FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pics)

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

Well, I have had this great little short shift knob that I made my self for a year or two now, and as if buying my dad his own viper wasnt enough.. he wanted my shift knob too. So I freely gave it to him... BUT then took his stock srt-10 one and remade it. This time, I took photos of the complete process, so you too can create your own Short Shift knob YOURSELF for Free..

Takes 2 hours max.

I'll let the photos do the talking:

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

PS. If this Does anyone any good.. Thank ViperDad.. he was the one who wanted me to share it with eveyone instead of letting it be my little secret ;-)


Jon

 

[Hisserman]

Great project, Jon --

Well thought out and well illustrated. Jay, we should add this to the Illustrated Upgrades section.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Great job. Looks pretty good.

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

Thx. Guys !!

Can you believe, I have twice as many photos. I cut it down to half so it wasnt insainly detailed. But needless to say, the photos can speak to the whole project step by step. I'll include the details on bit sizes, and what tap I used if Jay wants to make this an illustrated upgrade. Along with how much to cut off, how to vary the size to your likes, etc..

Jon

 

[sween]

looks great

 

[Vic]

I did that too, cheapest shift knob around...

 

[TOOOFST]

Glad to see it safely worked for you.
BBBut for the guy that wants to save a buck,and can't afford to spend 25 bucks for a short shifter already made ***.I own a large welding fab shop in the chicagoland suburbs and I don't recommend holding and drilling.You are no real man of Genius.
Obviously you have some gearhead talent,
focus that energy on making a DIY TT system under 5K.
Hey just shifting ya.

 

[Casey 111]

Glad to see it safely worked for you.
BBBut for the guy that wants to save a buck,and can't afford to spend 25 bucks for a short shifter already made ***.I own a large welding fab shop in the chicagoland suburbs and I don't recommend holding and drilling.You are no real man of Genius.
Obviously you have some gearhead talent,
focus that energy on making a DIY TT system under 5K.
Hey just shifting ya.

But he did where his glasses! Last time i watched a kid hold what he was grinding on i watched it catch spin around, next thing we knew his hand was the side of an orange and he was leaving to go get X-rays

Great presentation, well thoughout. I always prefer to do things i can by my self.

 

[TOOOFST]

That's true CASEY,Glasses are the MOST important.Shortening the top(DECO) shaft does not get rid of the annoying BS rubber short shaft, designed for the granny drivers.That rubber dampner shaft usually twists and tears,becoming defective anyway.
On a positive note,my kid just woke me from lightning here in chi-town and we got RAIN!

 

[Leslie]

VERY impressive!

are you single?

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

Glad to see it safely worked for you.
BBBut for the guy that wants to save a buck,and can't afford to spend 25 bucks for a short shifter already made ***.I own a large welding fab shop in the chicagoland suburbs and I don't recommend holding and drilling.You are no real man of Genius.
Obviously you have some gearhead talent,
focus that energy on making a DIY TT system under 5K.
Hey just shifting ya.

Dude, you gotta be kidding me. IT wasn't really about saving a buck. It was about doing things on your own because you can. And yes, I know that the shifter can spin in your hand and surprise.. it did in mine.. but my drill press is not very strong, and ITS A SHIFT KNOB.. so when it spins in your hand.. whooo.. hooo.. BIG DEAL.. you turn the button off drill off, and break it free, and do it again. So for the safety conscious, with powerful drill presses, PLEASE BY ALL MEANS use a DRILL PRESS VISE.. problem solved.

Please be assured the financial where withal exists so I can buy a $60 shift knob, matter of fact I did, from MGW and sold it, in favor of my solution as I liked mine more, but my life has been about doing things because you can and learning something knew from them.

Enjoy your shop, with your attitude, I definitely wont ever frequent it for any solutions.

Jon

 

[Qualitywires.com]

About time you posted something useful!

 

[Casey]

Looks good!

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

About time you posted something useful!

I am speechless.. Did someone steal AB's account ?


Jon

PS. Thx Casey

 

[slaughterj]

About time you posted something useful!

I am speechless.. Did someone steal AB's account ?

Now you have two short shafts!

Signed,

AB

-=-=-

There, that should fix it

 

[GT40DOC]

Nice job Jon. I agree with you, anytime that I can do things on my car, I do for it makes it more mine(kind of personalizes it). I bought a short shifter but don't like it. This conversion will be in my future.

