Opinions on the SLICK SHIFT GATE

I've got both products on my 348. The slick shift gate improves your shift speed slightly (you still have mechanical limits vis-a-vis the synchros) but more importantly gives you 2 things that you didn't have before:

#1, you don't hear the double "clack-clack" as your gear shift slams into the rounded edges of the shift gate with each shift, and

#2, you get back your reverse gear lockout protection (i.e. now a valet has to push DOWN on your gearshift before the gate will allow a shift into Reverse). This prevents accidental shifts from 1st into Reverse instead of 1st into 2nd when you (or a valet) might be in a hurry to shift.


The steering wheel spacer is a MUST HAVE item for anyone over 6 feet tall. It brings the steering wheel much closer so that your arms have a more comfortable bend, and it makes getting into the car considerably easier.

Thumbs up for both!

 

If you do a search mike there are quite a few threads on the Slick shift gate, I've got one, its fine

 

Mine didn't do anything for the shift speed, but I ended up keeping it for the reverse lockout.

 

I have both on my Dino.

Slick shift, slight improvement.

Steering wheel spacer, big help, gets you far enough away that you don't have to bang your knees on the steering wheel.

Side note, my spacer took some work to fit, couple hours of careful adjusting to make it right. Now, I don't think I could get it off without a gear puller.

DM

 

I have the steering wheel spacer in my 328 and it makes the car much more comfortable to drive. I'm 6' tall.

I thought about getting the shifter thing but I like the clack-clack sound going through the gates and my reverse lockout is fine with my original gate. After some practice I can shift as fast as is possible given the limits of the gearbox.

 

I purchased the slick shift gate from Hill, nicely made, but found it does little to improve shifting. Cool idea, but not that big a deal.

I have used steering wheel spacers on both my 308 and 328 and found them very useful to have! I am only 5'8" tall and found that with the seat at the appropriate distance, I had to have the seat back almost fully straight up in order to reach the wheel. Moving the wheel closer, allowed me to recline slightly. Hill's spacer is much nicer than the Sparco one I bought on line (which required a Momo horn button adapter too). The Hill spacer appears to have the horn adapter machined in, so you don't need it.

 

It's on my 348, I hightly recommend it.

 

Odd. The reverse lockout still seems to work on my stock gate. And I like the "snick-click" shift sound.

(The old front engine / rear transbox Alfetta GT could have used an external gate. That shifter was like a broomstick in a bathtub.)

But you'd have to shorten the shift throw to speed things up all that much. The external gate isn't all that slow, once you get used to it.

The "Italian driving position" (based on the premise that elbows were a mistake) takes some getting used to, but you might never go back. After over 35 years of Italian cars, I now have trouble getting the wheel far enough away in Japanese cars.

 

Val-what?! Anyone who let's their high-end sports car be valeted is a braver man than I...and I like skydiving and rock-climbing without safety gear!

 

Both my 308 and 328 had the reverse lock out feature, which required depressing the shift lever to get it in reverse. Did the 348 not have this feature? I know Tillman has a 328, was his broken? I know some have found their shift gates reversed, which kept the lock out feature from working in reverse.

When I sold my 328, I removed my aluminum shift ball and speed shift gate and sold them to a friend with a 348, and he thought the gate was "broken" when he couldn't get into reverse!

 

Mine was simply worn off the gate after many, many miles

 

The 348 *does* have the reverse lockout feature. Our gearshifts are spring-loaded so that we can push them down to clear the reverse lockout tab on the gate...but...the tab on the OEM gate seems to wear off in very few miles.

 

Only for you guys who are to whimpy to push them down far enough. I have a 308 here right now with 120k miles and the rev lockout is just fine.


The problem with the slick shift gate idea is that the internals of the gear box in the shift mechanisim is being replicated buy the shape of the shift gate. The lever just needs to go that far over at that point to continue it's forward motion. To not have a gate that forces the issue is just placing the job on the internal transmission parts alone. After driving these cars daily for 30 or so years it just becomes second nature to shift them as intended. I would be willing to bet that a well broken in Ferrari gear box with the shifter well adjusted and proper lubricant and a similarly adapted driver will be beat in shift times by very few in other types of road cars.

As enthusiastic as I am about most of Mr Hills devices I am not a devotee of the slick shift gate.

 

I got mine because I was curious to see the difference and my reverse shift lockout was worn out completely by the previous owner. Being used to first gear up with my other cars I'll admit I hit reverse a couple times. Decided I needed to fix the problem asap.

My experience has been a minimal increase in shifting speed. A little disappointing. If not for the rev. lockout fix as well, I'd be disappointed and find it not worth the cost. I was also a little turned off with the cosmetics and I don't like the allen type bolts look.

Jeff

 

I didn't like the Allen screws provided either, and re-used the stock Phillips head screws.

 

Here's a link to a nice technical note Chistopher Gray (cray54) posted last fall on repair of the lockout on the shift gate:

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125847

 

I just keep reminding myself: "odd gears are towards the engine".

 

I wish Hill would make it for the 360, but according to him the declining # of 6 speeds makes volume sales difficult.

Too bad.

 

I like that very well put