Gear shift position

Gear shift position

Author
Discussion

sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
I wanted to get some feedback on recommended gear shifter positions. I will be ordering the GTR kit in January and need to decide on the gear shift position and type before placing the order (centre/left/rod/cable).

My dilemma is that I would prefer the centre cableshift option (996/997 turbo box) but I do not want to compromise the driving position by having to move the driver's seat too far to the right (too allow for the centre shift mechanism). Ideally I would like to have the driver's seat aligned to the pedals and steering wheel but still have enough room for the cable shifter mechanism. I'm not too fussed about having enough space for the centre console.

The other issue is that I am only 5ft 7 inches in height and would need to have the seat fully adjustable. I have seen some interior pics where the centre shift requires the drivers seat to be pushed out to the right, thus resulting in the seat touching the sill. I assume the seat would no longer be fully adjustable in this case as the forward movement would eventually be restricted when it comes into contact with the sill.

If the above is not possible then is a centre rod shift mechanism the next best route (without it fouling the seats)? This of course would mean going with the older G50 type gearbox.

It would be very helpful to get some feedback on what route other builders have taken and their reasons.








3Dee

3,206 posts

221 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
sukhjeevan said:
I wanted to get some feedback on recommended gear shifter positions. I will be ordering the GTR kit in January and need to decide on the gear shift position and type before placing the order (centre/left/rod/cable).

My dilemma is that I would prefer the centre cableshift option (996/997 turbo box) but I do not want to compromise the driving position by having to move the driver's seat too far to the right (too allow for the centre shift mechanism). Ideally I would like to have the driver's seat aligned to the pedals and steering wheel but still have enough room for the cable shifter mechanism. I'm not too fussed about having enough space for the centre console.

The other issue is that I am only 5ft 7 inches in height and would need to have the seat fully adjustable. I have seen some interior pics where the centre shift requires the drivers seat to be pushed out to the right, thus resulting in the seat touching the sill. I assume the seat would no longer be fully adjustable in this case as the forward movement would eventually be restricted when it comes into contact with the sill.

If the above is not possible then is a centre rod shift mechanism the next best route (without it fouling the seats)? This of course would mean going with the older G50 type gearbox.

It would be very helpful to get some feedback on what route other builders have taken and their reasons.
Howdy! I am also 5-7 and I elected to have the Gear shift in the middle. Yes you have to move the seat slightly to the right to accommodate, but once you are used to this, which was very quick for me, it is no problem at all.
HOWEVER - One thing I did have a problem with (and I suspect most do whatever the seat position and st option, was that the seat would not travel very far forward, mostly because the 'lock-bar' that you lift would jam your fingers (mine are FAT)against the front bar.
After a lot of mucking about, I found the best solution - which was to have some spacers made up to go under the seat rail that lifts the seat by about 25 - 30mm (you can decide what is best for you) - cheap to get made - Longer bolts to pass through them, and I welded the nuts onto the inside part of the rail for easy fitment. The floor as standard is lowered to accommodate taller beings, but for us shorties this brings other problems. With the spacers in position it means I have full unrestricted travel of the seat.... and if I sell, and the buyer is bigger than me, then it is very easy for him to remove the spacers!

JOB- JOBBED!

sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
So I assume you went for the cable shift option?

sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
So I assume you went for the cable shift option?

sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
So I assume you went for the cable shift option?

UltimaCH

3,155 posts

189 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
Oups, your last post (x3) must certainly have the stutters or early signs of Parkinson biggrin

3Dee

3,206 posts

221 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
roflroflrofl
wavey

Nahh! The needle on his turntable keeps jumping! yes

Ummm, yes, yes and yes! I went cable-shift old bean! Works fine fer little-old me!

sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
Oops. Dodgy mobile I'm afraid.

sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
Did you go with 996 setup as supplied by the factory?

3Dee

3,206 posts

221 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
What I did was go for a 6 speed twin turbo box with upgraded inners and changes to the gearing (taller) & Uprated LSD (which I am very happy with) - done by California Motor Sport, and got a porsch gearshift from ebay - Cables and bracket from the factory.

