3D printing and 3D scanning wizards—help me out with a dream!

[Jmanlevan]

So I have this dream idea to turn my MT shifter into a gated manual. Or at least make it look like one. Was wondering if anybody had the ability to scan and 3D print a plastic base with an accurate shift pattern to cover the opening where the shifter comes through the console to replace the leather shift boot. Would use this as a test piece to then have an aluminum version CNC’d. There’s gotta be a way to make this happen, I just have no idea how. It’s a long shot but would be so damn cool if I could make it happen.

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[Cptnslo]

You’ll need someone with access to a scanner like an einstar although I’ve seen people use the lidar scanners on an iPhone and mesh it and convert it to a solidworks file

 

[Jmanlevan]

@rwense ? Would you or anybody else you may know be able to tackle this?

 

[rwense]

@rwense ? Would you or anybody else you may know be able to tackle this?

Thanks for the mention man!

I would be up for trying, although as far as I know, there isn't a manual A90 in my area. If anyone is in the Pittsburgh area and willing to let me scan and/or disassemble the shifter surround area on their manual A90, lmk. I can give it a shot!

 

[J29DB03]

I believe someone else was talking about this and another person mentioned the shaft diameter being too much for it to work. I could be completely wrong on that.

 

[Jmanlevan]

I believe someone else was talking about this and another person mentioned the shaft diameter being too much for it to work. I could be completely wrong on that.

I was wondering about this but I don’t see why the diameter would matter. The shifter is still moving within the space of the opening of the console. Whether it was a super skinny diameter or larger, it’s still moving left to right and up and down. ??‍

 

[Jmanlevan]

@rwense ? Would you or anybody else you may know be able to tackle this?

@puckshaw ?
@UYCR ?
@Carl - Driveway Labs ?

 

[i3igpete]

I was wondering about this but I don’t see why the diameter would matter.

In the picture you provided, consider the shaft diameter being larger. this would require thinner gate walls to compensate.

now imagine if the shift diameter was doubled. Would there be any gate walls left?

 

[Jmanlevan]

In the picture you provided, consider the shaft diameter being larger. this would require thinner gate walls to compensate. now imagine if the shift diameter was doubled. Would there be any gate walls left?

Gotcha, gotcha. Yeah I see why that would/could make this tough. Hmmmm ?

 

[Loco38SUP]

In the picture you provided, consider the shaft diameter being larger. this would require thinner gate walls to compensate.

now imagine if the shift diameter was doubled. Would there be any gate walls left?

100% this.

-RJM

 

[Jmanlevan]

I’m sure someone could make a thinner shift lever shaft for our cars, there just hasn’t been a need to. Until now ?

 

[lucky phil]

I was wondering about this but I don’t see why the diameter would matter. The shifter is still moving within the space of the opening of the console. Whether it was a super skinny diameter or larger, it’s still moving left to right and up and down. ??‍

Because here is the std shifter shaft. You won't get 3 gate slots (4 if you include reverse at the fwd end) across the width of the console opening and have a decent amount of material between the slots for strength. I don't even think you would have enough room to create any slots. The thickness of the shift shaft would actually overlap the slots. All the original gated shifter I can think of has quite slender shifter shafts for that reason and the fact they also had shifter mechanisms with greater lateral travel. A 3D printed gate is probably not going to be strong enough for a sensible thickness. These gates were originally made from chrome steel or thick aluminium for a reason, they need to be strongish for the occasional fopar shift not some flexy plastic. Look at the Ferrari one you posted the gate is 10mm thick aluminium....for a reason.

 

[Jmanlevan]

Because here is the std shifter shaft. You won't get 3 gate slots (4 if you include reverse at the fwd end) across the width of the console opening and have a decent amount of material between the slots for strength. I don't even think you would have enough room to create any slots. The thickness of the shift shaft would actually overlap the slots. All the original gated shifter I can think of has quite slender shifter shafts for that reason and the fact they also had shifter mechanisms with greater lateral travel. A 3D printed gate is probably not going to be strong enough for a sensible thickness. These gates were originally made from chrome steel or thick aluminium for a reason, they need to be strongish for the occasional fopar shift not some flexy plastic. Look at the Ferrari one you posted the gate is 10mm thick aluminium....for a reason.

Yeah I understand plastic wouldn’t hold up. That’s why I said in my original post that a 3D printed plastic gate plate would be a test piece just to get the layout and dimensions right for a CNC’d aluminum piece…

But yes, I see and understand now how the diameter of our stock shifter assembly’s shaft would make this challenging/impossible to do what I’m wanting. Which is why I mentioned that we would need to also find a solution to getting a thinner shaft.

 

[lucky phil]

Yeah I understand plastic wouldn’t hold up. That’s why I said in my original post that a 3D printed plastic gate plate would be a test piece just to get the layout and dimensions right for a CNC’d aluminum piece…

But yes, I see and understand now how the diameter of our stock shifter assembly’s shaft would make this challenging/impossible to do what I’m wanting. Which is why I mentioned that we would need to also find a solution to getting a thinner shaft.

Ok cool missed a few of your points. You could probably do it of course but it would require removal of the shifter shaft and a lot of work to design and manufacture a new one . Not really feasible for a sensible dollar outlay but you can make just about anything happen if you throw enough money at it.

 

[Jmanlevan]

Ok cool missed a few of your points. You could probably do it of course but it would require removal of the shifter shaft and a lot of work to design and manufacture a new one . Not really feasible for a sensible dollar outlay but you can make just about anything happen if you throw enough money at it.

Yeah definitely! It would be sweet if an aftermarket shifter company like coolerworx or MGW or Acuity came out with a short throw shifter assembly with a thinner shaft for our cars because then that would make this project easier. I know @Sharocks got a custom made, almost 1 off shifter but that’s not a mass produced assembly.

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