 

[Randy]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

I did this a month or two after getting my car, and have suggested it to anyone that wants to get rid of the truck-height of the stock Gen II shift knob (and have posted here a number of times to take the upper shaft to a machine shop to have it cut and tapped). I wanted to retain the stock look of the shifter and haven't really seen any aftermarket setups I liked any better.

Only issue is whether people have the tools or not - especially the drill press and tap. Otherwise, its a bit longer than a two hour job, as you don't really want to try this with a hand-held drill, and there's no way around threading the new hole without a tap.

 

[DrDJ]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

That looks better than any aftermarket shifter. Anyone want to sell me their stock 2000-2002 shifter in black?

Is the 1999 shifter the same?

 

[Joseph Dell]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

The 99 shifter is the same. I'll check to see if I still have my old one. it was a loooooooooong time ago when i took it off...

BTW - John - nice job! it is pretty sharp lookin' !

JD

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

Thx Guys...

I'm glad I spent the time to take all those photos and upload them and post. If people are doing something with it, then it was worth it !!

Jon

 

[N2 Vipers]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

One of the guys in our local Viper club took his to a machine shop and had this done. They charged him $150!!!!

 

[Joseph Dell]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

Two words.... Viper Tax.

 

[big-n-italian]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

<< VERY impressive!

are you single? >>

LOL

I have seen leslie in pics ACR. she IS a cutie!

 

[Nader]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

I did mine at a machine shop for $25 dollars. Instead of drilling the whole and threading it, they simply cut and welded the original threads back on. They basically took 21/2 inches from the middle. The weld is clean and is covered by the boot. I love it with my hurst.

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

I did mine at a machine shop for $25 dollars. Instead of drilling the whole and threading it, they simply cut and welded the original threads back on. They basically took 21/2 inches from the middle. The weld is clean and is covered by the boot. I love it with my hurst.

Yeah, that's another way. Its not as strong as a solid piece, but shifting would never tax the weld vs. a completely solid piece to warrant the difference. Also relatively speaking, if your a DIY guy, you probably have all the tools I used, welder would be a bit much, unless you are AB.. and knowing AB he'd probably weld it on sideways anyways.. lol..

Jon

PS. I saw Leslie's photos also, and she probably has her $hit together, from the looks of her two cars. However, I like the brainless ***** types 21-23.. lol.. No wonder why I am still single.. I keep going threw them like Kleenex. Whoops forgot my dad was on here now...oh yeah he already knows and disapproves.

 

[JGK95]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

You totally misread TOOOFST's post but congrats on your conversion. Thanks for the Sharing with the How-to Now I gotta figure out how I can 'pad' the expense so that the machinery just suddenly 'Shows Up in the Garage one day'

LOL!

Jay K.

 

[Fast Viper Dan]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

Although I find your machine practice quite primitive, I admire your results.
(I own a CNC machine shop, just ribbin' ya!) Nice work!
But check this out, the last photo reminded me that after five years, I just noticed on my 99 that the snow flake on the air conditioner knob is a sticker??? the rest of the symbols are silk screened.

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

Although I find your machine practice quite primitive, I admire your results.
(I own a CNC machine shop, just ribbin' ya!) Nice work!
But check this out, the last photo reminded me that after five years, I just noticed on my 99 that the snow flake on the air conditioner knob is a sticker??? the rest of the symbols are silk screened.

well not that that has $hit to do with my post BUT 99 was the first year of the ACR, I wonder if they all started out as NON AC cars, and they added the sticker ONLY if you got AC !! Also, my 2002 is an ACR and I noticed that mine had a sticker on the A/C too, except it was a "no ac" sticker, which I removed, since mine did infact have A/C (which only worked when I removed the sticker.. j/k) !! PULL YOURS OFF AND SEE !!

 

[luc]

Re: FREE SHORT SHIFT KNOB All GENs!! * ...just add labor+ tools ;-) (pic

All new A/C heater control come with a round black sticker on the snowflake.

And,yes, when you remove it the snowflake is underneath.

I bet you than DC do that for cost/inventory reason, instead of having to carry and inventory 2 differents parts #
(ACR A/C delete and GTS/RT/ACR A/C), this way they can only have one.
You have A/C ? remove the sticker. no A/C leave the sticker one.

DC is full of sh77t, when you think that it is mainly a Ford part that retail for less than $30 with the only exception being that the silk screen is particular to the Viper for the orange backlighting, a MSRP of $300 is not a Viper TAX but highway robbery.

Luc.