Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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TulsaSpider
Posts: 1547
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:33 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Spyder 124 2L
Location: Tulsa, Ok

Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by TulsaSpider »

Yesterday my shifter decided to come apart. I tried for a few hours to repair it. I got it to shift into all but reverse and 5th.
The ball that is on the shaft which engages to the actuator disintegrated on one side.
I went to get the shifter from my parts car and it is cracked in about 3 places. I guess I will go ahead and put it in, I have little choice. So what is this ball made
from? It doesn't look like there is a way to repair it.
Image
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
mbouse

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by mbouse »

can't answer the question, but i can offer that i've not seen one of those balls that didn't have a crack. ?shipped from the factory that way?

replacement shifter levers are available from catalogue suppliers.
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TulsaSpider
Posts: 1547
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:33 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Spyder 124 2L
Location: Tulsa, Ok

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by TulsaSpider »

Yea I know. Not in my budget right now!
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
mbouse

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by mbouse »

i hear that.

some one told me, think it was Csaba, that these little balls came from the factory with cracks..on new cars. i never verified that with anyone else, but have no reason to doubt the man.
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TulsaSpider
Posts: 1547
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:33 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Spyder 124 2L
Location: Tulsa, Ok

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by TulsaSpider »

Ok good to know. Well I have to limp her to work, I know what I'll be doing on this fine friday night :?
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
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manoa matt
Posts: 3442
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:28 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider 1800
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by manoa matt »

Yep, mine's cracked too. Sometimes I worry when its going to give up its ghost. Looked to me like the dang thing was made of JB weld. I'm sure with enough searching you could find the right size rod end joint and make it work. Something like this : http://search.live.com/images/results.a ... Foem11.jpg
So Cal Mark

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by So Cal Mark »

how would Csaba know that new cars were shipped with cracked shifters unless he dismantled new cars? Obviously the ball is two piece and the seam cracks
pope

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by pope »

Mark, maybe he worked on the cars that were tossed in the ocean and then later dried and sold as new! LOL
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TulsaSpider
Posts: 1547
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:33 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Spyder 124 2L
Location: Tulsa, Ok

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by TulsaSpider »

Success! I know now why my shifter had been so sloppy before. The P.O. had installed the spring in the wrong location. It had been installed in between the upper cup and lower cup. Now it is tight and shifts better than ever! Plus it had a inner rubber boot that was in good shape, mine was non existent, and it had that aluminum ring so I could secure the outer boot! Overall a good improvement!
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
mbouse

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by mbouse »

i love it when a plan comes together.
So Cal Mark

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by So Cal Mark »

plans can come together? who woulda thunk it?
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TulsaSpider
Posts: 1547
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:33 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Spyder 124 2L
Location: Tulsa, Ok

Re: Shifter repair, what is this made of?

Post by TulsaSpider »

George Peppard! or Hannibal from The A-team!
1978 Spyder 1800 make that 2L! Finally making real progress!
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