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Originally Posted by ekam
Agreed holeheartedly. A lot of people do these mods just to be different or it's "an improvement from stock" but often don't understand what affect aftermarket parts have to the vehicle.
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I cannot fathom why Spec Boxster racers would run the stock 986 shifter, when they could be running a properly engineered unit such as the 987/997 Tequipment short shifter. I guess they don't mind the long, flowing arm motions that the stock shifter provides. Maybe after buying wheels ($$$), tires ($$$$) suspension ($$$$$$$), etc they don't have any car prep budget left. My view on competition cars is that any action you take to make the driver more comfortable, or reduce the driver's workload, is a positive thing as long as it doesn't impact the speed or durability of the car. A short shifter is a driver ease and comfort enhancement as far as I am concerned. I used to race in SCCA's Showroom Stock C class, and I would have run a (factory accessory) short shifter if it were allowed by the rules.
The downsides to a correctly engineered (not notchy, works smoothly) short shifter are:
1. more effort is required on the lever
2. can cause more rapid synchro component wear, because you are expecting the synchro to do the same amount of work in less time
Issue #2 is not terribly relevant on a track car, because the driver is moving the lever quickly anyway - they just have to move the stock shifter
faster to achieve the same result as the short shifter.
Stated differently: If the 986/996 shifter is ideal, why did Porsche change the design to shorten the throw on 987/997 cars? Why do they sell the short shifter?