Thread: 51 MG restoration.

Originally Posted by 32t

You didn't have to go to the junk yard to get new handles....

It was too late after a bit. the vice-grips ate-up the splines!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

It was too late after a bit. the vice-grips ate-up the splines!

Didn't you just pinch them a little harder? LOL

Originally Posted by 32t

Didn't you just pinch them a little harder? LOL

Yeah! They would slip after some usage so one would take them off and twist it tighter.
Mash it back on!

I can’t pull the tranny top cover off in car with the tunnel support or I might consider extending the main fork shift rods, but really, I’m very Leary of cutting apart main tranny members. Way to precise that would need be and if I fouled it up,, 59 shift linkages would be difficult to source I think.
The tie rod extension, if built well, will allow me to drop the new shifter lower by an inch or so and the linkage will still work 1:1 with the stroke, sitting just above the new u joint location and about 1“ in front of the e brake.
Once the actual link arrives I’ll be better able to tell if it’ll work, and how to build it.
Cheers. And thanks for the ideas folks..

I wonder if it is one shaft going forward under the lever? Seems like a nice solution.
Is the actual gate for the shifts up front?
I reckon the tie rod thing would do no harm. Would be worth trying first.

Pictures help,

And yes the horseshoes are up front and seem to extend down about 4 “. Plus the fore and aft bolts are extra long.the outer arms look forgiving, but that mid, 3,4 shifter looks way tight. There are guide ways either end and just an awful lot of poker straight geometry with radial accuracy required to deal with.
The tie rod is way less exacting or impactive if slightly off.

Ah, so the gate is actually under the lever. 3 rods to lengthen plus the extension itself.
A definite wacky bench job.
Carry-on!

Boy, sure looks to me like extending those rods would be the cleanest looking end product but dropping the tranny back out is a big pain in the @$$. I know it wouldn't look original but I always liked the shifter on my '69 Mustang.

Of course that exact thing wouldn't fit but maybe changing the angle to a 60°-80° curve (or would that be 100°-110°? Anyway, closer to 90°)with a short vertical portion might make it...if you can live with the look of it.