Shifter comments

I would like to replace my worn Hurst shifter. Any comments on Empi,
Scat, Berg etc. would be appreciated. Also, what about stock shifter with quick shifter kit. I'am also not interested in heavy or
bulky units.....Thanks

I have an EMPI quick shift I just took off the kit I bought. If you're interested let me know.
I will post some photos later today.
Jim.

The Empi shifter is everywhere, cheap, and works better than the shifter on my '96 BMW did- it is a vast improvement over stock, if you can life with the trombone reverse lockout lever. There are guys with the Berg who rave about them, and say there is no comparison to the Empi, but they cost like 350 bucks, and I think the extra $300 is an awful lot to pay for something that can only deliver another 5% of goodness. I have no experiance with the Scat shifter, but it like the Berg is a T-handle, which reminds me too much of a '76 Firebird.

Stan, I agree with you in regards to the T-handle, my Hurst shifter
looks just like the Empi, I think I would like one an inch or two
shorter.

This brings up a good point
There is a need for someone to design a decent looking and smooth operating aftermarket shifter. The curent choices are limited and less than attractive for the Speedster.
A while back I cut down a Empi shifter and welded on a Hurst chrome flat bar stock '70's style shifter handle with the white ball knob The weld was hidden within the shifter bootand it got a lot of double takes from the bug crowd.

Hay Jim, isn't Dexter downriver? I'm up in beautiful Rochester.

Alan, how much did you remove and what were the results. Your refering to the curved model with trigger and ball knob?

Dan
I took an old aftermarket Hurst shifter that was big in the 70's cars and cut that down as discribed.
You brought up a good idea! To cut down the VW aftermarket ( Empi . Hurst etc.) shifter is a easy project.
I'm getting my most recent speedster project back from the paint guru on Monday and will incorporate a cut down curved trigger shifter into the assembly and see how much of it can be shortened.

VW themselves used to offer a dealer installed flat style shifter with the "FV" package.

I know, I know . . . who cares old man!!

But they're available at swap meets all the time and are ususlly in very good shape, the worst that can happen is that the nylon washer (controling side to side play) needs replacing. Easier than crafting your own.

I loved the one that I had, only replaced it 'cause I went drag racing and wanted the quickest shift possible.

TC

TC, when you went for the Quickest shift possible what did you install? P.S. I care, us oldies must stick together.

Alan, keep me up-dated, this sounds like a good way to go!

OK, so I have had more coffee than I should, but I have got to get this off my chest.
1. I don't like T-handles, eliminates Scat, Empi, Bugpack and Berg
2. I don't like the brand name blazen across lever, knob, etc.
3. The Empi/hurst with trigger reverse lock-out seems a bit to tall
Leaves
1. Stock unit with quick shift kit
2. Alter an after-market unit
3. Design a completely "new" design
Hmmmmmm, I got to go to the bathroom

What needs to be done is utilize a stock handle for appearance sake with decent components hidden under the shifter boot

Alan, bravo my friend, how about an "S" shaped lever (round) with the
ability to accept round knobs, pistol grip style and T-handles. Even
the "mushroom knob" for the vintage look. Make overall height about
9 to 10 inches. What about reverse lock-out, was the original bug
shifter (spring loaded?) effective and work well? Your right about
the guts - quick shift being a must. It seems weight should also be a factor, somewhere between stock and after-market.

Dan,

I ended up with a slightly modified Scat Fast shifter with a ball grip and separate "T" handle on the reverse lock out. There's about two inches of throw between gears and a heavy spring load between second and third so that you don't miss shift. With the gears that we've been running, we never really get to fourth within the 1/4 mile. Some folks swear by this way of racing, others find that their out of the HP range when winding third: we have no choice.

Luck,

TC

I have to admit, I was lured over to "the Dark Side" by the Gene Berg claims for their short-stroke shifter. At the time, I remember paying something like $165 (late 90's) and thought it was a bit expensive......I've never seen them for $300, but they just might be there by now (I checked their web site, but didn't see any pricing).

Now that I've used it for a couple of seasons, it shifts "like Butta" - really crisp, no vagueness of gear-gate position (as opposed to many former VW's and Dune Buggies where you aimed the shifter in the general direction of the desired gear and hoped you found it). I also installed a new shift-rod bushing and end coupler when I installed the shifter.

The Berg shift has "heft", whereby the shift lever feels weighty in your hand, and, while at first I didn't like the look of the "T-handle" with big, bold "Gene Berg" engraved into it, I can now ignore the script (or you can now buy them with whatever you want on it) and say that it fits the natural position of your hand so your hand never gets tired, and it becomes a ready hand rest for short and long trips (and has the strength to hold up to that, too).

I thought I would miss holding the shift lever and (round) knob with my thumb on top of the ball as I used to, because this allowed an elegant wrist-flip from 4th to 3rd to 2nd and back, but I've found I really don't miss this, and the Berg is so slick I've never missed a shift.

I've never had or used an EMPI, but I remember that the original ones were really good - the latest Chinese versions? I'm not so sure.....

I'll put my soap-box away, now

gn

I have to admit that as far as shifters go, I'm 'bone' all the way.

Dan, Dexter is actually about 5 miles west of Ann Arbor. However, I do regularly visit Rochester to go to the "VW Parts Place" on Opdyke Rd (haven't found anywhere closer to me yet).

If any one is interested in the shifter, let me know...

Cheers,

Jim.

Problem with anything other than a straight shifter is that you are limited to having to use the older style shift rod in the tunnel and if it isn't there you play hell with installing one with the body on , the difference between the later model and the older style I mentioned is that, the cup which the shifter balled end rests into has a forward verticle slot that accepts a pin which in turn keeps the shifter from being able to twist in the shift rod cup. Hell I had to re-read this to see IF I understand it !

The Empi is as good as ever Gordon- quick, nice shifts. It's just as ugly as a mud fence. The problem with Alan's idea is that the good shifters all have a reverse lock out- cut the handle down, and you will lose the lock out. Original VW shifters have the spring and notched plate thing for reverse lock-out, which is better than nothing (which is what you'd have with a cut-down Empi). I wanted a stock appearing shifter, and had one when the car was new. I hated it and bought an Empi from Henry at IM- he painted the knob ivory and had a pre-fit leather boot installed when it arrived. It was twice as much as one from Pacific Customs, but I could at least ignore it in the car, rather than look at it in disgust. It works great.

A really sweet, efficient, and totally vintage accessory shifter idea would be to take the shifter pictured in Jim W's post, cut the shaft and the reverse lockout rod near the base, just above the lower welded support tab for the lock-out rod. Then throw away that rubber accordian and fashion a tastey enclosure a little larger perhaps, but along the lines of those vintage locking shifter bases. Weld the stock bent shift lever to the cut shaft, epoxy an ivory dash board to the stub of the lock-out rod, and slide the stock little rubber boot down over the welded-on stock shaft, then replace the stock ivory shift knob.

The results, if you can make any sense of all of the above. Would be a sweet quick shifter all hidden in a vintage-looking enclosure, with a nice pull up lock-out knob near the base, a stock looking shifter and the charming stock shift knob.

Maybe . . .

TC

I had both, the Scat T- shifter and the EMPI black ball with the reverse ring thing in a dune buggy I built. The Scat sucked big time; it was the first shifter I installed in the car; I installed it new right out of the box and it broke right away. I replaced it with the EMPI which worked and looked a lot better for my taste.

Dan, I have the Empi shifter and works great, I say no-contest with regards to vintage looks but performance is good. I just wish it didnt have that "empi" lettering engraved on it... all the replies to this subject make this issue very interesting!

I don't know how many times I've had someone look inside my car (with a Gene Berg shifter) and then look right at me and say: "Gene, I LOVE your car!"

My shifter from JC Whitney has no label(EMPI) on it.

I bought one from J.C. Whitney 3 months ago and it came with empi logo,but besides that it is a definite improvement.

Got mine from JCW the night before the NCKKC meeting two weeks ago. It installed in 10 minutes and has the EMPI logo. I really like it. But it would be lots better without the logo and with a white ball rather than black. Picky Picky

White ball from www.flameball.com

#PL-1-SML for $18.00.

I'm using a stock shift lever, bent to my specs to be close to the steering wheel, with a quick shift kit, and a leather boot from a new bug.

Eddie, that looks perfect, just what I want, also where did you get
the nice red seats?