12-29-2008, 07:33 PM
So I had the day to fart around with the car. I wanted a slightly shorter shift throw and a different knob. Also, I wanted to get rid of the PO's aluminum/plastic trim (at least start to..)
So...got a new center trim piece and boot retainer and switch blanks from 968online. Bought a new generic black leather boot off ebay for 15$, bought a momo short black leather knob for 50$ from ebay. Removed old trim. saved the far right blank because it is a different size. put some protective sheets down in car and cut 1 inch off the stick with pneumatic cutting wheel. The stick is bar shaped and will not work with the Momo tightening screws. So I had to well some extra material to the stick to make it nearly round. I put about four passes on each side and ground off a millimeter where needed and the Momo knob fits perfectly with the screws catching in 1-2 turns. Real solid!
Next was the leather boot. this leather was a little thicker and the retaining trim needed to have a little bit removed from the corners so that the thick leather stitched part would fit. Then I wet the leather with water and stretched it ofer the retainer to the appropriate depth, marked it, and trimmed it. getting the snap ring to fit the center console trim was a real PITA, but it went on eventually. Had to put the rear part in first and then work the front edges. Also, i superglued the cut stiched int eh leather so they would not come undone.
What was really nice is that the cheapo leather boot came with a plastic inner trim ring which screwed perfectly into the bottom of the Momo shift knob. Once the console trim was in place, there was just enough slack in the leather to wind teh leather counterclockwise, and then let it unwind on to the Momo knobe where enough threads cought so that it stays nicely in place. Everything fit just right. real happy with project. Test drive was great and the length of the shifter fits my arm perfectly.
pics below may not be in order:
more pics:
So...got a new center trim piece and boot retainer and switch blanks from 968online. Bought a new generic black leather boot off ebay for 15$, bought a momo short black leather knob for 50$ from ebay. Removed old trim. saved the far right blank because it is a different size. put some protective sheets down in car and cut 1 inch off the stick with pneumatic cutting wheel. The stick is bar shaped and will not work with the Momo tightening screws. So I had to well some extra material to the stick to make it nearly round. I put about four passes on each side and ground off a millimeter where needed and the Momo knob fits perfectly with the screws catching in 1-2 turns. Real solid!
Next was the leather boot. this leather was a little thicker and the retaining trim needed to have a little bit removed from the corners so that the thick leather stitched part would fit. Then I wet the leather with water and stretched it ofer the retainer to the appropriate depth, marked it, and trimmed it. getting the snap ring to fit the center console trim was a real PITA, but it went on eventually. Had to put the rear part in first and then work the front edges. Also, i superglued the cut stiched int eh leather so they would not come undone.
What was really nice is that the cheapo leather boot came with a plastic inner trim ring which screwed perfectly into the bottom of the Momo shift knob. Once the console trim was in place, there was just enough slack in the leather to wind teh leather counterclockwise, and then let it unwind on to the Momo knobe where enough threads cought so that it stays nicely in place. Everything fit just right. real happy with project. Test drive was great and the length of the shifter fits my arm perfectly.
pics below may not be in order:
more pics:
