The 3000 Forum

British car specialists have a chrome ring available that fits around the shift boot to screw it down and dress it up a bit .
It’s listed for centre shift cars .
Does anyone know if the boots are the same diameter for side shift cars . The boot part numbers are different but I think the centre shift cars boot has more folds in the rubber that’s the only difference ?
If they are the same diameter I would like to try fitting one to the BT7 side shift rally car
I know the way the carpet is finished around the boot is different between side/centre shift so that maybe an issue ?

https://www.britishcarspecialists.com/store/product.php?product_id=829&backtoshop_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishcarspecialists.com%2Fstore%2Findex.php%3Fcategory%3D%26subcategory%3D%26s%3D%26page%3D17

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That’s not an oil leak , it’s my patent pending rust proofing system .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-11 04:24 PM by Healey Nut.

Hi Graham,
I modified the Gaiter on my car when I upgraded from the side shift to the center shift gearbox.
The problem I had was the rubber boot would never stay seated in the tower, would always come unstuck and let in hot air !

After staring at the hole for a while I discovered that if you use both styles of the rubber boots (see attached)
you can seal off the hot air completely.
- Firstly set the smaller older style on the gearbox then slide the larger style on top.
- When you slide the Trans Tunnel Cover back on you can feel the larger boot sliding inside of the tower.
This creates an very tight seal and keeps out all of the hot air.

To finish it off I made a leather gaiter for around the gearshift.
There's a pattern available for the shape of the material, how to sew it and how to cut the aluminum ring.

Peter C.

Hello Peter,

Do you have any photos of the two rubber boots installed?

The BJ8 rubber boot has a ring slit that slides around the raised fiberglass dome edge (about 1/8" thick).
I believe the correct way to install that boot is having the rubber tube (that the chrome ring goes around) faces down. Photo attached showing how it is to be installed.

The BJ7 rubber boot has a ring slit that slides around the raised fiberglass dome edge (about 1/8" thick).

Being both boots styles are suppose to slide around the fiberglass dome edge, how did you do that?

Being there are now two rubber boots, do you feel more resistance when shifting?

I believe the only place I get hot air is from where the rubber boot attaches to the fiberglass edge. The center tube in the rubber boot is sealed around the shifter stem, no leak there. It's such a tight fit, that getting the boot around the shaft is so tight I need to use silicone spray to help it slide on the shaft.

Are you addressing heat going through the entire rubber of the boot? Having two boots is like having a thicker rubber boot?
I like the idea, and look forward to your reply with photos.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-12 04:02 PM by 1964BJ8.

Hi Roger,
Unfortunately this is the only photo I have of "my big idea" and it looks
like I have the boots reversed but you'll have to determine the order they are stacked in.

I put the first one in your photos on the gearbox then I slid the other larger one on top.
They don't interlock but rather just sit on top of one another but the big one is squeezed into the tower
and creates a nice tight fit.

All I know for sure is it keeps the heat out and the boot doesn't pop out of the tower anymore because it's underneath the tower.

This does not affect shifting at all and is still as smooth as ever.

Notice how the OEM Boot overlaps the edge of the hole in the tower.
That boot always popped out of the hole when I would shift and let the heat in but the new arrangement eliminates that.

Plus I liked the look of a Gaiter rather then the rubber boot and this gave me the opportunity to add some more aluminum to
the interior to compliment the steering wheel, shift knob, windshield uprights and the cockpit surround.

Peter C.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-13 08:17 AM by petnatcar.

have had the chrome ring on my BJ8 gearshift boot for many years. do not see how it would fit on sideshifter boot.

Hey Peter,
I believe all the BJ8 boots are constant in size. Believe? Maybe the round opening edge of the fiberglass may have been worn down? That may increase the fiberglass ring hole. Rubber boot may slip out. Maybe?
Fiberglass isn't that difficult to work. One could use it to make the opening diameter smaller to fit the boot.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-12 11:23 PM by 1964BJ8.

Hi James,
My car was a side shift BT7.
I had to buy a used trans tunnel cover when I upgraded to the center shift gearbox and I had to improvise when
it came time to fit up the rubber boots.

Peter C.

Any chance we could get the thread back on track to my original question . Are the rubber boots the same OD . Are the holes in both styles of tunnel the same size ?

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That’s not an oil leak , it’s my patent pending rust proofing system .

The rubber boots are different diameters.

The side shift boot (BT7) is considerably smaller and fits snugly over the the casting on the top gearbox, as shown in the diagram.

The center shift boot (BJ8) is larger but fits into the hole in the tower and not directly onto the gear box (black or tan console).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-13 03:43 PM by petnatcar.

I have emailed BCS twice now and asked for dimensions of the chrome trim ring ……no reply . Ticks me off when suppliers have “please contact us with questions email ………… “ and then never answer . Not impressed .

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That’s not an oil leak , it’s my patent pending rust proofing system .

FWIW - I have asked Jonathon from Skinners to quote a leather gaiter.

Not OE, but will look nicer than original imho.

I agree, I had my automotive upholstery expert make me a custom transmission cover with a "built-in" leather shift boot that matched the leather seats he made for me.
I've been very happy with the results, works well under race conditions......

Hi Tim,
This is how I made my Gaiter.
Peter C.

Gave up on BCS clearly they don’t want my business , they have had more than long enough to answer my email .
Ordered this instead from the UK and even with shipping it’s less than BCS and will fit well on the side shift tunnel . I made a template out of card and it should work good .

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That’s not an oil leak , it’s my patent pending rust proofing system .

Hi all,

I noticed that chrome ring for dressing up the transmission tunnel around the gear shifter a bit (link from Graham) was priced a hefty 99 USD.
Did not know that these rings existed for Healey's but as I owned a MGC GT for more than 20 years I got the idea to use the MG ring which is standard fitting on my BN7. Not totally round but good enough for me and only 45 Euro VAT included.
On ebay I found some universal leather gaiter for 15 Euro, and maybe not perfect but definitely nicer than the standard MK2 centre shift look.
The interior c.q. map light is also MG sourced.

Rgds
Marc

PS : notice the special feature on my Healey - most right switch besides the cigar lighter