In nature, there are certain things that happen.

Andy Griffith said, in one of my favorite episodes, when talking to Opie as he let loose of the birds he raised:

Opie: Pa,,,,do you think that they will be okay? Do you think I raised them right???

Andy: You just have to let them free and hopefully you did a good enough job.

(Opie lets the birds free and they fly into the air. Opie then looks at the cage and says

Opie: Gawsh Pa,,,the cage looks awfully empty.

Andy: (as he looks into the sky) Yes it does son, but doesn't the sky look awfully full.


I received my short throw shifter this week. At first, I was just going to wait until my friend come by to help me do the install, but since this is a holiday weekend, he wasn't going to be able to help. Hmmm......okay,,,,,,maybe I can do it. I decide to do the research.

I read and studied. It didn't sound that hard. I then found a video that showed how to do it. Like Opie's birds, my confidence began to soar. It just *looked* like I could do it. And sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooo,,,,,,,

I tried it.

It wasn't easy....at least not for me, and it took, all told, about two hours for me to get it done. My elbow is so sore today, because I whacked it hard when trying to remove a C clamp. I also bloodied a knuckle when trying to get the cables off those pegs. But, I did get it done, and I am pleased with the shifter, and the throws are much shorter. It is a nice modification.

However, I am most pleased with actually being to do it on my own. There is a lot of satisfaction in being able to accomplish a task that you don't think you can do. I am, without a doubt, horrible at fixing things. Working on things just doesn't come easy to me. I stopped twice during the install because I got stuck and didn't know what to do next. I had that sick feeling again of stopping in the middle of a project like this, because of not being able to finish it. But I went back, watched the video again and again, and finally worked it out.

I have accomplished different things in my life, and when you do achieve a goal you set forth for yourself, it does give you a feeling of satisfaction, but doing this installation has given me almost as much satisfaction as almost anything else I've ever done. On most things I have ever accomplished, I usually have a feeling of knowing that I can do it, but on installing and/or repairing things, I always feel overwhelmed and just knowing that I can't do it. I am always defeated before I ever start.

When I put the last screw back into my console, and took the car out for a drive late last night, and everything worked as it should have, I can't tell you how great it felt. As I drove around yesterday evening, I couldn't help but notice how the sky looked awfully full.

 

I know EXACTLY what you mean. Every mod I've done to my car I've done myself. There is no greater feeling than knowing you just spanked someone with YOUR mods. Everything I plan on doing to my car in the future, I'm going to at least attempt. The only problem with doing the mods myself is that now I'm a tinkering mod addict. Oh, and I stay broke 90% of the time. I just can't stop wanting to do stuff to my car (no underlying sexual references either.......... though she is perty in red....) As a matter of fact, this weekend I'm going to dive headfirst into Stage 2 w/ turbo toys. Wish me luck. Those toys look to be a frustratingly long ordeal. Oh, and word, keep up the good work. But be careful. The mopar STS is where I started my little problem.......

 

good job word. good to hear you completed something all your self. I still remember your post asking where the air filter was. and dont worry about your hand once you start working on cars you will bust your knuckles and live with all the scars from your numerous accomplishments. O and i busted mine doing the same thing as you.

 

LOL......That's the truth, Gump! I didn't know where the airbox was! I had no idea how to read what tire sizes were. A 245 45 17 was just foreign to me. I had no idea what offset meant.....sidewall height....just no clue. I didn't know the difference between a coilover and a spring. When I first got the car, I tried removing the stock airbox lid and failed at that, but about a month ago, I tried it again and it was simple.

I cannot TELL you how much I have learned in the past 10 months from this forum. When I first logged on here, I didn't even know what a Wategate was. There were so many acronyms and I did not know what any of them meant. I remember just being totally overwhelmed and thinking that I would never make sense out of any of it. I have spent tons of hours reading about this car and trying to make sense out of it.

I still don't understand fueling mod's, return lines, vacuum lines, and things like that, but I slowly am learning about these kinds of things. The neat thing is, I've never been ripped on here for asking a dumb question, and almost always people have helped. And fortunately, I never did a modification without having a real understanding of what the mod would do.

The short throw shifter install has me pumped. I still cannot get over that I did it by myself. I could change out the ECU now by myself and I also know how install a downpipe.

Something I have learned is,,,,,when working on a car, you need to have confidence. That's the most important thing for me. You just have to educate yourself on what you want to modify, and then trust the knowledge you have that you can do the job. It's an incredible feeling when you install something and it works. When I finished with the STS install, I was dirty, soaking wet with sweat, had a banged up elbow and knuckle, but I never felt better.

 

Yup, it's a feeling money can't buy........

Dusty

 

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hey wordslayer can you give me the link for the vid. Im thinking about getting a short throw shifter just want to know how hard it will be to install.

 

Your car isn't 'your car' until you leave a little blood on it somewhere. But when it is all done you forget the pain and enjoy the sense of accomplishment! That is why my hands look like a war zone! But I smile alot!

 

And,,,,,for you viewing pleasure, Word tonight, is bringing you some fantastic short throw entertainment. Wake the neighbors and call your friends, because I have the link for the short throw installation. Make some popcorn and enjoy this clip. I give it two thumbs up!

http://videos.streetfire.net/search/...4E33C83A61.htm

 

Good job Word! I am truly happy for you.
BTW, at the SRT-4 Nats in Norwalk recently, I got to sit in several other cars with a variety of shifter setups. One was the Mopar and the other was a Mad Dog. I preferred the feel of the Mopar better although the M D had positive metal stops for each throw which gave it a very business like feel. But I would go with the Mopar one because it was slicker feeling.
Enjoy!