New FR Shifter + Bracket

[Sesshomurai]

Ok, here are pics of the shifter installed:

It's a wonderful product. Compare to the stock shifter (no bracket) and hurst short-throw billet shifter (also no bracket), this shifter is superior by an order of magnitude. Highlights

- VERY short throws. Shifts just snap from one gear to the next.
- Good tactile feedback, no biting on street use so far
- Gone is the sensation of moving out of one gear, through neutral and into another gear. That whole noisy experience with the stock shifter is gone. Rather, it feels like it just goes from one gear to the next.
- All the gears have the same feel to them so far.
- Shifter is firm (doesn't feel loose or flimsy in neutral) but doesn't fight a fluid shift motion.
- You will notice the shifter rod is very short. You can add extenders.

Track review next Monday after VIR.

 

[Highpower11]

Nice review and thanks for sharing! I too have been eying the Barton and is on my short list. Do you experience any increase in NVH from stock? Would you rate the install as as an easy DIY?

 

[VoodooBoss]

Looks good. Mine is on it's way but I won't get a chance to install it for a couple of weeks.

A lot of the improvement in shifting you're feeling is the shifter bracket. Getting rid of the stock marshmallow bracket does wonders on this car.

 

[PJWANNABE]

Awesome! I can't wait to get mine in! My next track day is March 23-24 at Barber. I will be driving VIR May 6-7 (north and full courses).

Darren, I noticed that it looks like you have a leather shift boot. Did you have to change it for the shifter? I already have it but I thought the Boss owners would like to know.

 

[F.D. Sako]

very nice Darren, can't wait for the track review, and a few vids from you

Darren, I noticed that it looks like you have a leather shift boot. Did you have to change it for the shifter? I already have it but I thought the Boss owners would like to know.

pretty sure that's the stock boss boot.

 

[Sesshomurai]

Awesome! I can't wait to get mine in! My next track day is March 23-24 at Barber. I will be driving VIR May 6-7 (north and full courses).

Darren, I noticed that it looks like you have a leather shift boot. Did you have to change it for the shifter? I already have it but I thought the Boss owners would like to know.

Yeah, stock boot Ken. See you at VIR in May probably!

@Sako, are you gonna bring the Boss out this year? Any chance you want to caravan down to VIR this summer? Lemme know, plenty of track days there this year.

 

[PJWANNABE]

Yeah, stock boot Ken. See you at VIR in May probably!

Hmm...I though the Boss had an Alcantara boot (unless I can't tell the difference :-[ ).

Cool - This is going to be a nice VIR event:
http://www.hookedondriving.com/hooked-on-driving-region/Southern-States-Region

 

[robstang]

I had the Barton shifter bracket (same as frpp) on my car for about 150 miles. I loved the way it made the shifter feel but it was also causing my dash to rattle so I removed it and put the stock bracket back on. I hope you dont have the same problem because it is a huge improvement over stock except for the rattle I had .

 

[F.D. Sako]

@Sako, are you gonna bring the Boss out this year? Any chance you want to caravan down to VIR this summer? Lemme know, plenty of track days there this year.

I still think i'm no where near ready to track the boss! lol But seems like couple of you guys are going to the May event, so i may just be tempted to bring the boss down to VIR in May. I'll be def. doing summit point a couple of weekends in the corolla tho with a few upgrades like coilovers and toyo RA-1s.

Do you have any definite track weekends you're doing this summer? i've never been to VIR, so caravan-ing down there would be good.

 

[Sesshomurai]

I still think i'm no where near ready to track the boss! lol But seems like couple of you guys are going to the May event, so i may just be tempted to bring the boss down to VIR in May. I'll be def. doing summit point a couple of weekends in the corolla tho with a few upgrades like coilovers and toyo RA-1s.

Do you have any definite track weekends you're doing this summer? i've never been to VIR, so caravan-ing down there would be good.

