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GETTING RID OF THE SHIFTER GATE PLATE!

I have been reading a lot of material concerning the shifter plate and it's fingers getting in the way of acurately and easily shifting into all of the gears. Some people have guessed that a misadjusted linkage may be the cause for this. And I have seen two or three pictures of peoples' cars where they have milled or sawwed the fingers off. Well this morning I decided to see just how much interference the plate really did cause. I removed the plate and examined it, noticing where the stickshift had been rubbing/hitting it for all the miles it had been ran.(47,500) Certain sides of each finger were rubbed and worn enough to have raised a razor sharp edge onto most of them, or were wearing where they were in the way! I could see evidence where the natural tendency to want to "short cut" or "cut corners" during a shift was being blocked by the fingers. I left the plate off, put the four screws back in, and went for a test drive. NICE!! It was great to not hear the clink-clink of the rod hitting the sides of the plate when going to 4th and also, back into 1st. I was very "mindful" going for 2nd, and never even headed for reverse by accident!(heaven forbid) All the gears were found easily and more smoothly, with no friction of the fingers. I liked it alot, enough that I have decided I will not put the plate back on, ever! I feel the fingers are there to guide inexperienced drivers, and that those with years and tens of thousands of miles under their belts, do not need it, and will find it just one more thing in their way. If you do not believe this, then I challenge you to at least try it for yourself! All the best, Marlin. P.S. The detent piston, spring, clip etc. with-in the shifter box was removed months ago (by Mike Drews' advise), and that was a big improvement also!!

[This message has been edited by MARLIN JACK (edited 11-05-2002).]
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