Short throw shifter ?

[musclenutz]

I am finding a lot of good advice and information here about my 94 . I wonder if anyone here has any advice about installing the B&M Short throw shifter ? I am waiting for my 3:55 gear to come and also will be putting in new AB plug wires. The dealership will be doing this and also new rear tires for me . I have been thinking of getting them to put the shifter in while they are at it. Is this a good move for me?
Thanks,David

 

[RobZilla]

You can do it from the top. Remove the cover and drill out the rivits. Easier to have the dealership do it since it'll be there. Just ask them if they are going to remove the trans or change it from the top.

 

[musclenutz]

Thanks for the info...i still have to do some thinking about this..everyone is saying go with the mgw...what do you suggest

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

B&M here and love it..

Also installed it from the under side to avoid drilling and cutting...

 

[dave6666]

Putting in my B&M next week while I have things apart for the Fidanza. You are doing clutch/slave/flywheel while you slip that shifter in, right?

 

[musclenutz]

Actually i have decided just to keep it stock for now. I will never race it. Clutch just installed less than 2k ago anyway. I may still change the shifter later.

 

[dave6666]

Not sure the correlation between racing and upgrading a shifter. You do plan on driving it right?

 

[AZTVR]

I am finding a lot of good advice and information here about my 94 . I wonder if anyone here has any advice about installing the B&M Short throw shifter ?

Thanks for the info...i still have to do some thinking about this..everyone is saying go with the mgw...what do you suggest

I'm not sure if you are asking whether to go with the B&M Short throw shifter mechanism or the one made by MGW ? My understanding is that the shifter body on the mechanism made by MGW is too tall for the Gen 2 cars. Not sure about the Gen 1. You should ask Mark Jorgensen to be certain.

 

[musclenutz]

Oh yes,i will be driving it . Just won't be driving it hard and speed shifting . I beleive i may still have it done but want to get some other things taken care of first and see how the new 355's feel. I'll talk to the Dodge mechanic here and see if he feels comfortable doing the shifter change at that time and if so..i will most likely get it done as well.As of now,he will change the gears,change plugs and new AB plug wires,install new header gaskets and put the two new Michelen's on the rear for me. My new gears are scheduled to come on UPS next Friday so that will give me some time to decide on whether to do the MGW short throw or not(after reading posts ,this seems to be the choice of most)... I know it's going to eat at me until i do it anyway! haha...Ain't it fun to own a Viper?!!!

 

[Canyon707]

B&M here never missed a shift..... from the top is the way I did it. The hardest part was working on it in the car as you know it's a tight fit. Another tip for reinstalling the bolts is to get a magnet to fit in your socket so you won't drop the bolt as you put it in place.

 

[musclenutz]

Just got a reply from Woodhouse and the mgw is not available for my gen. 1 . viper.So,just ordered B&M and will install soon.
Thanks,David

 

[musclenutz]

B&M here never missed a shift..... from the top is the way I did it. The hardest part was working on it in the car as you know it's a tight fit. Another tip for reinstalling the bolts is to get a magnet to fit in your socket so you won't drop the bolt as you put it in place.

Yes, i was telling my wife that ten years ago i would have done it myself , but since i am disabled with a back injury,i will just get the Dodge tech to do it. I did find and download the instructions for installing it in my Viper from top. I will take these instructions to my tech and suggest he do it that way . It really doesn't look like to hard a job actually,but like you say..it is a tight fit in there. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[musclenutz]

If i were going to do it from the bottom,i would sure have clutch and flywheel checked at least,even though that was replaced only 3k ago...but i will be going in from the top . With my new B&M short throw shifter came instructions for install and it is from the top. Doesn't look like a big job actually. Just follow the steps and looks fairly simple if a bit tight. I'll post how things go.

 

[ViperTony]

If i were going to do it from the bottom,i would sure have clutch and flywheel checked at least,even though that was replaced only 3k ago...but i will be going in from the top . With my new B&M short throw shifter came instructions for install and it is from the top. Doesn't look like a big job actually. Just follow the steps and looks fairly simple if a bit tight. I'll post how things go.

I did it from the top but I removed the rubber boot cover around the shifter because it was torn. I drilled out the rivets that held it in and replaced them with rivet nuts. With the rubber boot protector removed it was much easier installing the new shifter assembly. I did remove the tranny mount crossbrace and let the tranny drop about an inch or so to make some room up top. Hope this helps.

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Good Job Tony ... Rivnuts are great...

 

[ViperTony]

Good Job Tony ... Rivnuts are great...

The same ones I used for the side sill screw modification, I bought like 100 of them from McMaster and been trying to find ways to use them up.

 

[dave6666]

Rivnuts are great...

Concur LOL It's only a matter of time before my whole car is held together with machine screws.

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I put my B&M on last night with the tranny pulled back out of the way for other work. Sure was easy compared to drilling holes and magnetic sockets. Made it real easy to clean the top good too before removing the shifter just hosed it with degreaser through the shifter boot hole.

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[ViperTony]

Damn, that's a nice shiney tranny ya got there Dave.

 

[dave6666]

It's the one that came in the car 9 years and 40K miles ago. Degreaser is a beautiful thing LOL.

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Also done all the little sheet metal screws on the heater box and the door infill panel.....

 

[dave6666]

Also done all the little sheet metal screws on the heater box and the door infill panel.....

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[musclenutz]

My 355 gears came in today. I called the Dodge dealership and am set to bring it in the 21'st to have that(gears),the short throw shifter,plug wires,new tires and header gaskets installed. Hopefully the gaskets will help as well as the other changes. I will find out when it's done i guess and i'll let ya know.

 

[musclenutz]

Hey? who is the kid in the pic banging his head against the table? lol..he looks just like my Grandson Jesse. I mean exactly like him and he is in Texas now. Just curious.

 

[musclenutz]

Well,i just picked up my car from the shop and i just love the new B&M Short throw shifter. I don't know if it made it faster but it sure feels and shifts better. The clacking sound is gone from the engine and probably due to new header gaskets. I did notice it backfired a couple times when i let off the gas but it seemed to be running fine. World of difference! Thanks to all here who gave me advice and suggestions. I did things a little differently than i would have had i not had this forum for advice. I love the new 3:55's also and the car runs much smoother now. More fun too.

 

[dave6666]

Be sure to follow the break-in procedure on your new gears. You're not supposed to be having fun yet.

 

[musclenutz]

Thanks for telling me! I was just about to go try em out!

 

[musclenutz]

The new gears and shifter are great!

 

[musclenutz]

Well,i took my 99 gts to get it inspected at the same place that had installed my shifter in the 94. I talked to the head guy there and he surprised me by telling me the old shifter was broken! No wonder i had so much trouble shifting. I love the new B&M Short throw shifter by the way. The car seems like a totally different beast now. A more controlled beast .