Despite what other have said in the past I have found the 6 speed box with my modded ratios and LSD (some say not needed) pretty spot on!
Not that there wern't any problems during the fitting cos there was, but we all have them and the fun/pain is overcoming them...

Plant the throttle and the thing pulls like a train in a straight line even though both wheels are spinning like crazy. No squirming, no shocking sideways moments (YET!)
I have tracked it this summer, and I didn't get any issues pulling hard out of bends either (some said I would), but then I am no professional race driver..so what do I know.., only that I am happy ...nay pleased, with my set-up!

356Speedster

2,293 posts

231 months

Wednesday 18th December 2013
quotequote all
I'm firmly in the centre change, cable, twin turbo box camp! If you're precise with your seat placement, you won't have to move it too far. I had the added problems of having to avoid the additional Can Am side roll bar braces, but managed to fit my seats so that they don't touch the sides of the car.

A Keith has said, how far your seat will slide will be dictated by the runner release bar, so you might just need to raise the seat a little.

The (slight) offset isn't noticeable after you've driven the car a couple of times and certainly isn't uncomfortable at all.

Unless something has changed, the factory don't supply / support the twin turbo box, so you'll need to source that elsewhere, but there's a friendly specialist up north that'll sort that out for you with a simple phone call ;-)

sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Friday 20th December 2013
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After much research and feedback from other builders I think I will go with the centre cable shift and 996 turbo box.

AndreasW

102 posts

161 months

Friday 20th December 2013
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My Ultima is RHD and I also have the 996TT box fitted (which is originally cable shiftet).
I stayed with the rod shift linkage since I prefer to shift with the right hand.
It only needs an exotic mechanism like showed below but it works fine and surprisingly accurate (and it is cheap to make).


sukhjeevan

Original Poster:

290 posts

223 months

Saturday 4th January 2014
quotequote all
Visited the factory to try out the seating position of a centre cable shift layout. It had the 996 centre console which pushes the drivers seat out to the right. Not sure I like the position as the steering was noticeably off centre. Would it be possible to have the cable shift centre layout but with a narrow custom made console? If possible I think that would be the ideal solution as it would allow for a more central seating position.

crossram

291 posts

124 months

Sunday 5th January 2014
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IMO for such a wide car the passenger compartment should be much bigger, who needs all that compartment space on the sides, this should have been addressed when they beefed up the chassis.

UltimaCH

3,155 posts

189 months

Sunday 5th January 2014
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It is nice to have some crash crush zone on the side. Widening the cockpit would be reducing that area.

rdodger

1,088 posts

203 months

Sunday 5th January 2014
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I have often wondered why you couldn't have a cable shift fixed to the dash a bit like a Honda Civic and then you would just need the cables to pass between the seats.

Justaredbadge

37,068 posts

188 months

Sunday 5th January 2014
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It's not actually a very wide car for it's type.

ROWDYRENAULT

1,270 posts

214 months

Sunday 5th January 2014
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To second 3 dee's comment, regardless of the box 5 speed or 6 speed to go without A lsd at this level would seem a very foolish consideration. Yes you will get some additional under steer off the corner but without the LSD you would just be spinning the inside tire. So IMHO put in the LSD and tune the chassis accordingly. I have said it before in 6 years of 565hp bliss the car has never gone sideways under power. Thank you Quaife Engineering, one of the finer examples of British engineering. Lee

Storer

5,024 posts

215 months

Sunday 5th January 2014
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ROWDYRENAULT said:
I have said it before in 6 years of 565hp bliss the car has never gone sideways under power. Thank you Quaife Engineering, one of the finer examples of British engineering. Lee


Lee

You are clearly not trying hard enough. I have similar power + LSD and it is quite easy to get the tail sideways under hard acceleration in the lower gears. I even managed it in a tunnel on the way to Le Mans giving a Ferrari a sound test......


Paul