I would like to hear a few more people that have tried this shifter before I change over from my hurst. I love my hurst....but it is notchy and a little noisy

 

Dude, you cut me to the quick


Talk to the owner Reese ***, he put one in a brand new C6Z06 and seems to be very pleased.

 

So, if i want to get one of your shifters with 1 inch cut off,i need to send you 149.00 and my old shifter? I think i may be interested.

 

ttt

 

 

PM or phone call is all it takes

 

Steve,

Can you please describe the centering springing from gate to gate on your shifter? Both your personal feel, and relative to say Hurst, and to stock?

Thanks

 

I'd be the man you're looking for. I'm the "shifter designer" of this and let's say a few other "brand name" shifters in use in C4, C5, and C6 Corvettes. I designed this shifter for those who feel that the Hurst (and all the rest) are too notchy and require too much effort. There are many who feel the aftermarket shifters are fine, but I've found plenty of other people who do not, including Reese and many of his customers. Even more, I've known plenty of guys who put in a Hurst only to find their wives demanding that they take it out as they feel it's too hard to shift. This new MTI shifter is for all those people.

I've learned long ago that no single shifter will satisfy the whole crowd. The reality is that throw reduction is good only to a point. That point is where effort becomes too high to maintain fast shifter velocity, and suddenly you're no better off than if you've kept your shifter stock. For a lot of people, current aftermarket shifters are a little over the line. But stock shifters were made for anyone, including your 90 year old grandma, to drive this car comfortably. So what we're offering here is in between; a new shifter that unlike the rest actually offers something different besides color and pointless features. And don't believe that this is anything like those scam "short stick" shifters. You see, shifters have a leverage ratio of 8 or so, so cutting 3" off the top still won't get you to where I have put this shifter with a much less noticable rise in the pivot (like any traditional short throw shifter), not to mention the effort you add when you shorten the lever length like that.

This new MTI shifter yields a 30% throw reduction over stock, compared to 42% with the Hurst. It has the same handle height as Hurst, about 1" lower than stock C5, same as stock C6. It accepts the stock C5 and C6 *****, but I recommend an aftermarket threaded ****. The design is much closer to stock than any other, and fits in every way like stock, including around the closeout boot, unlike any aftermarket shifter. The design relies, like stock, on the spring detents in the trans. This is also true of the C4 Hurst and B&M shifters. You see, the centering springs everyone adds is overkill. As a lever, any reduction in leverage ratio affects not only fore/aft, but side-to-side as well. Hence you get a 30% reduction in distance side-to-side too, and a corresponding 43% increase in force over stock. The Hurst has a 72% increase in force BEFORE considering the additional force of the centering springs in the base. In reality, 43% is plenty, and also doesn't make it near as difficult to go to 5th and reverse.

You're not going to learn much by looking, but believe me the homework has been done and is based on years of experience. Quite simply, if you feel that your current aftermarket shifter is a little too notchy or requires a little too much effort, you need to contact MTI Racing and give this new MTI shifter a try.

 

Chris, you should be very proud of this development shifter. Frankly, I have done many many mods to my car and there are few if any that were this dramatic! Thanks for a wonderful product

 

It doesn't look like the shifter uses the rubber insulator like the stock and new B&M. Why doesn't it rattle like the Hurst?

 

Congrats on the new shifter. I'd be willing to give this one a shot with a few questions answered:

I currently have a regular C6 shifter in my C5...is there as big of an improvement to this shifter as over the C5's shifter?

I assume the answer is 'no', but will your shifter work with a C6 **** which is a slip-on style?

If the answer to the 2nd question is NO, you should consider marketing a 2nd version of your shifter to the C6 folks, as the C5/C6 shifters are pretty much interchangable. All you should need to change is to go from a threaded shaft to a smooth shaft with a provision for the **** screw.

 

The stock C6 shifter is actually pretty nice when installed in a C5. But as it becomes used and the rubber starts to give up, it becomes sloppy as well. One of the big improvements that we made is the removal of rubber in the new design, so the shifter remains precise over the long haul. We have been doing development on this peice for some time and it is hands down the best overall feel and effort of everything out there.

I spent some time as a professional race driver as some of you know and have always been searching for the best modulation in a shifter. This one has it!

The common belief is that if you shorten the throw by a huge amount that the shifts are faster. This is just NOT so! All you really accomplish is a stubby shifter that is notchy to operate with a high shift effort and usually noisy too boot.

I want some Forum guys to try this shifter and report.

We think it is the best all around shifter on the market.

And finally, yes, it will work with the stock C6 shift ****.

It has been engineered to fit both C5 and C6 and will accomodate the stock ***** in both cases or aftermarket ***** as well.

Thanks, RC

 

To follow-up on Reese's comments in response to comparison to the stock C6 shifter- The stock C6 shifter is EXACTLY identical to the C5 from the stub down. There is no throw reduction in the C6 shifter over the C5 beyond the 1" difference in handle height, which as I've said before, is more for appearance and comfort than throw reduction (~10% max). The throw reduction of the C6 vs. the C5 I believe is a change in the linkage or trans internals, Reese may know the actual source, but it has nothing to do with the shifter itself. Yes the C6 shifter bends the **** back and lowers it, but you get no real throw reduction over stock. I'm surprised by the amount of people that think they make a difference. The new MTI shifter that I designed is a real short-throw shifter, i.e. it has an elevated pivot that yields a 30% throw reduction.

I have considered a rubber isolator version, and even have had some parts made to explore this, but those that have tried the MTI shifter so far value the precision of the solid stick as much as the throw reduction. If there is demand for the rubber isolator version, which keep in mind reduces the precise feel, I would explore that further. But presently we feel the solid stick is best. The stick has been designed to accept the stock C5 and C6 *****, as well as any 9/16"-18 threaded ****. I recommend aftermarket threaded ***** as they usually have better retention methods. Reese has a pretty neat custom **** he has developed and I hope we will also soon offer our own T-handle.

Besides everything else mentioned, this shifter design also varies from other aftermarket shifters as it has a fully spherical captured socket like stock, as opposed to the hemispherical "push-down" design of the others that uses the bias springs to actually hold the shifter stick down in the socket, the real reason those springs are there. That was pulled from Mustang and Camaro shifters of the '80s, but of course the new guys just copied off the others.

 

is the core price the same if you have an aftermarket shifter, or is that for the stock shifter as a core return?

 

Wow, nice! I've been waiting for something like this for some time - a short shifter with near stock effort.

I use a MGW **** (+best+ on the market) which is nice and heavy, threaded and drops the shifter height ~1/2-3/4". Knowing I can migrate this to the new shifter is outstanding.

I also do some DE's, and most of the aftermarket shifters I've tried are not very (road) track friendly (for me they're too notchy, and interupt my smoothness).

Probably order one of these very soon! I do have a really nice VE MY/Carbon shifter boot - I guess with the shorter shifters you need a specific boot? Wonder if I can just "tuck it" down enough?

 

 

Well, I just ordered one today, so hopefully I will have some first hand experience to report. I have a Hurst in my Z now, but honestly the effort to go to fifth gear and reverse is just a tad tougher then I like. Yeah, call me a weenie, but I think shifting should be less of a chore then the shifter makes it. If it makes me seem any less weeniefied, I have some nerve problems in my neck that affects the strength in my arms...... Anyway, I removed the springs completely from the Hurst to try to lighten up the feel, but the tradeoff is some sloppiness. I'm just hoping this one is the answer to my prayers.....

 

Chris & Reese,

Thanks for the input. I will place my order soon.

Rich Z,

Be sure to hook us up with a review!

 

I also ordered one today. Im hoping it will be smoother and easier to shift than my Breathless performance shifter. I will say its done wonders for my right arm, its twice the size of my left.

 

are you sure that is because of the shifter....