Driving with a dogleg shifter: comments on experience?

Hello folks,

There's a post in Jack's T5 question thread that suggests a car like my MGA needs a dogleg shifter ( because I'm suffering from a shifter too far ahead). I've already got something like that with my cut-down Mustang shifter. I've cut down the Mustang shifter and knob a lot since that photo was taken, so I'm no longer shredding my knuckles on the heater control screws (very sharp!), but it still feels a bit weird to reach so far forward on shifts. I'll likely take Jim's sage advice and increase the horizontal run even more, but the pressure's off for now (well, off my scarred knuckles anyhow) and I'm currently onto other things (shocks, speakers, heater control valve, and on and on and on).

The question I have for those with experience using such shifters, is how noticeable is the change in motion, from fore and aft rowing, to up and down displacement? The stock MG shifter (which incidentally I liked much more than the Mustang shifter in the T5) was as "fore and aft" as you can get, and in comparison, I have to admit I don't really notice the vertical displacement of this Mustang shifter at all. But for a shifter with a longer horizontal run (as in Jim's picture), the vertical component gets greater and greater. Is the vertical component of the shift motion noticeable, even annoying? How long can the horizontal run be before it's really noticeable?

I know the change in feel would be acceptable to some, not to others, so no concrete conclusions can be drawn, but I'm curious about impressions. Comments?

It was pointed out to me by one of the guys in the shop that the early Mustang T5 conversion has a more-or-less remote shifter. I have also seen interesting shifters used for the S10 T5 in the Stalker V6 using heim joints and other costly items. The MGB has no room to do this in otherwise we would have come up with an S10 T5 conversion for the MGB long ago!!

Maybe just maybe you have room between the tunnel and the shifter in your MGA project.

-BMC.

You are correct Duncan. But it also depends on how much the shifter is moved to the rear.
If extended with a bracket to the rear, the shifter will will move UP, I think you mention this in your post.
1 inch is not bad and may be enough in your case.

Brian, remote shifters using hiem joints are very precise and infinite adjsutability, 1/2" between gears.
Heims joints are inexpensive for this type of use. A steering heim joint or aircraft rated heim joint would be an overkill and expensive.

Duncan I drove Volvo 122s and 142s for years all of which had those butter smooth long shifters and a decided vertical movement. Never thought about it at all.
There some nice looking Hurst units that have the backward bend and then up to the nob which I think might be more front to back than vertical movement.
Just as long as it does not end up like the AC Cobras going through the floor behind you.

Norm, thanks for the anecdote! I know that "feel" is personal, but you have experience with a shifter like this, and the experience was good. I'm convinced!

The Mustang shifter is a two-piece unit, so it's very easy to remove (and modify) the top half. I think I'll make it so that the knob sits over the original MGA hole and give it a try. I bet I'll love it, but if not, I can easily change the upper half of the shifter again. Thanks for your input folks!

Duncan, I have a B&M "Ripper" model shifter in my car. I also had the OEM Mustang shifter. The B&M is much more precise and better feeling. it has holes that allow about 3/8 to 1/2" adjustment fore and aft. also it has the adjustable Stops to prevent damage to the trans. The shifter shaft has a straight up position from the shifter mount and then a 90 degrees bend to rear and another 90 degree bend up. I hope this described the Dogleg you mention. The B&M Ripper is an excellent shifter and usually can be sourced used on the Mustang Boards or on E-bay. It also is a short throw type,looks great and mounts the Mustang shift knob. I did have to re locate it a little forward of the MGB shifter hole, but the Dogleg returned it to a similar position.
SAFETY FASTER!