Short shifter alternative

[M42boy]

I was going to order the 1.9L Z3 shifter and do the conversion like so many here have done.  But, I was having trouble getting some of the parts from the dealer (including the shifting lever), so I decided to find another (simpler) alternative.

I ended up calling Ronald at Autosolutions.  It was clear after a few minutes of talking to him that he's put considerable thought and engineering into the shifting mechanism and how to improve it.  

I decided to order his short shift kit, which includes the shifting arm and all bushings needed as well.  It's all CNC machined and very nice.  I'll report back later once the car is back together.  





Since I still have a lot of the pieces for the Z3 shifter upgrade, I may just get the rest of them and sell it together at a discount.  If anyone's interested, PM me, but I think this solution is a much better design.

[Wizard]

How much was the kit from Autosolutions?

[M42boy]

How much was the kit from Autosolutions?

What you see pictured here as well as a few extra bushings and was $250.

[e9nine]

What you see pictured here as well as a few extra bushings and was $250.

:eek:

You get what you pay for though. That thing will have NO slop in it what so ever. Are those circlips metal? I wonder how it will stand up to the test of time?

Looks nifty as hell though. :cool:

[M42boy]

:eek:

You get what you pay for though. That thing will have NO slop in it what so ever. Are those circlips metal? I wonder how it will stand up to the test of time?

Looks nifty as hell though. :cool:

Call Ronald at Autosport Solutions.  He can tell you all about it's construction.  I can't remember all the specifics, but sounded damn impressive.  
He's the one who advertises in Roundel with "Shift Happens!"  :cool:
http://www.autosportsolutions.net

Plus, the Z3 shifter has a plastic ball on the shift lever.  I wasn't crazy about that idea.

[thumper3ld]

Call Ronald at Autosport Solutions.  He can tell you all about it's construction.  I can't remember all the specifics, but sounded damn impressive.  
He's the one who advertises in Roundel with "Shift Happens!"  :cool:
http://www.autosportsolutions.net

Plus, the Z3 shifter has a plastic ball on the shift lever.  I wasn't crazy about that idea.

That looks similar to bavauto's which is the one I got. If it is pretty much the same, u will love it.

[e9nine]

Call Ronald at Autosport Solutions.  He can tell you all about it's construction.  I can't remember all the specifics, but sounded damn impressive.  
He's the one who advertises in Roundel with "Shift Happens!"  :cool:
http://www.autosportsolutions.net

Plus, the Z3 shifter has a plastic ball on the shift lever.  I wasn't crazy about that idea.

..It's all in the marketing . It's not like BMW made a defective part when they made the stock shifters. The cup the shifter sits in is stil made of plastic so I don't see anything wrong with a plastic ball in a plastic cup. The 1.9 works just fine after about 2 years of use for me

[M42boy]

..It's all in the marketing . It's not like BMW made a defective part when they made the stock shifters. The cup the shifter sits in is stil made of plastic so I don't see anything wrong with a plastic ball in a plastic cup. The 1.9 works just fine after about 2 years of use for me

You're probably right.  Don't get me wrong, if the dealer hadn't told me it would be three weeks before they would have a Z3 shift lever in, I'd be going that route.  But, I needed one now, so I started looking for alternatives now that the tranny is out and laying on the ground.  

This looked like a very nice alternative to the Z3 shifter upgrade.  I'll report on how I like it once I've got the car back together in one piece again.

[e9nine]

You gonna do the July ROAD ATL CCA HPDE? I am thinking of signing up...?

[M42boy]

You gonna do the July ROAD ATL CCA HPDE? I am thinking of signing up...?

I don't know if I'll have any money left!  :eek:

I will probably sign up now or I won't get in, and if I decide not to go, I'll cancel.  
But, yeah, Road Atlanta would be fun!  You in?

[e9nine]

80% set on going. Need to take the old girl down to put it up on the lift to make sure everything is kosher.

[M42boy]

80% set on going. Need to take the old girl down to put it up on the lift to make sure everything is kosher.

I might be doing the Audi Driving School there next weekend.  A business contact of mine supposedly knows a guy who knows Don Panoz or something, so got us a hook up on rates.  :cool:

I'll probably sign up for the July DE event.  They do take plastic, right?  

[Tvan]

A business contact of mine supposedly knows a guy who knows Don Panoz or something, so got us a hook up on rates.  :cool:

I met Don and Dan Panoz at the 12 hours of Sebring in 2001.  My uncle goes to Sebring every year, and he had met Don previously.  I was only ~13 at the time, and Don was pretty impressed when I showed him an Esperante model that I had just bought and asked him to sign it; he's a nice guy.

[M42boy]

Okay, drove the car last night for the first time.  Whooo Hoooo!!!  

And, I gotta say, the Autosolutions short shifter is the best thing since sliced bread!!
Man, it is AWSOME.  Very short throws, good crisp clean shifts, no vagueness or slop, and something that's missing from a lot of the one's I've driven...  VERY positive feedback.  

$250 ain't cheap, but well worth price of admission IMHO!  :cool:

DO IT!

[Wizard]

Looks like the site is now DEAD.....