Was yours hitting at the base (where I marked)?  People have reported that, and I've seen marks on levers, but don't have the problem.  You'll see a little ding in the lever. I have a an old 4 speed lever on my 1980 ZX 5 speed and everything is fine.  They say you can grind some clearance there and be okay using it.

I was going to mention this earlier but you said 77 in Post 1.

Edited.

 

Edited May 15, 20168 yr by Zed Head

I'll check that Zed Head, thanks.  I'd rather use that one.  The short straighter one doesn't hit anything but the leather boot won't stretch enough. I'm going to take it off and see what I can figure out. I might can turn it backwards with the leather shoe string facing the radio? Or maybe make the hole bigger.

Im just glad I didn't go to my transmission friends shop and say I had problems. I would never have lived that little snafu down. Small town, he would've ragged me to everybody. 

I drove a little while in 5th. It was nice!

I looked at the bigger Z shifter. It has marks in front and on the backside.

I'm thinking that spring in the zx shifter helps it pop in and out of gears, I like that too. Not as sloppy feeling. If I can modify the boot I should be able to use the short throw shifter, the more I drive it the more I like it. I don't have an armrest with the console so I have to reach for it anyway. I've got some reading to do.

Thanks

Here's what I've got.  The older 5spd with scratches from hitting the shifter cup;

here's what I like because it pops in and out of gear and goes back to straight up and down in neutral.  borrowed picture from the internet

 

I've heard of that problem but not actually seen someone have a 5th gear issue as bad yours.  Something to be aware of.

Just went out and looked at one of my extra shift levers and it has much deeper gouges than yours, same spots,  But I never had a problem.  Weird.

Edited May 16, 20168 yr by Zed Head

1 minute ago, Zed Head said:

I've heard of that problem but not actually seen someone have a 5th gear issue as bad yours.  Something to be aware of.

I don't understand.  The old shifter pops out of 5th gear.  The ZX shifter stays in gear but with the leather boot on it won't stretch far enough for 5th gear.  I was thinking I could remove some stitching and loosen up the boot at the opening where the shifter comes out, or turn it around.  It has some extra material that could be utilized I think?  I may have to learn to sew. 

 

Is there enough material at the bottom of the shifter boot that you can just adjust how you clamp it to the console (left, right, front back) to allow a little more range of motion?

Dennis

There is a long nose shifter and a short nose. Both work 1 thru 4 but only the short nose will

work to fully engage 5ht gear. I had that problem myself, only worse.

Hopefully that is all your problem is.

To use what you have I think I would cut both shifter handles off and swap the curved one to the

bottom end that works. Taper grind and use a groove butt weld to join together. 

 

2 hours ago, Lumens said:

There is a long nose shifter and a short nose. Both work 1 thru 4 but only the short nose will

work to fully engage 5ht gear. I had that problem myself, only worse.

Hopefully that is all your problem is.

can you get a measurement on the short nose from say the end of the ball to the beginning of the opening for the shift pin, I have a 81ZX 5 speed un installed now, has a curved shifter (came with), just want to make sure its the correct one. I will be taking a good look for those marks.

 

Hi Cliff,

Looks like you have identified the problem, now the cure. Me personally, I would cut and weld the two together. You know the original ZX selector worked in the 5 speed and the bent selector has enough clearance in the console.

Typical that 5th gear suffers this problem. I have heard of this problem before, but never experienced it. That way I asked those questions in post #4. At least its not in the transmission and thankfully you didn't pull it out to find that out.

Is this the 280ZX 2+2 you found a while back?

I will try to get more movement out of the boot first.  If that doesn't do the trick I'll weld two together, I haven't thought of that so thanks.  

I'll get some measurements from the ball to the pin hole and post them later today.  I've read many threads where people use the 4spd shifter with a wide 5spd without problems, that's what has me stumped.  This is a wide 5spd out of a 2+2 ZX but also a wide 5spd from a later 280Z.  I carried both to my transmission friend and said make me a good one.  So I honestly don't know what he did.

I do like the action of that little spring loaded shifter, it's short and straighter and a whole lot thicker.  It reminds me of the old gated manuals, when I knock it out of gear it goes straight to the center and stays there.  Kinda cool but I've only driven it that way one day, but sports cars aren't supposed to be comfortable IMHO.  I have a Camry!