Replacement Shift Cable Kit - Similar to Bob B.

[Megwenda]

Hi John

The cables etc are soooo close, I have seen the box they are in.... The postman actually brought them around to me, but needed chf 35.- to pay for the taxes etcetera, and as I only had a chf 100.- bill on me, and he had no change, he had to take them back with him... I have to go down to the post office tomorrow to collect them.

I was able to get the Lotus and took it to the BCM on Sunday.
Had a great day, lots of British cars were there. Lots of Lotus's, many different types (several oldtimer Elans, lots of Lotus 7's, lots of Elises, Exige, and Europas.

The garage did a great job on respraying the car, it really looks good.
Unfortunately they didn't do that well fitting the new hood seals... in fact, they really screwed up. I had bought a complete set (A frame, header rail, intermediate and the falling pillar ones for about 550 pounds), and as they had to strip the A frame ones off in order to respray the car, they said they could install them all for me at the same time as they replaced them.

Well, before the respray the car hardly leaked (well, no more than other elans ), and now there are visible gaps between all the seals, as well as around the top of the windows (which had to be removed for the respray, and haven't been properly fitted).

Of course, I should probably just give the car back to them and complain until they have it right, however I intend to fix it myself... I am retired and so have the time... My original apprenticeship was as a mechanic/panelbeater/spraypainter, (although that was 40 years ago), so I do have the knowledge and hopefully still have the skills. The knowledge is available here on the LEC, so I count myself lucky.

Will confirm as soon as I have collected the cable kits, although I probably wont fit them for a while... will be in Ireland and in Spain for a good part of the next two months.

Regards
Dave

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Happy to hear they made it to you before you leave for vacation. I hope the chf 35.00 was about what you expected?

Really sorry to hear that the seals were installed improperly. Did they disassemble the doors to remove the outer scrapers before painting? Maybe the windows are just out of adjustment?

[Megwenda]

One never knows what to expect with the Swiss post/customs.... there is a 8% tax duty, and also a 'tax preparation administration fee' to be paid... I haven't seen the invoice form the PO yet, so cant really say how they have calculated it... but all in all, yup, I did expect between CHF 30-50.

They did strip the doors (and most of the rest of the car) before repainting... I had also bought new door seals (from PNM Engineering), and new door / boot locks, so all these were also replaced.

Yup, I think you are right, the windows need a bit of adjusting.... and also I feel the soft top may need to be lowered a little in the middle (but that was already apparent before the respray). The wire cables on the sides of the soft top also need attending to as the left side is very loose, the soft top back flaps when I have the windows open and the elastic webbing is also a bit slack, so there is quite a lot of work to do.

As I said before, there is a lot of knowledge here and in the WikiLEC, and I am quickly catching up on all the 'little' tasks ahead of me

[Megwenda]

As I said, one never knows with the swiss customs....
Received the parcel, and checked the invoice... they calculated the tax wrongly

I phoned them up to question, and they inform me that the transport costs are included in the tax calculations, however he does admit they made a mistake with the currency, as the parcel was in USD, and they calculated using Euros

He is going to refund me the chf 5.- difference in postage stamps:-)

I have opened the packet, all seems to be there, will know for sure when I get around to fitting it.

Been working on the seals... fortunately the garage didn't know they had to use silkaflex in the channels (or else just didn't do it), and they only glued the ends of the seals to the channelling, so it was very easy to strip them out.

Have mounted them dry, and got them all to fit cleanly and evenly, (will only know when I have done a water test). Now to take each one and carefully silastik it into place.

Again, thanks for the cable kit, will let you know when I have fitted it.

[Rusty Wishbone]

I've just finished installing new cables and the short shift kit, and what a fantastic result. Lovely crisp, slick gear change. The short shift kit allows 3 different positions, shortening the throw by different amounts. I tried the shortest throw, but found the lever weighted up too much, so I went for the middle option, which BCN recommends anyway, which is perfect.

The installation is pretty tiresome. Strangely, I didn't find it particularly difficult to thread the new cables through, but it did take me quite a lot of time disassembling stuff. The kit from BCN is excellent. It was a good opportunity to change the engine coolant too.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Winter is approaching so I thought it best to ask if anyone is planning to change their cables during the "off" season.

