Did some shifter bushings yesterday, wow!

[htchbck]

Michael (NOS-tiva) came over yesterday to hang out for a bit while his wife visited a friend near here. I was working on Babystiva and we pulled the old manual shifter out of it to install the auto. Then decided to install the bushings he got from somewhere down in Aus on his car. Found out that on his car (a 91 I believe, though not positive) one of the through bolts in the linkage wasn't a bolt at all, but a rod pressed in and welded. Looked like it came from the factory like that that, which meant that only four of the bushings could be replaced. Fortunately the one from the '88 had bolts in all three positions so we just too it apart and installed it instead. Worked fine, and having all new bushings makes a HUGE difference in the shifter feel! Gave me more motivation to do the ones in the MX6 that I've had for weeks and just haven't installed yet lol. We were going to do his short shifter while we had everthing apart, but unfortunately instead of bushings it has bearings pressed into it, and we didn't have a slim enough bolt to fit through the bearing (it was getting a little late to run to Home Depot and pick one up). But still, wow, new bushing makes a world of difference!

[kartracer46]

Yes, a tight shifter makes a world of difference! Let me know when you get that auto swap done. I am curious to see how it went going the other way. I usually go from auto to stick with conversions.

Jay

[htchbck]

^^ me too, but this one is for the wife, I figure if she has the carb car I can do whatever I want with the EFI one lol

[eurotiva]

All festy shift linkages that I've seen have the "pin".

Just grind the mushroomed side of the pin off and it'll come right out.

Then just one small weld to keep it in it's place and your good to go.

[htchbck]

Yeah, I kept the other linkage off of his car with the pin and I will be rebuilding it when I get around to building Chuck. Last night we were pressed for time and didn't want to fool with it so we just used the one with all bolts and no pin. It was from an '88LX. Maybe the early ones were different? This is the first one I've noticed that came apart by bolt at all three joints.

[Safety Guy]

Good to know. I should check my '89L shifter. Aqua's shift pattern could be described as "extremely well broken in." Feels like stirring a three gallon bowl of whipped cream with some tomato juice cans getting in the way and making metallic noises. But it works!

Karl

[m715]

I have early cars myself, and I remember them being the "all bolts" type when it came time for bushings to be replaced.

[kartracer46]

Good to know. I should check my '89L shifter. Aqua's shift pattern could be described as "extremely well broken in." Feels like stirring a three gallon bowl of whipped cream with some tomato juice cans getting in the way and making metallic noises. But it works!

Karl

Karl,

If it doesn't fall down thru the floor yet, it's still good!