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How to: Make your own shift boot

8138 Views 23 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  notFace
2
I dont see a how to area here. Maybe we should make one! Anyway, I put this together last weekend.

Hey All,

Here is a little project you can do in about an hour, and only costs you about $5.
Below are the step by step instructions, and here is a link with step by step including pictures for each step.

http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...hiftBootOnEvoX

Items you will need:
- Seam splitter / or other cutting device (I used a pair of alternative lifestyle cutters, or dikes, for those that are non pc.
- Needle nose pliers for removing staples
- Small Philips and Flat Head screw drivers
- Scissors
- Material for making a new shift boot
- Marker for making the pattern
- Sewing machine (not necessary but makes it easier)
- Stapler, preferably a red one


Step 1: Dismantling the shift boot console

1 - Take off shift knob
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74365725804386

2 - Using your small flat head screw driver. Gently pry off the mini box area in front of the cup holders. You dont have to pry hard, so be gentle so you dont damage the plastics. Remove the cable plugged into the back of this box.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74374315738994

3 - With the box removed, pull up, with some force, to pop the center area out
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74382905673602

4 - Now you can see the two screws holding the shift knob / ash tray / lighter
assembly in place. Go ahead and remove these two screws.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74387200640914

5 - With the screws removed, gently lift up on the shift assembly. It comes up a lot
easier then the center console piece did
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74395790575522

6 - Unplug the lighter cable
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74404380510130

7 - Using your small flat head to push the leafs in on the connector holding the cable that goes to the lighter socket and remove the connector
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74408675477442

8 - With the shift boot assembly out, you can now easily remove the 4 screws holding it in place
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74412970444754

9 - Remove the shift boot from the assembly
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74417265412066

10 - Using your small flat head screw driver, remove the staples
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74425855346674

11 - Turn the boot inside out, and use a pair of alternative lifestyle cutters to remove the zip tie holding the shift knob retainer piece on
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74434445281282

12 - With the retainer piece removed, use a seam splitter, or other sharp cutting device, to cut the stitches out. You only have to snip a little but then pull the material apart. It comes apart quite easily
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74451625150514

13 - With the shift boot separated, you are now ready to make yourself the template for your new boot
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74455920117826

14 - Layout each half of the cars original shift boot onto the material of your choice and trace the pattern on to the new material
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74464510052434

15 - Cut out your pieces and then sew them together at the edges, just like the stock boot was
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74468805019746

16 - Re-attach the shift knob retainer and use a zip tie to hold it in place, just like the stock one was
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74485984888962

17 - Flip the boot back out again to prepare for attaching it to the shift boot assembly
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74490279856274

18 - Staple the new shift boot onto the assembly
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74498869790882

19 - Reverse your un-installation procedure from above and think to yourself, wow, this was the cheapest mod ever
http://picasaweb.google.com/cpavlas/...74503164758194

I went with white because I have a white/black leather seats combo going in, along with aluminum shift knobs etc. It wont look so out of place once thats done
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Great info. Dont like the white replacement though, with my grubby hands it would be grey in about 5 minutes!
Color aside, the quality is so much better than that goofy stock boot. What a great project! Congrats.
The white will look better once I get the white seats in, and the aluminum shift knob. Right now it looks WAY out of place. I have 5 more white boots and 6 black ones just from the 7$ of material I bought.
You're brave. White seats. I hope your passengers dont scare easily :p

Should look smart with the white car though :shades:
Yeah, I have given much thought to this. Its leather though, and not vinyl, so it shouldn't discolor too bad or anything. Tint and 3M clear bra is being applied right now, and the car is getting shown at the Hot Rod and Custom show in Portland on Feb 15th.
Hm...if we did a how-to section, should we do it as a sub-section to each category to keep it organized?

If you guys would like to discuss this, start a thread in the feedback forum and we'll kick around some ideas.
Yeah, I have given much thought to this. Its leather though, and not vinyl, so it shouldn't discolor too bad or anything. Tint and 3M clear bra is being applied right now, and the car is getting shown at the Hot Rod and Custom show in Portland on Feb 15th.
Have you considered black bolster inserts with the white? Maybe alcantara? Really compliments the seat as well as the general contrast theme you are going to end up with. It would also be consistent with the MR seat cover design. Just one opinion of course. Do you plan on doing anything with the door cards?

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Hmmm, that does look nice. So the whole seat would be white, and just the bolsters are black. I like that since thats the main contact points to your body, and will get the most wear.

You know, I have never spent much time "blinging" my car, but for some reason I feel like playing with this now. Not sure why. Maybe because its just such a nicer starting base then previous versions of the car or something. It would be cool to replace the entire door insert with white too, and maybe put a red evolution X logo on them or something, but that would be much harder to create a pattern for. Outside my abilities at least.
Hmmm, that does look nice. So the whole seat would be white, and just the bolsters are black. I like that since thats the main contact points to your body, and will get the most wear.

You know, I have never spent much time "blinging" my car, but for some reason I feel like playing with this now. Not sure why. Maybe because its just such a nicer starting base then previous versions of the car or something. It would be cool to replace the entire door insert with white too, and maybe put a red evolution X logo on them or something, but that would be much harder to create a pattern for. Outside my abilities at least.
Be careful, its not called the slippery slope for nothing! And yes, if you research those Recaro Speed seats you'll find the black parts have tiny rubber grip dots that do exactly what you are suggesting. That's what alcantara does as well (grips), but its more expensive. The MR seats have alcantara for the contact points - seat back, bottom and inserts just like the seats pictured. I've seen the rare Recaro A8's in a 993 with two tone black/white and it looks amazing. There are pics on Rennlist.com but you'll have to register to see them.
^Moved to Vanity.

How-To should only be for approved completed How-Tos that the How-To mods convert into PDF format.
^Moved to Vanity.

How-To should only be for approved completed How-Tos that the How-To mods convert into PDF format.

Are you a Marine by any chance? Ive never known such strict and rigid authority on a forum before :-D

By your beds! :p
I just finished the PDF for this ;) Now available in downloadable, and printable, formats.
Are you a Marine by any chance? Ive never known such strict and rigid authority on a forum before :-D

By your beds! :p
Drop and give me 20!

Haha, no military experience here. I'd just like to define the community as an organized one...so in 5 years when we're much, much bigger, we can find everything easily.
@ PDX - Would you happen to know if this How-To would also work on the 5 speed base Lancer? If so, we can move your PDF how-to to the Lancer Common How-To area.
I dont know for certain, but given that the cars are using the same components, I wouldnt be surprised if it did. Next time Im at the dealership Ill give it a double check. Right now I would say its about a 90% chance that it will work just fine.
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