dual lever stock car type shifter

[Hans Blom]

have any of you ever used one of these for anything? be it racing, wanting twin sticks to look cool , whatever....my question being is there some sort of lockout that is unapparent that keeps you from accidentally putting both levers into gear and locking up your tranny? Is there some sort of gate underneath? I need  a much thinner and a bit remote shifter than you std Hurst. Super T10 being shifted.

I read Sumners post on 'remote shifters' : http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,1420.0.html

and there is a homemade version very similar...see pic for example...

[836dstr]

Hans,

I switched to a Super T-10 this year and had to make my own shifter for ergonomic reasons. I made a spring loaded lever/gate that rides on the 1-2 shift lever while in 1st gear. When the lever in pulled into 2nd gear the lever/gate is pulled down into a slot blocking the 1-2 shift lever  from going beyond the neutral position. I also angled the tops of both shift levers about 30 degrees away from each other, with the 1-2 lever in front about an inch.

Shifting from 2nd to 3rd I just bump the 1-2 lever into neutral and push the 3-4 lever into 3rd all in one motion.

I'll try and post some pictures.

Tom

P.S. Just went to take a picture and founf the Camera battery was low on charge, will try again later.

[Stan Back]

I don't understand the why-for of the two levers.  I've looked at Jack Kelly's set-up in his rear-engine lakester and talked to him about it.  It uses the stock Hurst shifter with cables and he says it's reliable.  Seems to me one less lever is better.  Maybe Elmo Rodge has a picture of it.

Stan

[Hans Blom]

Tom , I would love to see some pics, I have it pretty well engineered in my head, but it would likely change as i start machining.

Stan, I agree, I would love to lust have one lever and love the cables, it just requires alot more fabrication, which is what it is and many times must be done...but my other concern is the bending radius of the cable and our cabin layout vs where we need the shifter vs trans shifter arms. If icould find some cable that had a fairly small bend radius and we could order to our specified length I might try that route

Hans

[Dr Goggles]

I don't understand the why-for of the two levers. Stan

we needed NARROW, the round bar along the middle twists, it has cut -outs which restrict the movement of the levers, in one pos' it allows the lever on the right(rear) to select 1st and 2nd and stops the left(front) lever moving at all, twisted the other way it allows 2nd( we start in 2nd) to neutral on the right lever then 3rd to 4th on the left...works for me...the Rev may differ. We had similiar probs with getting the cables to the box as well, I built a gantry that moved the shift tabs further out to the side of the car.

[Hans Blom]

Dr. Goggles,
So in your car since you start in 2nd, you just have your shaft in the position for 2nd gear and neutral on the right lever, which coincides with being able to shift 3 and 4 as well....you start in 2nd.....hit shift rpm...bump right lever to neutral and shift laft lever into third? Obviously just being careful not to accidentally bump you right lever into 2nd thereafter.....if you were to have to move your 'center lever limiting shaft'(trademark applied for) is this just done manually via a lever  after you shift out of 1st?
Hans

[836dstr]

Hans,

The picture is a little blury but you'll get the idea. Each shift lever is in effect a bell crank with a 18 inch cross rod supported by roller bearings at each end.

Tom

[Dr Goggles]

Dr. Goggles,
So in your car since you start in 2nd, you just have your shaft in the position for 2nd gear and neutral on the right lever, which coincides with being able to shift 3 and 4 as well....you start in 2nd.....hit shift rpm...bump right lever to neutral and shift left lever into third? Obviously just being careful not to accidentally bump you right lever into 2nd thereafter.....if you were to have to move your 'center lever limiting shaft'(trademark applied for) is this just done manually via a lever  after you shift out of 1st?
Hans

Yeah, that's it. I do have an idea which will rotate the lock out once you pull it back from 1st when we go to second. The advantage ( for those who are thinking WTF? ) with this set up as it is is that you just shove the right lever forward , it hits the stop and you KNOW you are in neutral. then it is back for third and forward for fourth with the left lever. There is not complete agreement about this shift set-up within the Spirit of Sunshine team, but it has never been a problem for me and it takes up very little room and uses cables. A single lever will always have a "dual" function, and in our circumstances where there are extra points of movement due to the gantry on the gearbox I wanted to keep it as SIMPLE as possible.

So...sing along...

1./ leave the line, accelerate to the first shift .
2./ push the rear(right in the picture) lever forward against the stop and pull the front lever back.
3./ accelerate to the next shift point
4./ push the front lever forwards.
5./ collect record.

When we go to a numerically lower rear end we will need first gear. At this point I will make a device that twists the lock out as the rear stick is pulled back from 1st to 2nd , then it will operate as above.......no doubt there will be a storm of protest but few concrete alternatives.

[oldracer19]

Coming from a dirt track backgound, I can tell you why we used them.  A street shifter would not take the beating, and would either jump out of gear, or get so sloppy you couldn't get it in gear. Since we usually took off in second, then shifted to high, it was not a problem. 1st and reverse were only off track.

They are cheaper and more reliable when speed shifting is not a priority.

[Hans Blom]

I got ya, yeah i did see some of those had a 'lock' function that locks it in gear for rough tracks....anybody ever have trouble with manual trannys jumping out of gear with the constant loading/unloading?

[grumm441]

I wanted to keep it as SIMPLE as possible.

When we go to a numerically lower rear end we will need first gear. At this point I will make a device that twists the lock out as the rear stick is pulled back from 1st to 2nd , then it will operate as above.......no doubt there will be a storm of protest but few concrete alternatives.

There will be workable alternatives, none of which will be made of concrete, followed by a storm of protest
G

[Constant Kinetics]

Hans, you have Texas listed as one of your locations. If you live near Fort Worth modify a homemade 2 rod shifter that automatically puts the 1-2 lever in neutral when you go to 3rd gear. PM if interested.
                                                                                     -Chad-

[javajoe79]

Anyone ever tried one of these?

http://www.renagate.com/info.htm