MGB: Shorter Gear Shift Lever

I have a stock 78B. I would like a shorter gear shift lever. Are there shorter ones available? -Thanks

If you don't have an overdrive switch in the shift knob it could be cut and re-threaded without removing it. The interior of the car would probably have to be covered and the stick cut with an abrasive cut-off wheel as that lever is made of very hard stuff. Just about any general garage with a good tap & die set could do it.

An alternative, which I use, is to move the lever a lot faster.

JDW: If you shorten the shift lever, doesn't that cause a longer throw?

I'm not sure about the shifter on a '78, but my '70 has a shortened shifter. When I got the car, the shift knob was loose and could not be tightend. I removed the knob and discovered that a PO had cut off the shifter and attempted to thread the remaining shaft. The problem is that the shaft is tapered, so that the shaft has to be filed or ground down to a round shape that is approximately the same diameter as the cut off threaded portion. The PO had not done a very good job of this, so the threads were uneven.

I cut off the threaded portion and had a 3/8 bolt welded on. I haven't had a problem since.

While I was having this done, I acquired a stock shift lever. I found it uncomfortably long. My shortened shifter is about 1.5 inches shorter than stock. It makes a world of difference. I can shift from 1st to 2nd by just flicking my wrist. I hardly move my arm at all. It also makes it more comfortable to drive with my right hand resting on the shift lever.

I've never heard of a commercially available shortened shifter. As John points out, if you have an OD switch in the knob, it may be difficult if not completely impractical to shorten it.

Nope!! Less leverage, shorter throw!

more muscles to move!


are there any fancier ways to get the shiftboot to 'flow' better from the console to below the shiftknob? Like a nice modern fancy car?

Gary's right, but I can shift as fast as I can kick the clutch with the regular lever and it doesn't take much effort to do it. I can be in the next gear before the revs drop without power shifting, I think most of us can. Maybe my OD lever is shorter than the standard 4-speed, but I never noticed that when I changed transmissions. If you catch 2nd by shifting with your three middle fingertips over the top of the knob it will go straight into second without moving toward reverse and is like "flow motion", slick as a button.

Kimberly, why would you want to shorten the shift lever? I was thinking today as I was driving my '76 B that the lever is pretty much perfectly placed - drop my hand straight down about 4 inches from the 3:00 o'clock position, and snick snick!

Dan D (snick-snicking along nicely, thank you very much!)

I lopped off about 1/2 inch in about 20 minutes with nothing more than a plain ol' hacksaw. I was careful, and didn't even have to clean the threads. Simple, and effective. Obviously, I wasn't taking a lot off. Mine sat uncomfortably high. I don't remember my 77 (or my 71) sitting as high.

Why? Shorter throw to allow for quicker shifting (great for curving country roads). Also I drive with the seat set back, can't bend my right knee very well. I changed the steering wheel, it sets back a couple of inches compared to stock, also it is an inch or so smaller in diameter to allow for elbow room between wheel and door. Shorter lever doesn't have to travel as far forward to get into first or third. Years ago I had a '71 Volvo 142. The shift lever was long and it felt like I was shifting a truck. I replaced the top cover on the transmisson with one from a P1800 and cut out the tunnel and replaced it with the tunnel from the 1800 to allow for the height difference. My Volvo had overdrive, I installed the switch on the dash to allow for custom knob

It seems the bottom line is no short shifter is availiable, you'll have to have the current shifter modified to obtain a shorter throw.