400GT MANUAL SHIFTER

Apparently shifters in this trans encounter bushing failures and the shifter can rotate. I have an excellent Ferrari specialist checking for parts and repair. Just curious if others have had non disabling issue?

 

(Better to discuss this in the dedicated 365/400/412 forum.)

All the manual shifters knobs do rotate, the "leather" trim is even designed so as to take it into account. So it's rotating, and this has nothing to do with bad bushings, or failiure. The gearbox dates back to the early seventies so quite oldschool, it is the last manual Ferrari that does not incorporate the famous "gated" shifter.

 

Crazy the way you can just turn the shift knob to any direction you want to. It’s almost like the person that was in charge of the shifter design started the project and for some reason never finished it.

 

Funny, the same “rotation feature” happens in my 412 5 speed (I believe the same gearbox/shifter as the 400).

It really bugged me when I first got the car - I was also told by a shop that it’s due to some “bushings” but it does not affect drivability nor is a sign of imminent failure, plus it would require the trans to be opened to correct it. After 8+ years, I really don’t think about it anymore and have gotten used to the “feature” - the car is wonderful to drive, as always.

So @raemin is the bushing thing just a myth and they all rotated like this since new?

 

The shift lever/bushings is from a Fiat 124 Spider.

 

Since new. There is nothing in the design to prevent it. It is all external to the transmission and in fact needs to be disassembled to remove the transmission.

 

If in fact he was an excellent Ferrari specialist he would know it was normal and there is nothing to fix.

 

That's true for the auto transmission. The manual gearbox is totaly different.

 

Brian Keegan has forgotten more about Ferrari parts than you ever knew. He has been a Ferrari pats man for 40 or so years and has worked for the biggest and oldest companies in the business.

 

I’ll add this to the long list of reasons of why I don’t take my cars to that shop anymore. Thanks