[ehummelman]

Anyone drive one of the BMWs w/ paddle shifters or any other modern car so equipped? Anyway, I have been reading up on the idea of using these in my Mach 1. I love the idea of paddle shifting, and it is technically possible, I'm just not sure if it makes practical sense. There are documented cases of folks putting electronic trannies in their classic mustangs (AOD, AODE, 4R70W) and there are paddle shift retrofits on the market now (Shrifter) that work with these trannies along with a TCU like the Baumannator. Other than cost, which looks like it could get pretty high after you get the trans, controller, and paddles, the only other considerations I'm not clear on are weight and power consumption. The AOD and 4r70W are very heavy, correct? Does anyone have figures to compare here with typical mustang trannies (C4, C6, TKO, T56)? Next would be the parasitic loss of power issue. I have no numbers on this either. Anyone care to explore? How cool would it be to have F1 style paddle shifters in one of these cars with a big stroker and big fat tires?

 

[amorrow02]

I've had the opportunity to drive a paddle-shift equipped Ferrari 360...and while I've always been an advocate of the clutch, I admit these are fun cars to drive. The speed at which these computers shift and ease with which they match revs during downshifts is amazing.

I don't know the feasability of doing something like this for a custom application, but keep in mind the SMGs found in the new BMW Ms, and the "F1" paddle-shift Ferraris, etc are actually sequential manual transmissions with computer-controlled clutches. It would be very expensive, if not impossible, to get an automatic to perform anywhere remotely close to this technology.

FYI, while I haven't driven a car with the latest Ferrari sequential gearbox, I think shift times at the most aggressive setting are down near the 150 millisecond range...that's just insane...and I couldn't even imagine what the cost would be to duplicate this.

That would be an awesome feat to achieve, however I'd think it would be impossible to get an adequate level of performance at a reasonable cost, given you're benchmarking against exotic car performance...personally I'd stick with a good 'ol Toploader.

 

[jman340]

When I had my 99 GT, there was something you could buy that would turn the cruise controls on the wheel into an up/down shift. If that was possible, then I would think you could do it with one of the electronic aods with a little work. You'd have to use some sort of computer, and someone would have to write the programing to accept inputs for up down.

 

[gsxrken]

How cool would it be to have F1 style paddle shifters in one of these cars with a big stroker and big fat tires?

I think it might be the coolest thing on the car. I met the owner of Twistmachine.com last week at a track day at Pocono Raceway, and got to see the "shrifter" in person. It really is fantastic. First time I lamented I have a TKO!

 

[mnstr65]

The car that is in this forums post has the shift master paddle shifters: Link

I saw a demo at the Mustang at the Queen Mary show about a month ago. I thing its going to be around 2500 for the rig. It was nice and had me thinking about it after the show. At their website that is still in progress they list the trans that it works with. I think it's mastershift.com or go to the obsidian mustang in the previous post and follow the links there. It shifts as you hit the clutch either down or up. And has a gear readout at the horn button.

 

[maybenot]

just saw a blurb on putting these in a camaro in Dec popular hot rodding. good luck

 

[JohnnyK]

I'm sure it could be done, and fairly easily, but I wouldn't do it. I'd rather have a clutch and a shifter, not an automatic tranny. It's just shifting an automatic, which doesn't do it for me.

 

[Midlife]

I didn't realize these paddle shifters were using electronically controlled clutches; I thought it was a fancy implementation of an automatic shifter.

 

[UGAstang]

I admit at first that I don't know much about paddle shifters, but my mom's BMW Z4 has "paddle-shifters" but is an automatic. It can be driven in the D position. I'm guessing this is an appropriation of some of the F1 technology applied to a automatic transmission, but that the Ferrari transmission/actual F1 transmissions are really clutchless manuals where paddles replace a clutch and shifter. Is this distinction true, or is the automatic in my mom's z4 the same thing?

I guess what I'm getting at is there seem to be paddle-shifted automatics AND manuals with paddle shifters, and that these are different things. Asking if it's possible to paddle shift a Mustang automatic would be different, then, than putting a SMG in a Mustang.

It seems that paddle-shifting a Mustang automatic would be equivalent to putting the floor shifter in "1" and just bumping it up to "2" and then "D".

Does anyone else get what I'm saying?

 

[68EFIvert]

We have a Lexus and it has an automatic but has up and down shifter buttons on the steering wheel. You put in manual mode and go for it. I've only used it maybe 10 times in 6 years. When you start going around corners it makes it harder to shift.

 

[amorrow02]

I admit at first that I don't know much about paddle shifters, but my mom's BMW Z4 has "paddle-shifters" but is an automatic. It can be driven in the D position. I'm guessing this is an appropriation of some of the F1 technology applied to a automatic transmission, but that the Ferrari transmission/actual F1 transmissions are really clutchless manuals where paddles replace a clutch and shifter. Is this distinction true, or is the automatic in my mom's z4 the same thing?

I guess what I'm getting at is there seem to be paddle-shifted automatics AND manuals with paddle shifters, and that these are different things. Asking if it's possible to paddle shift a Mustang automatic would be different, then, than putting a SMG in a Mustang.

It seems that paddle-shifting a Mustang automatic would be equivalent to putting the floor shifter in "1" and just bumping it up to "2" and then "D".

Does anyone else get what I'm saying?

You're right, the paddle shifters for automatics are nothing more than using "1" or "2", with the exception of being able to shift through all forward gears.

Your mom's Z4 is an automatic, it's only the newer M cars (M3, M5, M6) that have the SMGs I was speaking of. These are more similar to the Ferrari technology you're familiar with. It should be noted that even with most Ferraris (excluding the past 360 Stradale and Enzo models), manual shifting of the paddles isn't necessary, so an "F1" Ferrari can basically operate as a traditional automatic trans car, even though the trans is still technically a manual.

There will certainly be a WOW factor wrt installing paddle-shifters in a classic Mustang, but the cost is certainly not justified from a performance standpoint.

 

[gotstang]

FYI they did make some SMG Z4s but discontinued them due to issues they couldn't overcome, seems it just didn't shift worth a...