Author Topic: Feeler about Shifter Rings (Read 41179 times)

cdflint · « **on:** February 25, 2013, 10:03:26 AM »

I was conversing with Rich at Santana Interiors about possibly doing a custom shifter ring. We wanted to know if there is any interest out there for an upgraded ring?

I currently have A/C rings from Madmods car. They are larger in diameter with the dimpled marks surrounding it. I also have his shifter that came out of an Audi TT. They have surrounding bolts and an acrylic ring underneath that has led's to give a pretty cool effect but in the end the shifter was smaller in diameter and needed extensive modifications to work. I have a custom shifter from JPM made for it but the OEM ring used ultimately became brittle at the tabs and loosely fell off. The shifter was cool as it would take any universal shift knob but just not what I wanted.

I simply want a better shifter ring that can add the leds, have the bolt down look, paintable and not so brittle. I had tried and tried to contact Aftershock via email, PM and website but never a response. They had one in development stage but like so many good ideas, drifted away.
Since Rich continues to make quality cup holders and now billet center wheel caps for OEM and some aftermarket wheels (with custom engraving), I figured lets see if it can be done.

What do you think? Anyone need one or want an upgraded one? This is just a feeler for now to find out interest. Nothing is created or price made at this time.

DeepBlueGXP · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:06:00 AM »

my ring is broken too, tabs are weak. Depending on price, I may be intersted.

Mb.Brazen · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:10:54 AM »

I would be interested to see this go further.

Sly Bob · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2013, 01:29:02 PM »

Only for the manual tranny I would assume?

LiquidPT · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2013, 03:06:04 PM »

I replied on the BB, but I would definitely be interested in something, especially in a brushed aluminum sort of feel.

Helios · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2013, 04:14:19 PM »

I've been thinking about this for a while as well. I was going to get around to talking with Rich about making one. One caveat to making one for the Sky would be to make a trapezoidal adapter plate for the ring to mount to for the Sky folks (because I want a ring and not trapezoid shape). Then there's figuring out the mechanism to hold the shift boot. I was thinking sandwiching the boot in between the ring/ plate and another flat ring underneath. I also wanted to have an LED option which would involve a clear plexi flat ring under the metal shift ring with dimples to make the shifter ring glow if I wanted. So, yes I'm interested. Something like this perhaps (I've had this for a while on my computer):

cdflint · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2013, 07:42:39 PM »

Cool, maybe if more post interest Rich may look into it.

Helios, that is exactly the shifter ring I have. Well.. except the led's no longer work.

ChopTop · « **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2013, 08:15:10 AM »

Sounds interesting (like the lighted ring idea too).
Also, making auto look like a manual

Preacher · « **Reply #8 on:** March 15, 2013, 01:45:29 AM »

I have an automatic. Would there be one for it.

I LOVE the one Helios put on here.

Preacher · « **Reply #9 on:** March 15, 2013, 01:47:20 AM »

I also have sent aftershock messages on there rings that were in developement but I NEVER get a response. Are they still in buisness? If they are...maybe they shouldnt be!

cdflint · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2013, 01:01:24 PM »

Rudy (Aftershock), I believe, had serious family issues and drifted out of business. The website seems to be a shell of good ideas but the drive to create must have went away.

Ironically, I received an email from Rudy yesterday. He says he has the machine that can engineer the ring. So maybe it could come out after all. He says he can still do the a/c and shifter ring. I've asked for price point and see what I can find out.

Gadget · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2013, 11:38:59 PM »

+1 in interest. Just got the cup holder from Santana's, it is a great product, love to see what he can do with the shifter ring...

cdflint · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2013, 01:18:39 AM »

I received an email from Rudy from Aftershock and here is the one off ring after being machined. Still undecided if more can be done but there is potential.

Gadget · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2013, 10:58:07 PM »

So the picture is of a one off from Rudy of aftershock?
I would love to see one in metal, is that what Santana is proposing?

Helios · « **Reply #14 on:** September 04, 2013, 07:06:24 AM »

Any news on this?

