well some people wanted to see this again in its own thread and yes it was very easy to do.
just remove the old shifter..cut the remaining shift column to 2'' above where it comes out of the console .. then cut the white plastic "shifter rod" appox 3/4 to an inch above the metal tube.... to ensure the shifter still slides ride inside the tube using a plumbers pipe cutter to cut the metal the kind you spin around to cut. and then attach your fav . aftermarket shifter .. i got mine from RS-1 tuning ... bad ass little ball style .. you push the whole ball down to shift..
my O|D button well im relocating that to my new sterring wheel im getting it has 2 buttons on it .. so well see how that turns out
OK. IMAGINE for a second (just a second because we all know you're too good to actually drive an automatic) that you do in fact drive an auto - would you rather have a fat ugly factory THING sticking out of your console or a shiny chrome shiftknob? The answer is obvious. I don't claim any performance gains I just think that if I have performance parts in my car it should look like it, right? [?]
looks good... i would dress it up alittle and install a shift boot... that'll hide it even more... its a good idea.
and my g/f may eventually do this with her auto..
to the negative people posting i say nay... yes some people have auto's and manual trannies are usually the transmission of choice for a tuner... but you have to work with what you got.
This guy makes a great point. This mod is strictly for looks. The interior is what you see as the driver more than anything, so might as well make it look nice. I might look into doing this to mine sometime. I hate the stock knob......
i wanna put a mustang shift knob on mine...one off the 05+ stangs...i think it would look cool.
i dont want to bring up the discussion but i will say having an auto is not bad...it might not have ass hauling performance stock but my lil auto gets up and goes when i need it to now...and even more once i get my cams in. and if i ever feel the need to drive a stick, i have an 89 bronco to drive lol...
Hi PZEV05ZTW,
Nice Mod you did. I was thinking of doing something similar but never got to it. I def. state that it looks cool in a ATX and I'm annoyed with that hughe ATX shifter. I found a nice looking ATX shifter with o/d once but I lost the link so...
Would you be kind enough to pm me further info about this, maybe pic during install or the step by step how to 'cause the graphic you showed isn't all that clear to me.
I really would appreciate.
Keep up the good modding and tnxs in advance.
paul.
He never once mentioned that he wanted it to look like a manual. I'm very happy for you that you have a 5-speed, you are obviously so much better than us auto trans folks, I'm not even worthy of posting in the same thread as you.[rolleyes]
Now, back on topic. Does anyone know where to purchase one of these knobs, preferably with an O/D button?
You know Khanaar, you may think that autos are slow or maybe not made for tuning or whatever but here's a point to note:
The MTX you use is the same transmission I use EXCEPT mine (ATX) is beefed up to handle more torque - no joke. HMM. Torque is what takes you off the line and I know my 2.3L Duratec will haul my [][][][][][] away from the line alot quicker than your stock 2.0L Zetec - even if mine was stock - so why are you worried about those of us who put a shift knob on an auto? It's not like we are doing it to "look like a manual". It's to "look like a nice car". Transmission type doesn't matter so much as the driver and their performance parts.
B&M makes a "Short Throw Shifter" specifically for Ford automatics (4,5, and 6 speeds) so... I almost bought it but it was $100.00 and my T-handle + shift boot (both from B&M) totaled $40.00 and looked more modern in my opinion.
B&M says: "Key benefits: Control - The installation of a B&M shifter greatly improves the driving experience. Having the ability to manually shift through the gears allows the driver to maximize the engines power curve..."
automatic cars are slow. my focus is a [][][][][][]' pig on acceleration. in the quarter mile, my slushbox only bested 18.1 seconds, a stock manual zetec got 17.2.
Focuses are slow. 18.1-17.2 1/4 mile is hardly anything to brag about on either hand. Automatic cars aren't slow, they just have more drivetrain loss. Once that is compensated for, I assure you, I've won many many races and you know when I pull? When they're shifting from 2-3 and I'm still slamming through 2nd gear. We, as automatic drivers, have many advantages over the mtx that is often neglected.
I'd hardly compare 17.2 and 18.1 as a measure of "slow" and ??? "fast"
STOCK automatic cars are a little slower than manual cars. My engine and tranny are tuned, thus making the shifts much firmer and way faster shifting. Add some bolt on's to get it breathing right, then get it tuned, and you won't think so poorly of your automatic.
All MTX guys who don't think ATX's are for tuning should REALLY check out the BMRacing.com website. Especially the Transmission and Torque Converter sections. If you still don't think they should be tuned then you are just obstinate and think you're somehow better than us...although when I flew past I don't know how many people - not just focus' - that had manuals they didn't seem any better.
LOL, all the people who think their focus is more of a sports car somehow because they got a 5-speed need to think with their head. It gets 30 mpg and is $10,000. Stop crying people. The stock shifter is fugly as hell and 10 feet tall, a new knob isn't. That's all this is about.
If this guy is right then i guess the SVT focus is not a sports car. I think we all have focuses cause in a way they can be sports cars with the right mods so everyone that does not have a Svt went out a got focuses models s , se , ses and so on so they can do what they want to make it there own sport car.[driving] [driving] o sh---t that lil man is driving a manual!
Yeah, seriously how did this turn into a fast and not fast thread? I cut min a couple weeks ago. They're so tall stock you can barely squeeze a pop between it and your leg while driving
Yeah, there is one thing I've noticed when I auto-x and it's that when you try to put it into 2nd it's really awkward and sometimes will slide up to D, I imagine if the thing were shorter and less cumbersome it would be easier to bump it up just one notch.
wow, i can't believe how much bs people bickered about on this thread in 2004 and i hope it doesn't start again in 2007.
the mod, as stated by the OP, is a cosmetic one. Period. And it looks better than stock. If i had an auto i would do this mod because of its looks.
you can also change the PRND21 piece for a manual shift boot, and IMO it looks better as well. I wouldn't, however, try to make people think that the car is a MTX if it isn't. ATX and MTX each have their own merits.
Honestly, when I go out racing, I brag about the fact that my car is an ATX
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