Don't get offended but how can you tell me you are on a budget when you own a 1999 Viper. I just don't see how you don't have $250 for a shifter but you bought smooth tubes. I guess I am just tired of reading posts from people who are either too timid or too lazy or to cheap to get involved with modifying their cars properly. This business of cutting the factory lever or shorter shafts and lowering kits is just asinine. The only lowering kit I want on my car isn't going to be on my shifter. Swapping shifters is at the begginers level of mechanical apptitude. If you can change your oil then you can install a shifter. The shifter is probably the first and single best bolt on you should do followed by an exhaust. This is a Viper we are talking about and should not be half-a$$ed with knobs and lowering kits. There is a link below, it worked for me and it can work for you too. Spend the money, get involved and rock on!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2942279541&category=1467
What I choose to put on my car has nothing to do with my aptitude as a modifier, nor with my budget.
I am just trying to be as efficient as possible with the decisions I make toward modding my car.
So I want to shorten the throw of my shifter, I have one of two ways of doing that: I spend $25, I buy a shorter shaft, I spend $250, I buy a whole assembly...
Now having some knowledge in engineering, I realize an assembly is going to do more for me than the shorting the shaft. For one, the assembly is engineered to shift properly with the shorter shaft, because we all know shortening the shaft is great, but when the lever is shorter the force necessary to enage it is greater. But $200 difference is enough for me to question the assembly, and ask myself why it's necessary when simply shortening the shaft is enough to get to the root of solving the problem. The money I save is enough to cover the smooth tubes and filters alone.
Yes, it is a Viper, but if you think the engineers that designed it didn't make these same sorts of decisions your wrong. In fact, everyone of us here makes compromises as to where to spend money, if any, on modding theirs.
Oh yeah, and one more thing, I don't want to go cowboy style on my new car and drill the crap out of the rivets holding my stock shifter in. So I think that helps to make up my mind on the matter.
Spending money wisly got me this dream ride and spending money wisly will make it even better! (I also have one of Rich's shifters and love it)
