Major Perfomance Enhancement

[stephen newberg]

I asked this once before on the general page and got no responces, so with a much catchier subject (totally false, of course), maybe I can get the target knowledgeable GenIII people to comment.

I am tired of the too cold/too hot plastic on the shift **** and want to put on a leather cover, like it should have had in the first place. Obviously it needs to have a cutout for the shift button. One for the overdrive button would be handy but is not really required. Anybody heard of anything premade, or am I going to have to get my favorite shoe repair guy to actually make something?

And of course, this will obviouly make the car go a good deal faster...

pax, smn

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'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[LASTSHO]

Stephen,

I would scour the junkyards for a '96 or '97 SHO. I'm not really sure what it would take to get that off there though.

I do know what you mean about the plastic shift **** though...

Kenny Kopecky on the V8SHO.com email list has taken the shifter **** apart I believe. He would know what it would take to get it off and put a new one back on.

Best of luck!



------------------
Mark
'99 Black 27K
Lots-O-Mods...
The LASTSHO's Pics

 

[stephen newberg]

Mark,

Did not know they were leather for the '96 & '97, so that is a good idea. Were they all black or color coded to the leather of the interior?

I will call my favorite junk yard. If it is a real hassle to get off and on though, it might actually be simpler to have one made. I will consult Harry, my shoe fixer fellow.

Let me know about the color thing if you know, Mark. Gen IIIs are rather rare up here and it could be months (or longer) before I actually see one parked somewhere to check by MkI eyeball.

pax
smn

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'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[LASTSHO]

I have never seen a Gen 3 SHO with any other color shifter than black. The 96's and 97's were black leather. I had one in my '97 Silver Frost SHO.

They have the cutout too.

Get ahold of Kenny Kopecky on the removal.


Another idea....you could just take it off and have it covered in leather. It would be a bit bigger...but not much. It would have to be a professional job too.



------------------
Mark
'99 Black 27K
Lots-O-Mods...
The LASTSHO's Pics

 

[stephen newberg]

Hi Mark,

Well, I checked that post from Kenny about how to change the shifter, and I think I am now convinced that the way to go here is to have my favorite shoe repair guy make me one out of glove leather. He can do it without taking the shifter out and then we just lace it in on the far (passenger) side. Black was what I was after, so you were right there, but I do not want to go the the obvious hassle that pulling the shifter out and putting it back will be. This may all take a few weeks (he is an "arrrteast" and will want to play with it, actually he is a barrel of laughs but will want it to look right and it will probably take several fittings, he claims). I will let you know how it comes out.

I am positive that this alteration will be good for .7 seconds and 4 mph on my 1/4 mile times.

Nice phot of your car, by the way.

pax
smn

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'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[LASTSHO]

Stephen,

Sounds like you have the right idea. I get a little nervous about taking the shifter out myself...but for me it would be easier as its just the ****, with no OD off button. With yours having this gent make one would be the way to go.

Keep us updated. If he knows what he's doing it should turn out great.

Good Luck! and thanks for the compliment on the pic.



------------------
Mark
'99 Black 27K
Lots-O-Mods...
The LASTSHO's Pics

 

[stephen newberg]

Well, further to that major HP producer, a leather wrapped shift ****, my favorite leather guy says we can do it, but it is not as simple as one would think. Seems we will have to glue it on or the edges around the buttons will curl up. And it has to be exactly right the first time, because the glue for leather to plastic is not fond of being moved after it touches. So I am starting to work on a pattern.

The other consideration, just getting a shift **** from a 96-97, is not getting me anywhere because I cannot find one in scrap. Anyone out there have any contacts on this?

The problems of getting that last ounce of go out of your car...

pax
smn

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'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[LASTSHO]

You might want to put it on the V8SHO.com email list. June Han might be able to find where his wrecked 99 went. Just a thought though.



------------------
Mark
'99 Black 27K
Lots-O-Mods...
The LASTSHO's Pics

 

[stephen newberg]

Hi Mark,

Might do that, though only '96-'97 will do, or so I understand. And I did check with Ford as well. I can actually order a '97 shift **** from them for $70 CA, but they cannot tell me for sure if it will fit my '98 properly.

pax
smn

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'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas