01/11/04 - I had an extra shifter assembly in my pile of spare parts, so I pulled the shifter out and gave it to my older brother Mark and asked him to turn it into a short shifter. Mark cut the lower part of the shifter off and welded in an extension that will reduce the throw by about 40%. After he brought it back I took it to the local powder coating company (Lorac) and had it coated in gloss black. Mark claims I didn't tell him that there were O-rings in the bottom section of the shifter arm so they got sorta fried when he was welding on it. I pressed the bushing out of the old arm and into the new one and viola, better than new.

Side note: Mark teaches a high school shop class (and several other classes). I have great respect for him because of what he does. It takes incredible character to do that job and I think he's a great role model for those kids.

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