Helios · « **Reply #15 on:** September 04, 2013, 02:10:08 PM »

What is the outer and inner diameters of the shift ring? Can someone find out? I have a few vendors that could probably fabricate these pieces for us.

cdflint · « **Reply #16 on:** September 04, 2013, 02:37:30 PM »

Rudy had one designed and cut in April. He sent me a picture of it but I've not heard back from him since. I've sent several emails but to no avail. I have an extra ring at home I can measure later unless someone beats me to it.

jackl · « **Reply #17 on:** September 04, 2013, 04:22:48 PM »

Quote from: DeepBlueGXP on February 25, 2013, 11:06:00 AM

my ring is broken too, tabs are weak. Depending on price, I may be intersted.

ditto... tab broken and scratched - again depending on price, I would definitely be interested.

cdflint · « **Reply #18 on:** September 05, 2013, 12:54:24 AM »

5 7/8th inner and 6 3/4th outer, 3/8th under the base where the tabs connect to the inner ring, 1/2 inch for the three longer tabs, 1/4 for the one tab. Very approximate since I'm just eyeballin it.

Helios · « **Reply #19 on:** September 05, 2013, 01:40:54 PM »

I just sent out an email to request a quote from a vendor we use at my company to fabricate these rings. I hope to hear back from him within the next day or so. This is what I sent:

"I am working on a separate project outside of work and was wondering if you can provide me a quote on the rough sketch of the attached piece (fabricated in aluminum)? What is the minimum quantity that I would need to order? The sketch is only of the top piece. The second piece would almost be the same except it would remain 1/8” thickness. Instead of counterboring 6 holes; qty6 – 10-32 pemnuts would be used and the ring would be cut in two halves so that 3 pemnuts are on each piece. I want to fasten the pieces together using 10-32 socket head cap screws. I hope I explained this well enough for you to understand without the aid of a CAD drawing. Thanks."

Without a Solstice for me to prototype on, there are a few assumptions I have to make. I assume that the trim ring sits on top the shifter bezel. So, I am assuming that with the way I want to design this piece that holes will need to be notched/ drilled out to allow the screws to go through the panel and into the ring halves with the pemnuts. Help me out if I'm missing something.

TomatoSoup · « **Reply #20 on:** September 05, 2013, 02:06:22 PM »

Quote from: Helios on September 05, 2013, 01:40:54 PM

Help me out if I'm missing something.

Note sure if I'm missing your intent, but the original ring clips OVER the shift boot support (inner) ring, and into the hole in the console. The chrome ring edge has a T-cross section. Maybe the picture is worth (etc)...

Helios · « **Reply #21 on:** September 05, 2013, 02:18:35 PM »

My intent with the new ring is to eliminate the OEM rings all together. The new top ring will sit on top of the center shifter bezel housing without the tabs that the OEM one has. The holes counterbored into the new ring will have screws that match up to holes in the shifter bezel and into the half circle pieces underneath the shifter bezel w/ anchor nuts to hold the pieces in place. I assume the shifter boot will have to be detached from the OEM rings and sandwiched between the new pieces/ shifter bezel.

Helios · « **Reply #22 on:** September 06, 2013, 02:35:44 PM »

The vendor called me back today to talk about the design I sent him. Hopefully, he will have a sample for me next week. I also opted to have the pieces come unfinished/ unpainted (although I can have them sent out for anodizing) to cut down on the cost. I asked him to give me a quote for 10, 25, and 50 piece run. How many people are actually interested in this? I count 6-7 in this thread.

Northern Sol · « **Reply #23 on:** September 06, 2013, 03:09:10 PM »

Quote from: jackl on September 04, 2013, 04:22:48 PM

ditto... tab broken and scratched - again depending on price, I would definitely be interested.

Me too!

Helios · « **Reply #24 on:** September 06, 2013, 03:12:56 PM »

I'm still drafting ideas to make this work for manual transmissions in the Sky/ Opel crowd. I may end up having to fabricate an adapter plate/ overlay to accept the ring for this to work in the Sky/ Opel.

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Author Topic: Feeler about Shifter Rings (Read 41179 times)