Most of these dates, at a minimum.
https://www.trackdaze.com/

And these.
http://www.nasaracing.net/?page_id=13

 

[steveespo]

Guys I am not trying to stump for any track day group but if you are going to go to VIR in May come down for the SVT Superfest on Memorial Day weekend. The support Ford SVT and Ford racing gives to this event makes it very special and of course you can do 1, 2, or 3 days on track at a great road course. I go to events run by Track Club USA, SCDA, NASA, Hooked on Driving, IMG, BMWCCA and PCA so I give everyone one a share of the business. Think about it you won't be disappointed.
Steve

 

[Sesshomurai]

Guys I am not trying to stump for any track day group but if you are going to go to VIR in May come down for the SVT Superfest on Memorial Day weekend. The support Ford SVT and Ford racing gives to this event makes it very special and of course you can do 1, 2, or 3 days on track at a great road course. I go to events run by Track Club USA, SCDA, NASA, Hooked on Driving, IMG, BMWCCA and PCA so I give everyone one a share of the business. Think about it you won't be disappointed.
Steve

I'm definitely going for that Steve!

@Sako, that would be the event to attend I think. Bring your boss and do parade laps for starters. You won't regret it.

 

[PJWANNABE]

Guys I am not trying to stump for any track day group but if you are going to go to VIR in May come down for the SVT Superfest on Memorial Day weekend. The support Ford SVT and Ford racing gives to this event makes it very special and of course you can do 1, 2, or 3 days on track at a great road course. I go to events run by Track Club USA, SCDA, NASA, Hooked on Driving, IMG, BMWCCA and PCA so I give everyone one a share of the business. Think about it you won't be disappointed.
Steve

That is one I had thought about doing but the HOD event fits my schedule best, plus I really like the Southern States Region events. It is a long haul so I don't expect to get there again for a while. I wish I could do them all but I have champagne taste on a beer budget for now.

Hey, that was my 1000th post!

 

[F.D. Sako]

^lol

Darren or Steve, any registration links out there for the SVT event?
i could probably find it by searching on google, but too lazy

 

[VoodooBoss]

Hey, that was my 1000th post!

congratulations and welcome to the club. 8)

 

[steveespo]

^lol

Darren or Steve, any registration links out there for the SVT event?
i could probably find it by searching on google, but too lazy

Here you go F.D.
http://www.svtcobraclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19018
Steve

 

[PJWANNABE]

I had my shifter installed today and took a long drive to break it in and have some good sushi with some friends. What a huge difference. It feels so solid and the shifts are very precise. Overall I am pretty happy with it but a few things are putting a damper on my euphoria.

1. The shfit boot doesn't fit on the shaft (it is riding up near the ball). Apparently there is a spacer on the top of the boot for the stock ball shifter which makes it incompatible (a point noted on the Barton web site but not FRPP). I need to call FRPP Monday to see what I or they can do about it.
2. Reverse is very hard to get in and out of. I hope this works better after it has been broken in for a while and/or I learn the trick.
3. There is noticeable increased NVH, especially in 1-4 (it reminded me of the lady's '07 Shelby GT with the Hurst shifter). Its like the shifter is channeling noise from the drive train. It bothered me at first but it actually makes it sound more like an old school muscle car. I need to pop the console to see if the boot and dust cover are on properly because it sounds like there is more road noise coming up throught the console.

 

[Highpower11]

I have read that a number of people experienced the same increased NVH and difficult reverse application and it was because the stock boot was not properly installed on the Barton shifter. When not installed in the lower groove, somehow the boot rides up on the shifter allowing for noise to creep in and it will then interfere with reverse application. After resetting the boot, these problems went away.

Barton has a video on the boot installation at the bottom of 2011-shifter page. Give that a go and see what happens. Good luck and I hope this corrects the problem.

 

[PJWANNABE]

I have read that a number of people experienced the same increased NVH and difficult reverse application and it was because the stock boot was not properly installed on the Barton shifter. When not installed in the lower groove, somehow the boot rides up on the shifter allowing for noise to creep in and it will then interfere with reverse application. After resetting the boot, these problems went away.

Barton has a video on the boot installation at the bottom of 2011-shifter page. Give that a go and see what happens. Good luck and I hope this corrects the problem.

Thanks! I will check that.

 

[PJWANNABE]

Here are some photos. I think it looks much better than the aluminum shift ball. It looks like it belongs now: