[Ghostrider I]

Right. 86 GTV6 with a shift lever that rivals my Land Cruiser's in terms of length. Can it be cut down?

Also, when my Dad had his 83 GTV6, the lever appeared to be wider in diameter. Is this possible? I know that the GTV 2000 had a spindly one, similar to my 86 in terms of diameter.

Cheers!

 

[Mark_toro]

I've heard that you can move the pivot ball up on the shaft - making the upper lever shorter and the lower longer, doubling the short throw effectiveness. Of course, the shift knob pushes on, so you could always just cut some off the top.

I have never made either of these mods. Just refreshing all the linkage joints has made the shifter effective (I don't want to "speedshift" the transmission anyway). There is a definite difference in feel between the standard and Isostatic linkages. With an 86, you should already have the Isostatic (better throw) linkage.

 

[pangolin]

Before moving the pivot ball: get under the car and see how much room is between that long selector rod and the center bearing crossmember. It's like a fingers (1 cm) thickness. You do you on how close you want it from scraping the crossmember. I imagine the iso-static cars can get away with less clearance.

 

[Ghostrider I]

So, it's acceptable to cut down the lever?

 

[Ghostrider I]

Wish Alfa made a short shift kit. I have one in my NB Miata race car and in my ND. WHOA!! Amazing difference, especially with Stage II clutches.

 

[Mark_toro]

"So, it's acceptable to cut down the lever? "

I don't see why not. Cut it down, bend it, whatever. Just mind the clearances around the knob and know that the force will go up as the travel goes down. Moving the ball amplifies the amount of throw reduced. Cutting the lever won't be as severe. (Math and stuff)

I'd recommend making sure your isostatic linkage is fully up to snuff before any modification. I think the one in the Milano feels good (throw length), whereas the GTV6 (non-iso) feels a bit long. Bot in good shape.

 

[Zinhead]

So, it's acceptable to cut down the lever?

I cut down the level on my first GTV6 with no ill-effects. However, you don't really gain anything in terms of shifter action or feel and you can't really reverse the change if you don't like it. The only reason to do so would be for ergonomic reasons, and I have not replicated the modification in any of my subsequent GTV6's.

It is better to make sure the shift linkage was in good shape and rebuild it with the following kit.

Monkey Shift Kit

Also, the quality of the transmission mounts can have an impact on shifter quality.

 

[MPMB]

Yes, it’s acceptable. I shortened mine years ago and it works great.

 

[Potenziato]

The stock shifter in the Milano with the isostatic has about 7 inches of throw from front to back with one inch cut off the top. My M3 with a 25% reduced throw is 3 inches. The Alfa is more like a paddle shifting a boat not a car!

If you do try to modify the Alfa shifter to say 50% short throw, the Alfa synchros may not be very happy.

 

[Fugazi]

I cut mine and bent it backwards. As stock you cannot reach it with racing seat belts. Moved the steering too of course.

 

[Potenziato]

Race shifter will probably go through the interior.

Prototech Rennfahrzeugbau

Shifter for GTV6 / AR 75 / Alfetta together with inside linkage and race gearbox (close ratio, reinforced clutch housing and lightend sinter clutch) ready for fitting into the car...

www.facebook.com

 

[fulcrum]

I moded my weekend joy rider Alfettas shifter.
In my application it made sense to move shifter back a little and make throw shorter.
I also wanted to have crisper shifting that the stock rubber bushing on a connsection between two shifter rods does not offer.

• Therefore I decided to make a new wider 'fork' on the longer bar to accomodate needle bearings and changed rubber bushing to brass. --> Notchier shifting check
• To make throws shorter I decided to extend the shifter bellow the ball (I was not able to move the ball). If you do so, the longer shifter bar sits lower in the car and can touch the chasis. I cut the shorter bar and extended it by 15mm. To compensate moving the connection lower, the 'fork' designed in a previous point has been done so, that the holes are 15mm lower than original. --> Shorter throws check
• To move the shifter back, I simply untightened the aluminum cup that holds the shifter ball and pushed it back. It has slotted holes --> Shifter position check

I am really happy whit shifting on my car for the last 2 years.

I do not have many pics
Pic from bellow was taken just before welding

 

[slowcreek]

I've done both. Cut the shifter inside the car and moved the pivot ball 10mm.
Initially, I cut the lever inside.

I cut off the lever inside the car with a cut-off wheel. You will need to get a new gearshift knob which attaches with 3 allen screws around its lower perimeter. Take this opportunity to install a weighted knob.

 

[Joe149]

I confess that I've never understood the desire for short shifters. I raced an M3 (standard shifter) and test-drove a friend's M3 with a short shifter kit. The shorter throw seemed to lessen the feel for the synchros, I guess because of the increased force required to shift with the shorter lever. In any case, it seemed a lot easier to miss shifts with the shorter lever in that case.
Does it allow you to shift faster? I can't imagine it would be a big enough difference to matter.

The GTV6 does have a fairly long throw, but it also has weak synchros that I want to treat kindly. I think the longer lever allows that.

Of course, bending the lever back to make it reachable while in 6-points, well yeah of course!
Joe

 

[slowcreek]

Just moving the pivot ball 10mm isn't a drastic modification. It still allows the good "timing" for a decent shift.
I've seen some "short shifters" in other cars and they were ridiculously short and required too much effort in my opinion.

 

[Milbs]

I cut my 1985 GTV6 shifter down and it was a game changer. Just go slow. 1/2" at a time. Till you get the feel you want. Cheapest and best modification ever!

 

[slowcreek]

well, I swapped in a different shifter yesterday. The pivot ball was moved 15mm and the lever stock length.
Excellent result.
A lot of work is needed to go this route though. The rod from the shifter to the transaxle needs massagingt o keep it off the body structure.