I am trying to keep stock up without having to change the price.

I currently have EIGHT (8) cables sets available although one (1) set is promised to a mid-September buyer.

My shop is not heated and there is a lot of work that goes into assembly and pre-installation.
I would like to have an idea of how many cable sets I need to have ready to ship.
I really don't want to have to prepare kits when the weather is not pleasant.

Please go to the most recent postings for current prices


If anyone going to LOG34 wants to pick up a cable set or full kit with Short-Shift, I am not far from the gathering (about 125 miles or 2 hours driving time).

You could also see the basics of how to install them using the mock-up car I use to pre-install the kits.

I also have a decent inventory of parts for my projects that could be used for show and tell sessions and for anyone that wants to see what it is they will next be repairing.

Everyone is invited to visit. Just let me know that you plan to drop by and I will make sure I am available.

Thank you

[Brit-Car-Nut]

No interest? No questions?

I won't order more cables in quantity unless I get enough interest to justify a large cash outlay.

I can still make up cable kits one at a time, but the price will go up $25.00 per kit since I won't get the volume order discount and their shipping is the same for one set of cables or 10 sets.

I hope everyone understands I am just asking this to keep costs down.

There are currently 6 cable kits (and around a dozen short-shift kits) available.

[Megwenda]

Thanks John

Now I got gear changes worthy of a sports car

No problems with fitting, took it nice and slowly working alone. I did cheat and remove the rod end off the crossgate cable to make it easier to guide through the tunnel, but otherwise followed the instructions. No adjustment was necessary, after fitting, third gear lines up with the handbrake.

Many thanks
Dave

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Happy to hear you like the results.

I really don't recommend removing the rod ends as they are already set at the proper position and can be a bugger to adjust and keep aligned to the lever.

[Megwenda]

True, however in point 8 of your pdf version of the cable change guide you used to advise to adjust them (quote 'most probably') after fitting them to the lever (see below), so I knew it could do no harm. Agreed you do have the comment that you now locktite them on assembly so that they should be correctly in place
I did measure the distance it was adjusted to, so was reasonably sure I would be able to replace it safely...... hey, I am an ex bush-mechanic out of Zambia, I never do things 100% by the book

There is some discrepancy between the pdf version (which I printed out and had by me while working) and the online version, nothing wrong, but enuf to make me check back online a few times.

Regards
Dave


At the rod end, make sure the small blue adapter on the rod-end stud is threaded
snugly against the washer at the top of the thread.
I now locktite this when I assemble the cables, so the adapter should be correctly in place.

6. Pull the Fore-Aft Cable to the Fore-Aft Lever and insert the rod end stud into the
top of the square hole, coaxing the blue adapter to go into the hole. If the hole is
too tight, use the file to slightly enlarge the hole until the adapter will go into the
square hole easily. Install the 5/16" flat washer and lock nut from the bottom and
hold the stud above the blue adapter with an 11mm wrench while tightening the
13mm nut with a wrench or socket.

7. Repeat this process for the Crossgate Cable except you insert the rod end stud
through the lever from the bottom. See pictures for clarity.

8. Although I have pre-installed the cable kits I am shipping, you will most probably
have to adjust the rod ends at the gearbox end so they are not twisted to either side.
Just use a pair of 7/16" or 11mm wrenches and slack the jam nut a bit and rotate
the rod end so it is parallel to the lever below it. Hold the rod end and tighten the
jam nut. You might need to do it a couple of times as you get the "feel" for how much the
rod end will twist even though you are holding it.

[daveiow]

Just received my replacement gear change cables and short-shift kit from BCN and am very pleased with the quality of materials and workmanship
Thanks to John for a great upgrade and extremely detailed fitting instructions.
Will post again when fitted.
daveiow

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Just 3 sets of cables available right now and 2 of those sets have been promised to one buyer but the deal hasn't been completed yet.

First come...

I will get more bare cables but haven't figured out how my new cost prices will impact the final sale price. I mentioned this a few posts ago. The cable supplier has shut own for around 3 weeks over the holiday and will be getting back to me with their newest prices. I have been buying them in lots of 5 sets to help reduce the sale price but turn-over time has been an issue with a lot of cash tied up for months at a time.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Now there is just one set of cables available until I order more.

