Well, I officially cant whine about my shifter anymore :D I bought one. I bought the UPR (the link is at the bottom...) It is to get here Friday or next Monday. I would like to know if anybody here has put a aftermarket shifter in an 83 (or one like it, not shure if the other consoles are the same...). I took off the shifter boot and insulation just to see what I have to look forward to... It looks as if I also have to remove the bottom trim possibly of the dash that goes up and around the radio, and controls?? Does this sound correct, or will it come out without doing all that (I am just curiouse..). It almost looked as if it went under the dash a little bit. But anyways I finally got my shifter :D :D
I also got some gauges. I got two Auto Meter sport comp gauges, they are for Water temp, and a boost gauge. I also purchased the pillar pod for a 94-something or another hardtop mustang... If it should have been the convertable, I will hafta send it back. I read Coolcats and I dont think it said either way... So it looks like I may be increasing my boost here in the very near future ;) :D Just thought I would let you all know before I got it, I was too excited to wait and tell you later this week :grinno: I will be posting pictures as soon as it comes... :D
Frank M
http://www.uprproducts.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=172
btw, I ordered the "extreme shifter stick". I guess you are able to adjust it so 5th gear isn't as far out there or whatever, or maybe im just lazy... :hick:
The shifter install shouldn't be any harder than on a Mustang or later model Thunderbird.
When you take off the boot, you'll see the inner boot plate which is held in with 4 bolts. The front two bolts can be tough to get to, you might have to loosen them with a wrench as a socket might not fit in there. After that there's just removing the old shifter itself...4 bolts, and again the front two can be a little tough to get at but you should be able to do it with a flexible extension and a ratchet. Finally you gotta give the old shifter a good yank depending on how well the factory silicone is still holding. Clean it off, run a new bead of silicone, let it skin, put the new shifter on and reverse the process.
BTW you should love your UPR shifter, I've had mine for about 5 years on 2 different cars and it's still working great.
Red_LX,
Hey, thanks for the reply. I am glad you finally made it over here to Coolcats. I remember going on Cardomain, and falling in love with your car!! :D Which handle do you have? Do you have the "trick-stick" or the "extreme"?
Frank M
You would think you would know a guy that can help you out with this stuff ;)
Bob Myers
its not a hard install, just pull the dash apart untill you can find the 4 bolts to remove the shifter, then the directions that come with the shifter will tell you the rest
Bob...dont make him screw up ;)
Heh, thanks :)
I did have the "trick stick" handle on mine, but I didn't like having to reach so far forward for 3rd & 5th gear, so I took a stock handle and cut & rewelded it so it's layed back toward me a good bit. It's a bit extreme but I like it because I don't have to reach at all anymore.
BTW- , I didn't realize how cheap UPR's shifters were these days. I got mine for $125 at WFC back around 2001, at the time they were $135 regular price.
If your shifter is anything like the one in my '84 was I can definitely see why you're replacing it!
I could not imagine another shifter as bad as his. You sort of just push it a direction, and it kind of goes in a gear, sort of somewhere. It's kind of like pushing a chain, it moves, but you arent real confident its going anywhere specific :sawzall:
I give him credit for driving it this long :D
Bob Myers
Ever driven a 5 speed tempo? For one the throws are so long it feels like you're driving a truck, and it feels about as precise as a wet noodle. I hate FWD shifters.
well, my gauges got here today, they are awsome!! However I dont have batteries fior the camera... Ill get those tomorow with hopefully the shifter :D
Frank M
The shifter did not come today, but I got some quick pictures of the gauges...
Frank M
I'd like to hear how well that boost/vac gauge works out.
I just ordered a white-face SunPro boost/vac gauge to go with my other three gauges, and while it does read just fine, it tends to be very abrupt in its reading changes. For example, if I hit the gas, it'll just jump right from 16-18" or whatever its reading at idle right to the mid to upper 20s. Yes, I realize that's probably a surge of air/vacuum in there, but I mean this thing moves like there's nothing in between.. it's like 16.. 16.. 16.. (even after you hit the gas) then SNAP - 26. (it's a mechanical gauge, too.. run off a tee in the line to the cruise servo) Between that and both my SunPro voltmeters reading low, (.5V on one, 1V on the other) I'm beginning to wonder if it really is a case of get-what-you-pay-for with 'em.
DISCLAIMER: I have never owned a vacuum gauge before the last month or so, so it's entirely possible I'm a complete idiot about this or anything else. :p
No, sounds to me like the gauge is junk, and with sunpro it wouldn't surprise me. I have a VDO vac/boost gauge and it transitions from vac to boost very smoothly.
I don't really trust sunpro now- I got a sunpro tach last year, looked really nice...I hooked it up in my car and it worked for less than a week before it ped out on me and stopped working. Now I have an Autogage tach that I've had for over a year and it works great.
Well for like $23 for the vac gauge, and $40 for the three-gauge cluster, I guess I shouldn't expect the best. Oh well. I'll make do until I can afford better.
I am definatly new to this as well. I can only go by what people have told me (of course until I hook my own up here in a week or so maybe), and from what people have told me Auto meters are pretty much top of the line with accuracy and quality. But like I said, I cant verify that myself, just what people have told me ;) I got them for a rather good price. I bought them form Summit the boost was around $45 and the water temp around $39 or $40. So I did not think the price was too bad... Thanks for all the great replys! I will keep you all updated, hopefully Fed ex will pull through tomrow with that shifter :)
Frank M
and no, I dont think Bob is gunna mess it up. It'll be me messin it up ;)
Well I only paid around $25-30 for my VDO gauge (30 in-hg, 25 psi boost), granted it didn't come with any wiring or tubing but you could hook it up with vacuum line and a couple bucks worth of wire.
hmmmm, doesn't the vac usually drop when you accelerate hard?!! :dunno:
:dunno: I only tend to look at the gauge when parked. Does it operate differently under load? The gauges are not mounted in the most convenient manner, unfortunately. They're facing straight up, mounted just underneath the trim panels. Only place I felt I could put them without mangling the dash. They're good for keeping a quick eye on things, but I cannot monitor them constantly unless I'm parked.
under load, and free revving, it should jump to 0 when the throttle opens
Well this one most definitely jumps (and I do mean "jumps".. hesitates, then POW) from 16-18" at idle to the mid-20s at 2000-3000 RPM if you stab the pedal while parked. I have it teed off the vac line to the cruise control servo.
, this has turned into a total thread hijack. :p Is this worth making its own thread over? (as in, is this a problem or something?)
I think the problem is just the fact that you're using a sunpro gauge :toilet:
I got my shifter today. And I havnt posted pictures until now, because Ive been out driving it all day :D I absolutely love it!! My advice to those who still have the stocker is buy a UPR ;) (or something aftermarket, if you wanna shell out an extra $70, knock yourself out...) Well I took pictures but it was in the car (no I COULD NOT take the time to run upstairs to get the camera before I installed it) but I promised pictures so here they are...
very nice dude
i dont know what it is, but i havnt found any aftermarket shifters that i like more than my stock 87 shifter, the throw is short enough for a stock shifter, but its firm, and has a great feel, most of the shifters ive felt (Ripper, Hurst, Tri-Ax) we nice, but not what i want in my car