DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

A few months ago I went to see a friend's 60K mile SC. He wanted my opinion on the car etc, I've never driven it, but in taking lots of pictures I tried the gear shift.
The car is totally standard but had just had the rear bushes changes in the coupling and the shift re-adjusted by a very local classic car garage who had never done this task before.
I've met the garage boss who actually did the job, seems a good man.

The quality of the shift action was really impressive, so smooth and accurate, really nice, and a quality I have never had on my 911 through 34 years and 5 gearshifter changes.

So, I picked my 911 up out of storage a few days ago and drove it back for 20 miles.
The change was 'ok' but nowhere like the SC.

Back at the last Autojumble I bought a nice tower change shifter, stock with the intent to change the car back to stock and so find that 'SC Action'.

My car currently has a Rennshift, tower and tube guide bushes were changed about 10 years/ 5 K miles ago, and the bushes in the coupling are 30 years old and have/had the round hole instead of the slotted bushes made by Weltmeiser bought from Automotive.

My intent is to go back to real Porsche bushes throughout, £50, and see if I can find that sweet spot.

Most remove the slack from the gear shift path, a Rennshift/WEVO tower etc and wax lirical about it all.

Any comments? I know several who have done the same as me, but not reversed back to stock.

The 915 in my car was rebuilt by Mike Bainbridge about 10 years ago, so has about 6K miles in it and 2 oil changes. I have never driven the box with a stock gear change.
The current change is a bit notchy and hard work.
The SC box was untouched from new.

Thinking of taking the parts to that garage and getting him to do the job!

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I must admit I've never understood the negative comments people make about the 915 gearchange.

I've always found that if the (std) bushes are in good condition & the coupler at the back is adjusted correctly, the gearchange is fine - as long as you accept that it's 1970's technology & don't expect it to behave like a modern car.


20 years ago I did try various 'upgrades' - Weltmeister short shift, Sherwood Lee's 'gateshift', various uprated bushes etc - but always reverted to the std set-up.

As far as I'm aware, none of the 911's I've owned had ever had a gearbox rebuild .

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You never drove your friends car, just sat in it and moved the gearstick around, how do you know what it will be like when you are actually driving it on the road, one may not necessarily result in the other?

Thanks both.
I've been through Standard small tower (original to the car), Standard large tower (as in 2.4S), factory short shift, Siene conversion and finally to Rennshift.

The Rennshift is by far the best.

I've known the owner of the SC for decades, and he is far more a petrol head than me, and has said the quality of the shift on the road is much as it is on the drive.
He had the car for over 20 years.

The Rennshift set-up is quite good but the change still is notchy and ladened, and become a bit tiring over a long journey, yes, getting older etc...
I've tried a lot of times to adjust it better and it has never been better than it is now, but still not good.

For the sake of a few pounds I'll re-bush the lot and see if I can get it right/ better.

The box is a 3.2 aluminium box that has been rebuilt twice, once by Bob Watson and some years later, Mike B.
It had a lot changed to new to say the least with Mike.

Long time ago now, but the change with the original small shifter was good, but 32 years ago.

dont think there is any difference between a 1973 model year 5 speed T, E or S shifter

When I bought the car in '88 it had the small '2.2' shifter, but the correct 4 speed 915 mag case.
Mind you, it also had a 2.2 T engine..