Vintage Shifter Challenge

I think I remember Carey saying that there are more parts on a vintage.  CSP is 2 bolts.  Find neutral & you're done.

in that case.....I'll get the CSP and be done......today would have been a nice day to drive i.e. no rain........ so far

Tom, make sure you can reach the CSP.   Just double check the measurements and the angles.  Its a great shifter.      

Got Gene Bergs in both my VS and JPS.  Installed in 15 minutes.  They're ugly as mud but flawless.

 

all noted and thanks....I am sorry to lose the look and comfort of the Vintage

 

re the Gene Berg...I agree ...it is certainly not my taste

I like my vintage speed shifter but I still sometimes hit 4th when downshifting from 3rd to 2nd.  It took a few frustrating days to even get it to that point as only a few mm shift in the gate seemed to make a lot difference.

 

It was such a pain that I'm not sure I'll be particularly religious about replenishing the grease in the socket every year or so. 

Ted....so glad to hear its not only me

You could have a bad shift gate.

My Vintage is set up for a Berg 5-speed so I had a whole different set of issues. But, the shift gate (plate) was nowhere near correct for the Berg shift pattern. I had to modify it to work, the sent the info to Ming so he could correct the problem.

I suggest you request a new gate from Ming.

I had a Berg shifter before the Vintage. Ugly as sin but it worked well - better than the CSP shifters I've tried.

Terry...I'll flw up on that and let you know

Love my CSP.  Flawless.

How's your shift bushing, TRhan? And the coupler? 

Bushing and coupler seem fine...from what i can tell.....

received an email from Carey who said he will source a CSP and swap it out for me...after market service that I feel obligated to share

I had a CSP shifter on my IM and liked it a lot.  The only reason I switched it for a Vintage shifter was it was a bit of a reach to engage 1st and 3rd.  Henry at IM also mentioned it was a long reach to 1st and 3rd, so it wasn't just me.

I haven't driven my car with the Vintage yet and mine is being set up to work with my new 901 Porsche gearbox.

Before the CSP I had a Berg shifter, which I really liked.  The Berg shifter looks fine in a Beetle, but not so much in a speedster.

I should have the new CSP by Friday or Monday latest....I'll let all know how it goes.....

Tom, I struggled a little to get my CSP working, but finally Cory (not Carey) advised me to make sure to find the natural neutral point and then tighten it down.  If you get neutral right, the rest of the gears will be right.  I always hear about reach issues.  I have the bent CSP and the reach is fine for me.  I'm 5'10".  Maybe if I had longer legs the shifter would be further away.  If I remember right, you're a little shorter than I and I think you'll reach fine.

Love my vintage, never had an issue once I changed my shift rod bushing...

same as bill ^

 

very happy with mine.  only issue was the height of it with my batwing vw steering wheel.  i had to cut / reweld the knob lower.  while i had it out, i loosened the reverse pull up and lubed it all up.  nice and smooth now

 

are you sure you shiftrod bushings are good?  front trans mounts good?

Mango....bushings and mount should be good as car is a brand new build delivered in June.   I'll find out soon enough if the problem lies outside the shifter

X3 on "no problems" with my Vintage Speed shifter(s). I've got one in the speedster, and one in the bus. All I've got to compare it to are the former EMPI triggers, and these are better.

 

The IM has it's own frame so the shifter is more like a sand-rail than a bug, but I changed every bushing, coupling, and mount on the bus before it would work right (with any shifter). It can be frustrating and expensive-- but once it's fixed, these things shift beautifully.

 

No quite like a Honda/Acura, but nice still.

Rich...the Suby engine runs fantastic but unfortunately have finally determined that we have a serious clutch problem.....in other words, it was not the shifter.   My final alternative is to get rid of the hydraulic system and  replace it with a simple cable clutch.  am working on getting that done before I do any more serious driving.

Good lord those CSP shifters are expensive!!!!!!!!

Jeff

Worth every penny

A friend of mine swears by stock shifters.

Guys,

I am new to the kit club.  I have a CMC 356 Speedster.  Mine is pretty well made and complete (contrary to the experience of others), however the shifter is loooose!  I read the posting on this and other sites and understand the issues with the front bushing and coupler linkage.  My bushing is gone, so it needs replacement.  I have read everywhere that you need to disconnect the rear coupler and pull the shaft forward to replace the bushing.  However, there doesn't appear to be access to the rear linkage (no access to plate on tunnel through rear seat deck).  How do you get at the linkage and replace the bushing on these CMC replicas?  Thanks in advance for your help.

What's your name, Kitkid?

 

You have to cut a small rectangular plate out of the fiberglass just above the shift coupling cover.  I don't have the dimensions off the top of my head - maybe Dr. Clock can help here - but I think it's about 6" across (left to right) and about 4" back from the forward lip of the rear seat area.  pretty simple to put a small hinge on it once it's cut so you can access the coupler easier in the future, but that's how you do it.

There are several ways to get a new front shift rod bushing in place, but the easiest is to use a 6" long, 3/8" drive socket extension.  Put the bushing on the extension shaft and run it down into the hole and back into position in the bushing hanger.  The shift rod can be slid forward easily once you get the inspection plate off of the forward end of the tunnel (below the front torsion bar tubes).

Thanks Gordon!  My name is Kearney.  BTW- just moved to PA from Watertown, MA.  Still have a place in NH.  We miss it... appreciate your help here.

