De-lurking: OT-Corrado shift linkage

[arrow-hat]

Hi, folks..apologies for the (on the surface) OT post.

I was an SCCA corner worker for about 10yr, and raced an A1 Golf in ITB for a season or so. Stopped racing after rolling someone else's ITC Maz 323 into a ball at Charlotte's 3B (ex-wife's idea to `partner up' w/someone). Sold my A1, tow car, & spares to pay for the wreck (and pay my lawyer for the subsequent divorce..<bg>).

I still attend various "track days" offered by many of the tracks here in the Southeast in an attempt to keep my skills sharp enough to eventually return to racing. My "daily driver" is a lowered & stiffened A2 8v Golf GTI (Neuspeed & Tokiko `sport'), and I've used that car to get a little track time.

I've recently bought a VR6 Corrado street car. It has H&R springs & stock struts.

Yeah, I know..`wasting money on street cars..', but I figured the money wouldn't put me through a single season-so I bought a street car instead! <bg>
I'm thinking about taking my new C to something like "Car Guys" or Road Atl's "track days". I have attended such things in the past with my modified A2, and loved it.

I'm hoping to find Mr. Bildon, or Mr. Coates here. After driving the VR6 Corrado on the street for awhile, I have found that I have very little skill placing the car into the proper gear. A wonderful car ruined by a cable shifter (IMHO). IIRC, Bildon is building one for IT, and Terry has actually driven one in a `fight'..

Can anyone (please, please, please!) give me a few tips upon how to modify the linkage, or at least how I should `properly' use one that's not been modified? An ol' corner worker buddy is tempting me to follow his RX7 club to "Lil' Talledega" for some track time. I'd like to go (none of his buddies have *anything* made by Speedsource <bfg>), but I'd hate to embarass myself over something as fundamental as missing a shift.

Thanks in advance, and once again..please accept my apologies for posting something that might be off topic. I thought about posting it into the "Driving Technique" arena, but there doesn't seem to be much activity there.



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JR, Atl. Once & future IT Dub pilot.
"I am recycled VW parts"
-Barry Palmer

[John Herman]

While I can't speak directly for the Corrado, my car also uses shift cables. Occasionally mine have become stretched out (someone else forcing it into gear), or bound up from corrosion and/or heat. I would recommend putting new cables in, and then evaluate the shifting performance. Also, concentrate on your shifting methods. "Jamming" the car into gear on upshifts and downshifts, resting your hand on the lever and foot on the clutch, do not save time. It typically just tears up parts. Sometimes when my car balks on shifts, I just need to slow down my motions a bit and concentrate on what I am doing.

[Bildon]

Barry,
You do in fact need to replace the cables.
Over time the sheath gets worn out and allows the cable to flex and will not provide enough force to move the shift levers properly.

There is of course the odd chance that your 02A box is in need of attention. The cables are pricey...try finding a wrecked Passat or Jetta GLX that had low miles and snag a set of cables.

Then of course if you wanted the ultimate....

http://www.bildon.com/catalog/drivetrain/images/tnVWRShifter.jpg (http://www.bildon.com/catalog/drivetrain/index.cfm)



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Bill Sulouff - Bildon Motorsport (http://www.bildon.com)
Volkswagen Racing Equipment

[machschnell]

I recently had the trans out to do a head gasket, clutch, etc. on my GTI VR6. Of course I had to assemble the shift linkage after getting it all back together. Well, after a few tries, I hit the sweet spot, and the car shifts like new again. True, the cables do get stretched out, especially with high miles and hard shifting, which I'm sure your corrado has seen. check the bentley for the procedure as I forget which cable does which, and experiment.

Everybody says they hate cable shifters, probably b/c they need adjustment periodically, but I wish I could have one in my Rabbit.

FWIW, AWE here in Philadelphia (awe-tuning.com) used to make the best short shift kit for O2As, and cheaply too.

PJ

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83 Rabbit GTI - future ITB

[arrow-hat]

Originally posted by John Herman:
While I can't speak directly for the Corrado, my car also uses shift cables. Occasionally mine have become stretched out (someone else forcing it into gear), or bound up from corrosion and/or heat. I would recommend putting new cables in, and then evaluate the shifting performance. Also, concentrate on your shifting methods. "Jamming" the car into gear on upshifts and downshifts, resting your hand on the lever and foot on the clutch, do not save time. It typically just tears up parts. Sometimes when my car balks on shifts, I just need to slow down my motions a bit and concentrate on what I am doing.

I'm not one to jam the lever (or ride on it), but I *did* find something in my technique. I wasn't holding the revs high enough. Just not enough seat time in it yet, I guess.

Thanks for the reply! Time to get the wrenches out again..<g>.
-Jay Roberts, Atl.

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JR, Atl. Once & future IT Dub pilot.
"I am recycled VW parts"
-Barry Palmer

[arrow-hat]

Sorry for the double-post..

[This message has been edited by arrow-hat (edited November 24, 2002).]

[arrow-hat]

Hi, Bill..thanks for the reply! Apologies in advance for the confusion in my sig..my name is Jay Roberts, and I ran cars from Barry's shop. He was quite active (and successful) in SSC & ITB here in SEDIV from the mid-`80s to the early `90s. The "recycled parts" decal we wore was our `trademark'. We've not been very active since then..IIRC, last time we had the cars `out there' was a Memphis MP Drivers' School in `98 or so (Barry reclaimed a licence, and his son Mike completed his 1st school).

Thanks for the suggestion about the cable replacement. I was delighted to find a C with low miles (94k when I bought it), but forgot that the dang thing is *still* ten years old. I suspect the sheathes may have suffered more from age than from use.

The box itself seems to be good..I've corrected my technique (I didn't hold the revs high enough while taking so long to move the lever). No whining or grinding from beyond the firewall when I remember to keep that big ol' flywheel spinning..<g>

Thanks again, Bill. Execept for the:
http://www.bildon.com/catalog/drivetrain/i.../VWRShifter.jpg (http://www.bildon.com/catalog/drivetrain/images/VWRShifter.jpg)

That one makes me drool like a child..<bfg>


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JR, Atl. Once & future IT Dub pilot.
"I am recycled VW parts"
-Barry Palmer