M45 shift knob and boot
#17
08-03-2005, 08:52 PM
Well, here's the project with the rest of the circular trim polished. Personally, I don't think it looks better or worse than before, but there's no going back now.
The third pic is the **** in manumatic location, with no clearance issues.
This project was actually easier than I thought it would be. I'd say it's a 5/10 with projector retrofitting being a 8/10.
I looked for the shift boot and **** online for a long time, and finally I just called up everythingnissan.com and asked them to order it for me.
The third pic is the **** in manumatic location, with no clearance issues.
This project was actually easier than I thought it would be. I'd say it's a 5/10 with projector retrofitting being a 8/10.
I looked for the shift boot and **** online for a long time, and finally I just called up everythingnissan.com and asked them to order it for me.
#19
08-03-2005, 10:11 PM
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#20
08-03-2005, 10:51 PM
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#23
08-04-2005, 01:43 AM
There's really not much that I can make beforehand, without buying new parts, and even that circular trim by itself is $70.
Anyway, the shift boot and **** was $102 shipped, and the aluminum trim was made from some aluminum sheet metal that I got at a hobby store for $1.50.
I should have taken more pics during the process, but I was to focused on just finishing the task at hand. But for anyone who is interested, here were the steps:
Step 1: Put the stock shift **** in neutral, and remove it.
If you don't know how to remove it, you just pull down on the silver base, pull out the clip (don't lose it), and pull the **** upward.
Step 2: Remove the console assembly.
There are a few DIY threads for this, but you just have to open up the center armrest, and pull upward on the plastic assembly, and disconnect a bunch of wires.
Step 3: Adapting the M45 shift ****.
This involves two things. Reshaping the white plastic on the end of the stock shifting assembly and reshaping the inside of the M45 ****. You basically shave down the white plastic as far as you can without exposing the metal rod that it covers (see pic #3). In the 2003 cars, since the stock shift button is on the side, you have to now reshape the white plastic so that it will match up with a front mounted shift button. In other words, instead of the curve going right to left, reshape it to go front to back.
The M45 ****'s tunnel is too narrow to fit. So you have to dremel out some of the plastic so that it can fit over the G35's shift lever. I had to use some long carbide bits to reach far enough into the ****.
A lot of this step is trial and error. I had to remove material, check fitment, and then remove more material until I got to the point where the M45 **** can fit and be far enough down to use the stock clip retaining mechanism. Being able to reuse that clip is very important, since this will hold the M45 **** on as tightly as the OEM g35 one.
Be sure to check that the shift button will still work before going any further. After you make sure that you can still change gears, remove the ****.
Step 4: Mounting the shift boot
To do this you have to completely remove that black plastic piece between the circular trim and the internal shift mechanism. I don't know what this irregularly shaped piece is called, I'll just call it "Slidie." See pic #2. (this pic was originally posted by inTgr8r, but I'm borrowing it since I can't find any other pics of the piece). The shift boot will be sandwiched between slidie and the circular trim.
There are raised pieces of plastic on Slidie, and the M45 shift boot fits nicely on it. I'm sure there are several ways to hold the leather boot onto Slidie, using glue, epoxy, screws, etc. I decided to sew the boot onto Slidie. I drilled a few holes to provide areas that I could loop the string. I didn't have fishing line with me, so I used surgical suture (3-0 nonabsorbable ethicon). It's very secure once you get a few throws on that thing.
Step 5: Reworking the circular trim
Here is where some artistic skills would help. You have to remove some of the material to make room for the shift lever and shift boot. See pic #1. Use a cutting wheel on a dremel. If you want to polish the piece, you'll have to remove the plastic P-R-N-D letters, and then use paint stripper on the aluminum, followed by a good polishing job (I used white compound and Mother's aluminum polish).
Step 6: Making the aluminum trim
I bought a piece of 0.016" thick aluminum sheet from the local Hobby Shack for $1.50. You then trace the outline of the shift area on the circular trim onto the aluminum sheet. See pic #5 (in next post). Then cut in the middle of the traced rectangle using a good pair of cutting shears. I used Emergency Room Shears that can cut through casts. Once that is done, you fold the edges of the aluminum sheet around the edges of the shift area on the circular trim. This will give the shift area's edges a nice smooth surface for the shift lever to move against.
Then you can cut the aluminum trim to whatever shape you want. I found it easier to fold the alumnium first and then trim.
To really secure that piece of aluminum trim, I used 3M mounting tape in addition to the previously mentioned folding around the edges of the shift area.
Step 7: Put it back together
Remount slidie onto the circular trim. The shift boot should fit easily through the newly cut out rectangular shift area. Reconnect all the wires. I took time to put alot of thin foam tape around areas inside the console while I had it apart to cut down on the number of squeaks. Pass the shift lever through the opening of the shift boot. Press the console back into place.
Then you remount the M45 shift **** onto the shift lever. I put a bit of grease on the lever's tip to make the button action smoother. Use the stock clip to hold the M45 **** in place. The shift boot just snaps together with the base of the M45 ****.
Because of the height of the stock shift mechanism, the button on the M45 **** requires more effort to depress. It takes a short time to get used to it, but otherwise everything works flawlessly.
The M45 **** is shorter and sits lower than the stock G35 ****. For most people this will be a good thing.
Anyway, the shift boot and **** was $102 shipped, and the aluminum trim was made from some aluminum sheet metal that I got at a hobby store for $1.50.