I will be ordering them one set at a time from now on which delays my having them ready to ship by around 3 days. It also increases the price since the price to ship is the same if for one set or 10 sets.

Buying them in lots of 10 gave me a discount for the quantity and the shipping per set was really reasonable. Unless the price from the supplier changes, the price for any kits after this last one will go up by $15.00 unless I get enough interest to justify buying them in bulk.

Thank you everyone that have purchased the cables.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Right now there are no base cables in stock. But I can always order more. I have plenty of the other components required to make up the kits.

If you are contemplating buying a set in the next month or two, let me know so I can get a feel for how many I will need to order to make sure I can get kits built and shipped quickly.

If there are enough requests, the price will remain as originally set. If not, then the buyer has the option of waiting until enough orders are placed or paying the higher price since I would only be ordering one pair of cables at a time.

If two people want sets, then the price will go down a bit because the inbound shipping will be shared by both buyers.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

For current prices please go to the latest posts as I will update things there.

Thank you for your orders.

[EM One Hundred]

My shift cable failed, fortunately just as I was pulling into my garage. Stuck in gear, I thought I could get things loosened up but found the bracket end broken. I bit the bullet and ordered a set of John's (BCN) cables. First observation when they arrived very quickly and well packaged...These are really quality items. The brackets are beefy and smooth, the cables substantial and have heavy duty ball ends. I also got the short shift kit..."as long as I'm in there". Nice stuff!

I was concerned about installing them even with his full directions as my experience is that the car I am working on NEVER looks like the diagram or photo. So I prevailed on Superbad from this forum to come help me as he had done it and is an experienced knowledgeable guy. It took about a month to mesh schedules but he came down a couple of weeks ago to help. He ended up doing all the work while I acted as operating room assistant. Scalpel! Suture! Eight MM Hex Wrench! Thanks Scott, you are the best.

Then we got a series of winter storms, so I had to wait to get out and try the results. Finally, yesterday I did. I am gobsmacked!

What an incredible difference! The throw is not just shorter but the precision is three orders of magnitude better! There is a clear detent and sense of clicking into and out of any gear. It transforms the wet noodle into a close approximation of my original 1965 Elan…and I always thought of that as the benchmark. It is better than my BMW M6 which is a pretty good gearbox in its own right. After 15 years of sloppy shifting that I never really minded as I had no real problems, I am in heaven!

Anyway, I just wanted you to know it is magnificent. Thanks for your excellent work! And thanks again to Super Good Superbad

[stevebow]

My Elan is stuck in gear, the garage says it's the cable(s) have broken.

So after reading the reviews on I've gone for the full kit from John. Can't wait to see/feel the difference.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Just a reminder that Shift Cable Kits and Short-Shift Kits are still available.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Unfortunately, I received the new prices for the physical cables from the manufacturer this week and their new price ($15.00 increase) now makes the cable kit $460.00.

The "Retail" price for these is much higher, so asking your repair shop to buy a set for you only increases your final cost.

Also, most repair shops don't want to add the Short-Shift kit (to keep their outlay as low as possible), so it is most prudent for LEC members to buy direct to get the best price for the cable and short-shift kits.

I am ordering the cables in smaller quantities so the new price reflects the NEW manufacturer's price but also includes the previous small reduction in the "large order discount".

There is still a 3 to 4 business day shipping delay while I assemble, pre-set the lengths and finally install/adjust the cable kits on my test car prior to shipping them out.

[b]I currently have enough "assembly" parts to build 10 more sets of cables before I either order more or cease production. These are the custom parts that have to be manufactured since they only fit the M100.

My original supplier (in 2013) has ceased CNC manufacture so I am getting quotes from other companies to make the bulkhead adapters. Most, so far, won't do small production orders and their quotes are way too expensive to consider. I don't think I will ever have need for 5,000 shifter end bulkhead adapters.

Anyone that "wants a set" but is waiting until the last minute, the clock is ticking.

A very BIG Thank You to those that have ordered Cables and shared their experiences and results with the forum.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

I still have a few cable and cable/short-shift kits available.