I'd like some info on the shifter in LS(x) swapped cars.

Where does it sit? I hear some kits line things up so it comes up through in the stock location. Where do the other kits put it?

How does it feel? The miata is famous for it's short, direct, and excellent shifter feel. Does the T56 feel nice too?

What kind of RPMs does the engine spin on the highway? Not so much shifter related, but still transmission/gearing oriented.

It's 6 speed, right?

 

The V8R kit puts the shifter up right in the middle of the hole. I have a short shift kit on it and it's still taller than the stock miata shifter. It's pretty crisp but takes more effort than the Miata shifter. As it should since it's designed to handle much higher hp. The shortness of the T56 sticks is separate from the aftermarket shifters made by Hurst and others. Unlike the miata, the shifter on the T56 is basically 2 piece. There is the base/bottom stick part which can be replaced with the Hurst and other aftermarket shifters. Then there is the top part of the stick, which bolts onto the bottom part with 2 bolts. That is where the "short shifter" comes from.

The gears are not widely spaced. I haven't power shifted or speed shifted yet as I'm troubleshooting other stuff and have no plates yet, but you get the idea.

Frank

 

Even if you use thee stock rearend like one version of the Flyin miata kit. The gearing should be fine.
5th is a overdrive, and the 6th gear is super deep overdrive.

Unless I'm doing like 75-80 in my brothers Ws6 I don't even use the 6th gear. He has stock gearing (either323 or 340 something). It is practically lugging at 70 in 6th. like 1600rpm's.
Another note: my brothers does 80 in second, and only has a mild cam.

I think the 4:10 will even it out. It will be hard to hook it up.

If you get the 8.8 rearend to use, i would probably go with 355 gears.

 

What about the boss frog kit with the shifter? Do you have to use an adapter to get the shifter in the right spot? That is the kit I want to use, but don't know how much further forward it is that the V8R kit.

 

I'd say neither kit perfectly centers the shifter in the hole. I can't find a good picture showing the stick location without the console in place but all the kits allow shifting without modifying the miata hole.

The T56 shifts are much clunkier than the little miata trans but that's life. More torque requires bigger (ie heavier) gears and more inertia.

Short shifter refers not to the actual stick that it bolted on to the shifter base, it refer to the ratio of lever in the base. That determines how much (angle) you have to move to stick fully engage a new gear. Of course a shorter stick will mean you don't have to move as far either but a short shifter will markedly increase shift effort and decrease the angle that you have to go through to shift.

As far as rpm, that varies with the gearing. You can get a wide range of final drives for the ford 8.8 and one will surely suit your needs.

 

Location of the shifter in an FM car - this is the "rear mount" location.



FM is selling (it's not on the website yet) a short shift lever. With one of these, the shifter ends up almost exactly in the stock Miata location and you get to retain your Miata shift ****. Pardon the very professional product picture, this is a prototype

 

Wow that really does fit in there perfectly. Hmmmmm

 

BTW, thats the Pro-5 Shifter base there which is MUCH larger than the stock camaro shifter base. That said, the Pro-5 shifter also fits fine with the forward mount V8R kit but it is an inch forward.

 

We later pulled that shifter base out and replaced it with the stock unit. Much nicer in everyone's opinion.

 

Yeah, that Pro-5 is more of a drag racing shifter, super short throw but really high effort for street driving. Getting it into reverse is a PITA. Don has it, I prefer my stock hurst shifter.

 

That looks totally excellent. I also like the short shifter.