minor mod to MGW install instructions

[mot250]

There are other well thought out installation how-to’s for the MGW shifter on other forums like…

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showth...ht=MGW+Install (http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=63236&highlight=MGW+Install)

…and MGW supplies a great CD with multiple audio/video files and files with just stills. Because of this, I’ll only offer a few additional tips from my install.

Even MGW is now advising to skip the Dynomat for the interior application. MGW is now supplying a rubber mat and a second sound/heat barrier for the interior. MGW does, however, instruct you to use the Dynomat along the underside of the car after the shifter is installed to seal any gaps.

MGW also suggests putting small pieces of Dynomat on the two holes in the floor just forward of the shifter opening. You’ll see in the picture below (MGW shifter installed in the floor with my modified stock shifter boot, more on that later) that Ford already has these sealed on the inside so I skipped this step. Ford used those two black squares of rubberized adhesive insulation to seal them. That should be good enough.

[mot250]

I did not really want to “tape” the shifter gaps with Dynomat. Not knocking Dynomat as it is a great product (for under carpet or inside door panels) but it just don’t think it looks cool exposed, even on the underbody. So I modified the stock shift boot to fill the gaps between the shifter and the trans tunnel hole. I cut a small square opening in the bottom of the stock shifter boot. On the top portion of the stock boot, I cut the entire top section off just above the upper sealing lip.

Then I installed this modified boot on the MGW shifter before dropping it in place. It takes a little persuasion to get it to seal in the hole in the floor. I ended up installing the shifter retaining nuts loosely to hold the shifter in position but not tight. Then I alternated tugging on the seal from up top and pushing up from underneath. Use of a small flat blade screwdriver may come in handy.

Refer to the previous post for a picture of how it looks installed in the floor.

This worked out well in conjunction with the MGW supplied rubber mat. You could also experiment with leaving more of the upper section intact and skipping the MGW rubber mat. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about that until after I had cut my stock boot and I didn’t feel like wasting time trying to get a new one from FORD. I want this shifter in!

I actually need to button everything up so I do not have any comments yet on how it feels to drive the car with the MGW shifter. I’ll add my comments later. I hope to finish it up tonight.