I should have taken more pics during the process, but I was to focused on just finishing the task at hand. But for anyone who is interested, here were the steps:
Step 1: Put the stock shift **** in neutral, and remove it.
If you don't know how to remove it, you just pull down on the silver base, pull out the clip (don't lose it), and pull the **** upward.
Step 2: Remove the console assembly.
There are a few DIY threads for this, but you just have to open up the center armrest, and pull upward on the plastic assembly, and disconnect a bunch of wires.
Step 3: Adapting the M45 shift ****.
This involves two things. Reshaping the white plastic on the end of the stock shifting assembly and reshaping the inside of the M45 ****. You basically shave down the white plastic as far as you can without exposing the metal rod that it covers (see pic #3). In the 2003 cars, since the stock shift button is on the side, you have to now reshape the white plastic so that it will match up with a front mounted shift button. In other words, instead of the curve going right to left, reshape it to go front to back.
The M45 ****'s tunnel is too narrow to fit. So you have to dremel out some of the plastic so that it can fit over the G35's shift lever. I had to use some long carbide bits to reach far enough into the ****.
A lot of this step is trial and error. I had to remove material, check fitment, and then remove more material until I got to the point where the M45 **** can fit and be far enough down to use the stock clip retaining mechanism. Being able to reuse that clip is very important, since this will hold the M45 **** on as tightly as the OEM g35 one.
Be sure to check that the shift button will still work before going any further. After you make sure that you can still change gears, remove the ****.
Step 4: Mounting the shift boot
To do this you have to completely remove that black plastic piece between the circular trim and the internal shift mechanism. I don't know what this irregularly shaped piece is called, I'll just call it "Slidie." See pic #2. (this pic was originally posted by inTgr8r, but I'm borrowing it since I can't find any other pics of the piece). The shift boot will be sandwiched between slidie and the circular trim.
There are raised pieces of plastic on Slidie, and the M45 shift boot fits nicely on it. I'm sure there are several ways to hold the leather boot onto Slidie, using glue, epoxy, screws, etc. I decided to sew the boot onto Slidie. I drilled a few holes to provide areas that I could loop the string. I didn't have fishing line with me, so I used surgical suture (3-0 nonabsorbable ethicon). It's very secure once you get a few throws on that thing.
Step 5: Reworking the circular trim
Here is where some artistic skills would help. You have to remove some of the material to make room for the shift lever and shift boot. See pic #1. Use a cutting wheel on a dremel. If you want to polish the piece, you'll have to remove the plastic P-R-N-D letters, and then use paint stripper on the aluminum, followed by a good polishing job (I used white compound and Mother's aluminum polish).
Step 6: Making the aluminum trim
I bought a piece of 0.016" thick aluminum sheet from the local Hobby Shack for $1.50. You then trace the outline of the shift area on the circular trim onto the aluminum sheet. See pic #5 (in next post). Then cut in the middle of the traced rectangle using a good pair of cutting shears. I used Emergency Room Shears that can cut through casts. Once that is done, you fold the edges of the aluminum sheet around the edges of the shift area on the circular trim. This will give the shift area's edges a nice smooth surface for the shift lever to move against.
Then you can cut the aluminum trim to whatever shape you want. I found it easier to fold the alumnium first and then trim.
To really secure that piece of aluminum trim, I used 3M mounting tape in addition to the previously mentioned folding around the edges of the shift area.
Step 7: Put it back together
Remount slidie onto the circular trim. The shift boot should fit easily through the newly cut out rectangular shift area. Reconnect all the wires. I took time to put alot of thin foam tape around areas inside the console while I had it apart to cut down on the number of squeaks. Pass the shift lever through the opening of the shift boot. Press the console back into place.
Then you remount the M45 shift **** onto the shift lever. I put a bit of grease on the lever's tip to make the button action smoother. Use the stock clip to hold the M45 **** in place. The shift boot just snaps together with the base of the M45 ****.
Because of the height of the stock shift mechanism, the button on the M45 **** requires more effort to depress. It takes a short time to get used to it, but otherwise everything works flawlessly.
The M45 **** is shorter and sits lower than the stock G35 ****. For most people this will be a good thing.
#24
08-04-2005, 01:44 AM
#25
08-04-2005, 03:32 AM
I remeber seeing pics of what the user Rumble did which is kind of similar to this. What he did was make his auto look like a manual. https://g35driver.com/forums/showthr...ight=auto+boot
I do have to say what you did is pretty sweet.
I do have to say what you did is pretty sweet.
#26
03-25-2006, 08:23 PM
Just a quick update. I decided to revise the shift indicator plate again. (I went through 5 revisions for the projectors, so I guess three revisions of this isn't bad).
This time I just cut out a rectangle on the shift plate, then smoothed it, and used a thin layer of JB Weld to seal the edges. Then I painted the edges black. It's a cleaner look, but maybe too plain. I'll get better pics in the future.
(sorry I don't have the other pics anymore)
This time I just cut out a rectangle on the shift plate, then smoothed it, and used a thin layer of JB Weld to seal the edges. Then I painted the edges black. It's a cleaner look, but maybe too plain. I'll get better pics in the future.
(sorry I don't have the other pics anymore)
#28
04-04-2006, 01:21 AM
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#30
07-26-2006, 02:33 AM