Scott Drake couldn't wait to show us the new Shelby Performance Parts' Precision Short-Throw Shifter for the '05 and later Mustang 5-speed and Shelby GT500 6-speed. Part of his pride comes from the fact that Engineering Manager Shane Wagner designed the shifter from scratch in the Shelby Performance Parts' R&D garage at the Drake Enterprises facility in Henderson, Nevada. The engineering department there designs cool, trick parts using modern Rapid Prototyping technology.
Basically, Shelby doesn't have to wait on Detroit to develop a part. Whatever parts are needed, Shelby Performance Parts has both the expertise and the technology to design and produce prototypes on site and in a very short time frame. As a consequence, Mustang enthusiasts can buy performance parts through the Shelby Performance Parts program. The new 5-speed and 6-speed shifters are great examples.
Our thanks to Keith Criswell...
Our thanks to Keith Criswell and Shane Wagner for their help with this article. Shane designed the shifter, while Keith heads the sales team and technical support departments.
With the new Shelby shifters, the driver gets the benefit of shorter throws for faster shifts. Shelby Performance Parts also weighs in on this shifter as being a precision shifter as well. Using high-quality urethane bushings, billet 6061 T6 aluminum, and Delrin ball-housing, the degree of accuracy in movement is immediately apparent. The shifters also feature built-in adjustable shift stops. All of this is key in inspiring driver confidence when slamming through the gears. It's mandatory for competition driving.
The shifters actually feel more comfortable and smoother than stock, so drivers don't sacrifice ease of use for hard-slamming functionality that often requires brute force muscle.
The Shelby Performance Parts'...
The Shelby Performance Parts' 6-speed for the GT500 is similar to the 5-speed, only it has two support arms like the factory 6-speed shifter.
When I grabbed the handle, I couldn't believe how smooth the lever shifted the gears. The spring-back feature and Delrin pivot ball-housing load the shifter so movement is tight but smooth, almost like metal moving through a magnetic field. This shifter really feels good. Scott showed us how the springs actually help guide the shifter. For example, the springs guide the shifter from second to third gear, helping to avoid accidental shifting from second and back into first.
Shelby Performance Parts offers the shifter kit for 5.4L Shelby GT500s with the 6-speed transmission and for 4.6L Mustang GTs with 5-speeds.
To the left are the tools...
To the left are the tools and to the right is the Precision Short-Throw Shifter kit for the Mustang GT's 5-speed. Remove the shifter and parts from the packaging and assemble the components to the base. Install the rear mount bushings and mount plate.
Apply Loctite to the Allen-head...
Apply Loctite to the Allen-head bolts and attach the blue shifter arm.
Torque the shifter arm bolts...
Torque the shifter arm bolts to 18 foot-pounds. Install the support arm polyurethane bushings.
Once the Shelby shifter is...
Once the Shelby shifter is assembled, get into the car and slide the factory shifter to neutral. Unscrew the stock shifter knob and pull off the shifter boot and bezel.
Reach into the console and...
Reach into the console and pull the rubber boot straight up. Now you'll need to get under the car, so apply the emergency brake, put the transmission in gear, and elevate the car on a lift (or jackstands).
Use a permanent marker to...
Use a permanent marker to mark the position of the bolts on the driveshaft support brace (where the two shafts meet) and on the transmission mount flange.
S197 Mustang driveshafts are...
S197 Mustang driveshafts are two-piece. Therefore, removal requires pulling two 13mm bolts in the support brace where the two shafts meet. The reason for marking this brace is so you can return it to the factory location. You also must remove the four 12mm bolts to pull the driveshaft from the transmission output shaft balancer. You'll need another person in the car to shift the transmission in and out of gear to rotate the driveshaft so you can access the bolts. Be sure to take note of the spacer locations.
Loosen two of the four transmission...
Loosen two of the four transmission yoke-to-driveshaft bolts. Release the emergency brake and put the transmission in neutral in order to rotate the driveshaft to expose the other two bolts that secure the transmission yoke to the driveshaft. Be sure to put the transmission back into gear and apply the emergency brake to remove the bolts. Otherwise, the driveshaft will turn.
Loosen the two bolts (one...
Loosen the two bolts (one per side) holding the center of the two-piece driveshaft in place.
With a large screwdriver,...
With a large screwdriver, pry the driveshaft off the transmission balancer flange. Lay the driveshaft on the exhaust for now.
Remove the transmission linkage...
Remove the transmission linkage from the shifter using a 13mm open-end wrench (the bushing stays in the shifter). Remove the bolt that secures the front extension arm of the shifter to the transmission.
Remove the two nuts that secure...
Remove the two nuts that secure the rear shifter-to-body mount. You'll need at least a 12-inch socket extension.
Pry out the factory crush...
Pry out the factory crush sleeve for the front shifter mount, then use a rubber mallet to pound the factory crush sleeve into the supplied bushings in the new shifter's billet arm.
Install the supplied nylon...
Install the supplied nylon bushings into the transmission linkage on the new shifter. Make sure the larger bushing goes into the driver's side. Install the shifter into the vehicle, but do not attach the driveshaft at this point.
Notice the difference in the...
Notice the difference in the stock shifter and the Shelby Precision Short-Throw Shifter for the 5-speed.
Inside the car, install the...
Inside the car, install the pair of polyurethane isolators and two sleeves, then the metal cover. These pieces are key components for reducing noise, vibration, and harshness in the shift lever arm.
Hand-tighten the two shifter...
Hand-tighten the two shifter bolts that attach the arm to the lever.
For illustrative purposes,...
For illustrative purposes, we're showing this with the shifter out of the car. The measurement is actually made inside the car with the shifter mounted. Pull the handle forward into third gear and insert a 0.030-inch feeler gauge between the shift stop and handle. Have a friend tighten the bottom nut and Allen screw from under the vehicle while you apply pressure on the shifter arm with the feeler gauge in place. Then move the shifter into fourth gear and make the same 0.030-inch setting.
After the shift stops have...
After the shift stops have been set, remove the shifter assembly. A person underneath the car can then slip on the OEM boot and feed the shifter and boot through the opening from the bottom side. (Note: This is the only way to install the shifter boot and complete the assembly because you cannot set the lash with the boot in the way for the 5-speed. This is not necessary for 6-speed applications).
Next, re-install the shifter...
Next, re-install the shifter and driveshaft, then install the boot and bezel. A boot retainer is included with the new shifter.
Install the shift knob locknut,...
Install the shift knob locknut, then adjust the white knob against the locknut on the shaft so the shift pattern faces the driver. Tighten the locknut.