Challenge budget Q

I bought the car with working shifter cables.

Drove it for a year with no problems.

Then some dumbxxx thought he'd put in a clutch. Wasn't thinking about how brittle the sheating on 20 year old cables might be, and manhandled them a bit too much.

Should new cables go in the budget at full price, pro-rated, or not at all (since I bought it with working ones, and it's not a performance advantage)?

BTW- they're stupid expensive.

Nobody??

Come on, you guys ALWAYS have opinions!

I would say full price because they're new and new, tight cables will be an improvement on a used set rather than returning it to the state it was in. If you had another used set, I'd say not at all. In case you didn't see it in the other thread:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/i-may-be-dead-in-the-water-challenge-content/3556/page1/

SVreX, if the housing is broken, perhaps you could make a PVC housing? PVC can bend some wicked cool angles when heated gently over an electric stove (don't breath the fumes!). Bend the shape you want, then cut it down the length to make two halves. Duct tape (or whatever) the assembly over the shift cable housing and you have a new housing. Won't be pretty, but will be quick and should last through the challenge...maybe? Just an idear. You could do the same with just about any tube, but PVC is dirt cheap and easy to work with.

Bryce

I did miss that. Thanks. I actually considered some variation on that idea, but knew I'd never get it done in time.

I'm not actually asking for this year. My decision is made for this year- I'm working on my budget for 2009.

By the time next year rolls around, they won't be new, since it is a daily driver.

I actually had no problem with it the way it was, my problem is that I can't return it to the way it was. Used aren't available- shifter cables are crushed with the car. (I've already contacted the majority of the junkyards listed in national databases who claim to have a GTX in inventory. Standard response, "Yeah, we've got 5 in inventory, but they are all crushed)

Any other opinions? If I go with full price for new, it is likely that I will not be able to bring this car next year.

SVreX wrote: I did miss that. Thanks. I actually considered some variation on that idea, but knew I'd never get it done in time. I'm not actually asking for this year. My decision is made for this year- I'm working on my budget for 2009. By the time next year rolls around, they won't be new, since it is a daily driver. I actually had no problem with it the way it was, my problem is that I can't return it to the way it was. Used aren't available- shifter cables are crushed with the car. (I've already contacted the majority of the junkyards listed in national databases who claim to have a GTX in inventory. Standard response, "Yeah, we've got 5 in inventory, but they are all crushed) Any other opinions? If I go with full price for new, it is likely that I will not be able to bring this car next year.

Try to get some industrial cables that work. I don't like the precedent of new parts not landing on the budget, but I also hate to see something so inconsequential put you over.

I agree about precedent.

What about pro-rate?

Give me more ideas about industrial.

These things are kind of like a really beefy bicycle derailer cable- the difference in the movement of the core in relation to the shell is what matters.

The plastic shell encases a braided inner which wraps around a solid core.

I thought of wrapping the old braiding in teflon, then encasing it in fiberglass.

I'll be looking at PT cruisers and Oldsmobiles, but these cables are pretty unique.

Look at boat shops for push-pull cables for rudder control.

http://www.marineengine.com/products/accessories.php?g=482

or something like this:

http://www.tuthill.com/us/en/products/controlCables.cfm?cid=rdr_controls_controlcables

http://www.bergencable.com/products/push-pull/push_pull_control.html

Yeah, I've done research on this already in order to do my 2.2 turbo powered Fiat X-1/9.

You'll likely need to modify the ends on the transaxle and shifter, but with a little grunt-worthy effort you'll be good to go.

Tons of cars have shift cables that you should be able to adapt...any GM transverse with a manual trans has a pair of cables. I know lots of Chryslers use the same type of design also. If you want to try new control cables go to mcmaster.com and search for "push/pull control cable"...I've used these control cables and they're quite easy to adapt to damn near any type of trans with a little know how. I'm using a pair of them to control a Porsche 5 speed in my VW with a Fiero shifter assembly, so I think that makes them GTX compatible too. It seems to me that if you've got a year, you can probably find a way to make it happen in the challenge budget (used, custom, repaired, etc.).

Bryce

As far as I know, all VR6 VWs use cable shift, and I think 16V Passats too. There's a yard local to me that has 4 VR6 Passats right now. If you can find out if they would work, I'd be happy to go grab a set for you.

Good info here. Wish I had it 2 weeks ago.

Thanks for the help.