Sick of the stubby Astra G shifter height! Now sorted :)

[The 2nd Womble]

I dunno about you Astra G drivers, but the stubby Shifter on my Car has always given me the irrits.
After recently seeing Ffoeg's Astra build blog, I noticed he had the same issue, albeit with a short shift kit to magnify the issue. So I've taken a leaf out of the master's book.
Firstly a 4 hour drive today which proved fruitless in terms of tracking down any suitable 25-30mm nylon washers, followed by a brainwave at the local Bunnings hardware warehouse for these 13mm garden reticulation hose joiners.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z312/aussiewomble/c8bded89.jpg
Ffoeg raised his assembly by 25mm, but I thought I'd try for more, so as you can see I dremmeled the joiner at 35mm to the bottom of the centre piece, leaving me a 30mm offcut. This is good, as Ffoegs shifter is cable operated, whereas mine is the ******* shaft type. This means trying to raise it by 35mm at the front and back will pull the shaft forward, requiring the shift to be readjusted. So the base plate has been raised at the back by the 35mm, and at the front by 30.
As the female Torx Bolts used by Vauxhall are self tapping, I used 40mm and 35mm longer self tapping roofing screws for the extra length needed.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z312/aussiewomble/fa44cdbe.jpg
Basically I cheacked to make sure the scews wouldn't foul anything and innit all went.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z312/aussiewomble/062cebe8.jpg
I did have reservations about the joiners as far as strength went, but everything is now bolted down tighter from the factory and holding up perfectly. The 5mm forward tilt is also perfect and it shifts as it should. Woohoo!!!
Just took it for a drive and it feels so much better than even I imagined. Now I don't feel like I'm scooping spare change up off the carpet everytime another gear change is needed, and the transition from wheel to shifter is pants wettingly good. I am stoked.
Now to clean all the accumulated filth out of here before bolting the tunnel back on :)

[The 2nd Womble]

I should point out that theres a reason I call guys like Ffoeg Master. He measured the job up before hand :)
The Shift Gaitor Plate wouldn't sit flush after i'd finished. Nothing a Hacksaw and Dremmel on the redundant LHD Lift up Reverse section of the Base didn't fix mind you. Now my Shifter sits 10mm higher than his!
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z312/aussiewomble/75f5704f.jpg
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z312/aussiewomble/67767c10.jpg

[sooty]

You raised the shifter? That's new! First time I've heard anyone wanting to lift or extend the throw, stubby short shifters ftw :P
Kudos on making it work though

[The 2nd Womble]

The throw hasn't been increased. The whole shifter assembly simply sits 35mm closer to me

[sooty]

Hence the OR, nevertheless, I've never driven a G so wouldn't know if the positioning of the stick was something to worry about! As I said, kudos on the final product

[guy 27]

nice one mate. i've always found the shifter to sit in a good position for myself. if i were to put a short shifter onor i had short arms then it would sit a bit too low.

[The 2nd Womble]

I performed my first ever radiator flush today as well. I don't know whats come over me lately

[aznpsuazn]

You went through all that effort and you didn't change the leather too? Cheap as something cheap from ebay.

[The 2nd Womble]

Yeah, the Leather Gaitors and a few other bits are on their way as we speak though :)