Bend EMPI gear shifter

[thejinx]

How to bend an EMPI shifter. I know people will say buy a Gene berg or other make but I can’t afford that at the moment so stuck with the EMPI which to be fair has worked well. However it touches the handbrake handle. This has been picked up on MOT because to get it into first you need to let the handbrake off.
I was thinking to heat it up in place and put a bit of pressure on. What would others do?

Excuse the mess just been fitting new steering wheel and ignition.

 

[Walt]

+1
Same for me @thejinx - I've got the empi trigger shifter, works great (think I also added a short-shift plate to it or something years ago) apart from this.

Looked at it awhile back from just the handbrake POV and Bentley (10.1) says "...pull the brake handle out six clicks...", but that's obviously with a stock gear stick.


Just could do with the EMPI being few inches shorter to clear the handbrake handle.

Do Gene berg/Bug Tech shifters not have this issue? Is it only the EMPI?

 

[Russell1972]

I had the same problem and bent mine using a plumbers pipe bender. Here's a couple of pics with it in first gear with the handbrake on.

Russell

 

[vwvanman0]

Would it not just be easier to adjust your handbrake up so the handle doesn't come out as far? You should only need 2 or 3 "clicks" on the handbrake.
I had a empi shifter before i got my berg and never had any issues.

 

[thejinx]

I am doing my brakes and handbrake this week and hoping it with sort the problem. If not I’m liking the pipe bender idea