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Blue Lightning is an ex 2.0 L GTV converted to 164 power and them some by Mike Halasz in Australia.
It has the original bonnet to make it look like a 2.0L sleeper. The colour in the photo is just an exercise with photo shop for security reasons but its real colour is just as awesome and just as shinny.

Apart from the colour, the car is as you see it.

 

At this stage the car is stll not finished but gives an idea of how the selector modification is progressing. The passenger seat is out. The custom hifi console is yet to be installed and its using the original steerimg wheel.

 

This illustrates the finished article in the car from the passenger side. RHD !

 

An illustration of the selector concept.
Things to note:-

The repositioned handbrake.
The selector operating on top of the transmission tunnel.
The connection of the assembly to the gearbox selector through an opening in the rear cross panel.
The green knob was a reverse lock out but now not used.

The black item at the 1 o'clock position in the frame is the rear roll cage floor mount (just in case you were curious)

 

RHD view.
The framework starting to take shape will eventually form the removable cover for servicing purposes. The handbrake lever is from a Mitsubishi and has a much better lever action that requires less lift for the same effectiveness than the original.

 

The original selector coupling to a twin spark box is modified to receive the selector from the cabin. The coupling from the cabin selector is made from a cut down steering rack universal joint from a VW Beetle. (at least its good tuff german steel). The modified connector is coming in the next frame.

 

This is the heart of the solution.

The large lever is the original Alfa selector shaft connector.
The small one is half of the VW steering column universal joint that has a bolt welded onto it. This bolt is coupled to a rose joint inside the cabin to connect the internal slide selector.
Note the huge difference in pivital motion between the two!!

This is why stuffing around with the original gear selector by shortening or other mods is almost irrelevant.

 

This is the other key component. It is the actual gear selector. You know, the thing you fiddle with at the traffic lights when they are red.

This little beast is out of a front wheel drive Toyota . It has been modifed to push and pull a steel tube instead of puling two cables as it normally does. The end result it a similar action to the way the Alfa selector has to do its job.

The yellow block is a self lubricating urethane bush that slides up and down allowing the tube to rotate and pivot which it has to do when you are selecting and moving the lever through the gate.

The selector tube moves in and out of the yellow block as you select 1>2 ; 2>3; 3>4;4>5 th and of course reverse. The tube therefore slides, pivots and rotates at this point. A bit hard to conceive I know but you will get it in the end I am sure.

 

The opposite end of the gear selector assembly.

Note the end bearing which rotates and swivels at the same time in necessary. I think this is a bit overkill but helps with minor inaccuracies and it makes a bloody good mount !

Please note that the selector tube moves in and out of this bearing also during gear selection. It requires periodic lubrication.

The curved extensions are made of stainless steel for extra rigidity.

 

A close up of the final connection to the transaxle selector shaft coupled via a heavy duty rose joint mounted on the short lever previuosly described. The mount consists of a 10 mm high tensile bolt welded to the selector arm and fitted through the rose joint.

This is an area that is used to calibrate the position of gear selection and can dictate the position of the gear lever relative to the driver, length of the gate and generally sharpening up the gear selection.

I don't think I have a photo but the large opening that you see has a Constant Velocity (CV) joint rubber boot permanently acting as a dust excluder which is mounted on the transaxle selector shaft and a proud section at the back of the opening. I think the CV boot is from a WRX if memory serves me correct.

 

This should be self explanatory. If you look hard you will see a stiffening ring welded to the opening which doubles as the mount for the WRX CV rubber dust excluder boot.

Note the black kangaroo skin leather interior. Kangaroo hide is the toughest yet soft hide on the planet. The only thing more sexy is a 38d cup.

 

The reason why I don't use the back seat !!
If you're motoring over 200 Kmp in our back blocks, one of these comes in handy.