 

Ok, so I do have to cut an access hole.  That is good to know.  Do I need to push the rod all the way forward past the bushing hanger to get the bushing on? I found the inspection plate in the front of the car, but it seems the rod would be blocked by the bumper?    Is there a way to replace the bushing without disconnecting the coupler? I would like to try this if possible and see the improvement (although appreciate the piece of mind replacing coupler and bushing).  Lastly, what is your call on a shifter?  I have read the posts and it seems there are a few options.  I would like the original look with the improved feel.  Thanks again.

Cutting the inspection cover:  If you use a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel, the cut is relatively thin and straight.  

 

Do I need to push the rod all the way forward past the bushing hanger to get the bushing on?

 

Yes

 

I found the inspection plate in the front of the car, but it seems the rod would be blocked by the bumper?  

 

Nope - All you have to do is get the rod far enough forward (about 2 feet) to allow the rear end of the rod to clear the bushing hanger.  The front of the rod may be protruding from the tunnel, but only 6"-12" or so.

 

 Is there a way to replace the bushing without disconnecting the coupler? 

 

No - the shifter cup is on the front, preventing bushing installation that way.  You have to get the rear coupler off and then the bushing slips easily over the end of the rod.

 

I would like to try this if possible and see the improvement (although appreciate the piece of mind replacing coupler and bushing). 

 

The improvement should be vast.  I prefer rubber bushings in the shift coupler, but lots of places sell Urethane replacements.  If the coupler frame and center bolt/screw is OK, then all you might need are the urethane bushing (try Aircooled.net)  

 

Lastly, what is your call on a shifter?  I have read the posts and it seems there are a few options.  I would like the original look with the improved feel.

 

I'm a poor person to ask - I have a Berg shifter and love it.  I don't give a darn for "Vintage look" if a Berg shifter feels more positive, and it does.  I've never missed a shift on street or track, easy to install and adjust and once adjusted, stays that way.  CSP's feel great but are expensive.  Everything else is a wannabe.

Sounds good.  Thanks again.

Vintage Speed shifters: available in 4 speed and Berg 5. Well made, tight, doesn't look like it came form a '72 Trans Am. Not a wannabe shifter.

 

Link to Vintage Speed's Online Shop

 

Hey Gorden,

I incorrectly translated your message and cut a hole in the back seat deck, about 4" from the front lip. I now have easy access to the top of the transmission....

 

Through this hole, I can see the very back lip of the access plate for the coupling under the metal frame.  The access plate appears to be right under the metal frame and front lip of the rear seat deck, with about 2-3" of the access plate in front of the rear seat deck wall on the tunnel where it widens out (under a layer of fiberglass).

 

Just eyeballing it, I doesn't look like I have enough room to access it from in front of the rear deck wall, without cutting into the vertical wall.  How much room did you have to access the coupling when you did yours?  Where you able to look directly down on it in front of the rear deck wall?  Mine would appear to be right under the wall and frame.

Thanks again,
Kearney

Kearney:

 

Can you post a picture?

 

I'll snap a photo of mine tomorrow and post it, too.

 

gn

 

OK, Stan - checked it out on their site.  The base looks similar to a Berg with a shift lever crossed between a 356A and 356B.  Not bad looking at all!

Here's where I cut on my CMC to access the shifter couple access plate.  I cut a little too big - especially to back of car.  I was able to use the cut out figerglass as an access door.

 

Wolfgang, that is very helpful.  Mine appears to be in the same place.  Here is a photo of my mess. The top is towards the front. The black carpet edge is the edge of the rear seat deck.   If my frame looks like yours Wolfgang, than I might be in business, although the area you have exposed on the tunnel is covered with some fiberglass (you can see if you look closely between the ripped carpet on the tunnel.   Also, the I need to peel the carpet back on the rear seat deck.  Is there a product that will break down the adhesive so I can reuse the same carpet?  BTW, the carpet on the tunnel was already torn, so I assume the guy before me considered this fix, but didn't follow through.  I hope my cut job doesn't adversely effect the value of the car...

Kit, put the cutting tools down and step away from the vehicle!

I need to peel the carpet back on the rear seat deck.  Is there a product that will break down the adhesive so I can reuse the same carpet? 

 

Break down the adhesive.....no.  Go to Home Depot's paint dept. and get a can of 3M Super 90 upholstery adhesive (green aerosol can).  Follow the directions and it should stick everything down just fine.  Don't go nuts with it - a light coat is fine.

 

I hope my cut job doesn't adversely effect the value of the car...

 

I doubt it.  Carpet goes back together pretty well.   Don't sweat it.

Gordon, try Toluene solvent. I use it for dingy repair which basically calls for using a contact cement to bond and repair. You brush it on the leading edge of the material and work it back with a putty knife.

 

It can be hard to find but a hardware store was the source for me.

A couple of things about toluene (and lacquer thinner, which has toluene in it)- it will dull paint (and lift it if left on long enough) and in an unvented area breathing it will get you high (it's the ingredient you're looking for when sniffing model glue). It also gets absorbed through your skin. But it will soften contact cement....

Thanks Gordon (et al).   BTW the cut I am worried about is the useless one I put in in the top of the rear seat deck, not the carpet.    It will be covered by the seat - I will have to think of a creative reason for having the access hole there....