Post by angusmf on Apr 30, 2004 15:47:48 GMT -5
As some of you know, in 1975 VW did a lot of crazy stuff with the shifters and shift linkage on the Rabbit. One thing that is very different from '76+ cars is the shifter, shift rod, and shifter base plate. The 75 has a larger shift plate with a different bolt pattern to attach to the tunnel and to the shifter assembly. It also doesn't have the large half-shell thing sticking down into the tunnel which apparently serves as a reverse lockout, and who knows what else. Though I did manage to get the early shifter parts for my car (thanks to a board member) I decided to try to adapt the later pieces to my car. I didn't want to use the worn out shift ball that came with the 75 shifter, and it's a totally different design to the later ones.
If you try to put the late base plate in the 75, you'll find that the big wang hanging off the bottom won't let you position the shifter hole correctly. So I whipped out the angle grinder and started modifying. To get the center of the hole for the shifter in approximately the same place as the original, the plate has to be pushed back about an inch, and towards the left about 1/4 inch. Rather than cut up my car, I ground a big notch in the "wang" at the back where it meets the plate. Then it can sorta slip over the edge of the hole in the tunnel, and it can be pushed back to the proper position. Then to move it to the left, I ground down the left edge. This leaves the edges of the plate very near the mounting holes for the original (larger) plate. I ground notches into the plate to uncover the bolt holes in the tunnel. Now I can bolt down the plate using some large-ish washers. The only hole I had to drill in the car was the back mounting hole where the rear of the shifter ball retainer bolts through the base plate. Since the pattern of the early retainer is again different, this hole winds up being maybe 1/2 inch rearwards of the original. Fortunately the metal is thick there and I was able to tap the hole for a 13mm bolt. I think there will be enough adjustment in the ball retainer and the shift rod to compesate for any errors in my mounting.
So, voila! I can now have the convenience of a reverse lockout, a totally rebuilt shifter assembly, and I can use the pretty shift lever that I had powder coated. Plus I can switch back to the early style if I really want to. I'll eventually post pics of the modified shift plate on my website, carhole.com, if anyone is interested.
I also modified a front shift rod bushing bracket (the one that hangs off the steering rack) from a late car because mine was missing. This actually applies to more cars, since the solid mount rack was used til early '77. If anyone wants to know about that, I can post details.
If you try to put the late base plate in the 75, you'll find that the big wang hanging off the bottom won't let you position the shifter hole correctly. So I whipped out the angle grinder and started modifying. To get the center of the hole for the shifter in approximately the same place as the original, the plate has to be pushed back about an inch, and towards the left about 1/4 inch. Rather than cut up my car, I ground a big notch in the "wang" at the back where it meets the plate. Then it can sorta slip over the edge of the hole in the tunnel, and it can be pushed back to the proper position. Then to move it to the left, I ground down the left edge. This leaves the edges of the plate very near the mounting holes for the original (larger) plate. I ground notches into the plate to uncover the bolt holes in the tunnel. Now I can bolt down the plate using some large-ish washers. The only hole I had to drill in the car was the back mounting hole where the rear of the shifter ball retainer bolts through the base plate. Since the pattern of the early retainer is again different, this hole winds up being maybe 1/2 inch rearwards of the original. Fortunately the metal is thick there and I was able to tap the hole for a 13mm bolt. I think there will be enough adjustment in the ball retainer and the shift rod to compesate for any errors in my mounting.
So, voila! I can now have the convenience of a reverse lockout, a totally rebuilt shifter assembly, and I can use the pretty shift lever that I had powder coated. Plus I can switch back to the early style if I really want to. I'll eventually post pics of the modified shift plate on my website, carhole.com, if anyone is interested.
I also modified a front shift rod bushing bracket (the one that hangs off the steering rack) from a late car because mine was missing. This actually applies to more cars, since the solid mount rack was used til early '77. If anyone wants to know about that, I can post details.