It's all good:)

Nothing compares to a Berg shifter.

Gordon,
I agree about the Berg, but it doesn't work aesthetically.
The Vintage shifter is a beautiful piece that looks right and feels very solid and precise. It's just a bit too tall.

Yeah, I know......I was just yanking Lane on his "Big Balls"

;>)

We didn't know you two were so close ~

EVERYTHING I have seen from this guy is awesome!!! He sent me one of his Black mamba" shifters and its the most impressive piece I have ever seen!

Gordon maketh me feel tho mathculine.

I finally installed my Vintagespeed shifter.
I cut it down approximately 3" and had to modify the shift gate to work better with the 5-speed. I stripped the paint and polished the steel shaft. Still waiting on the black 5-speed knob. I think I'll leave the leather boot off as the billet aluminum looks a little more business-like.

Here is the "finished" product:

looks schweet, how does it shift

I need to do a little adjusting, Bob.
By modifying the gate it's a lot easier to shift into fifth, but it's not quite there for shifting into first. I think I need to do a bit more carpet trimming.
By cutting the shifter down it reduced the throw quite a bit, so it's right around a 50% reduction. Very quick. It also sits about 1-1/2" lower than the Empi shifter.
I had the oil filter cover bored out a 64th" so it could fit over the Wix filter. It looks bitchin'.

I don't know TN, looks unfinished to me...Put a boot on to cover it up, might be good mechanically, but looks unfinished...
but what the F&%k do I know.....

Terry - you are running a 5-speed now?

914 with flipped ring? or a 915?

I like my new CSP, knob and all. Very precise, also short throw, and not a replica w/ the mushroom knob and all of that, but still makes the man-machine interface so much better. I would wish for a knob that had a Porsche crest in it. Will work on that one. Understand that it needs to mesh w/ the threads, the thick shaft, and not be too tall so the reverse butterfly can be squeezed correctly.

[Believe there is a wealth of raw material here for Vince to work with.]

Hey Vince: Shift THIS!!!

Did somebody say thick shaft....

I have a P-Knob that has a rather large hole but short in the tooth..
just sitting around waiting to be grabbed and shifted....$40.00

Mango, Berg 5-speed: 3.88 R/P 3.80, 2.06, 1.48, 1.17, .089

Vince, I tried the leather boot and it looked like a fat lady in a moo-moo. Maybe I'll anodize the aluminum.

Kelly-I also went with the CSP shifter after hearing so many good reviews including Lane, who loves his.

--Anxious to get it installed right after Tail Of The dragon.

Jack

is the CSP easy to install....im looking to undo the 2 bolts and slap in the CSP. any feedback on install, not into welding,plasma cutting, JB Weld or the such.

geeeeze how much did that run you? Aren't they going for ~4500 now?

It was pricey, but not that much.
I needed to rebuild my tranny anyway, due to shoddy workmanship, so I figured what the hell...
I'll tell you what - knowing what I know now I would have gladly paid north of 4500.

Bob - You're almost right about the install effort. Add a little adjustment time and you're good to go.

I have a thread in here somewhere about my install done recently -- look for that. I was going to make a big deal out of the effort, take a bunch of pictures and give the step by step, advise on sh-- to look out for, what is the secret, etc. etc. but came up disappointed on that front -- the job was too easy. Your results may vary, but for me it was basically two bolts off, two bolts on, and that's it. There was an issue wrt the tunnel carpet, and this just depends on if you take the carpet all the way off or not, and how to get the shifter shaft through the hole in the carpet. I just pulled it up from the front, leaving the aft portion attached, so there was some jockeying needed to put the new shifter into the hole in the caprpet first and then position it on the tunnel and do the bolts. Only a slight inconvenience. Anyway, note to Jack: do the shifter exchange tonight, and use it on the Dragon Run -- you will not be sorry.

And yes, the thing is sorta expensive, but whaddaya gonna do? You got to pay to play.

Kelly--after reading your post about how easy the CSP shifter as to install I shudda put it in but it sitting down at Jake Raby's --I thought as long as he's installing a new engine and Tranny that I'd have him put the CSP in.

TheChinese one looked ok and gets rave reviews on the Samba but the shift was just too high and unsuitable for a Speedster and he wouldn't do a shorter one so I went with the CSP.

I will miss my Porsche knob though. An ok trade I think.

When I bought my CSP shifter a while ago I thought I was going to be part of a small, exclusive group - I think just Lane & me.

They're everywhere now, Mike. We can consider ourselves trend-setters.