Stock. | 
TWM. | 
Nose-bleeding high. |
 The TWM shift knob is adjustable...  The TWM shift knob is adjustable in that you can thread it as much or as little as you need. Tighten the small set screw to hold the knob steady. This is about 3/8" higher... |  ...and this is 3/8" lower....  ...and this is 3/8" lower. This is as low as it will go. Anything lower, and you're hand will be enveloped in the shift boot. | |
With the install done in a little over an hour, I fired up the Civic for a quick test. 1-2 gear shifts took some getting used to. 2-3 and 3-4 were fun after a few minutes of driving. The shift feel felt notchier (is that a word?), but I like to feel each shift. I've mis-shifted way too many BMWs (count: 1) with butter-smooth shift mechanisms to know why notchier is better. Overall, the TWM shifter provided a much more direct feel, with shorter throws. The heavy shift knob helped quite a bit, but the difference would be more apparent on a taller shifter. The quality of the product was very high, and the instructions were ok. However, If you're installing a shifter for the first time, go to TWM's website at www.twmperformance.com for the color intructions (the kit comes with black & black instructions). Check out Chimpy's Driveway next week for the installation of Korbach Frame Locks.