Before I begin, full credit to @kitkat and his DIY: Floating Console Modification.
Onto this post... I dislike the oem leather boot (not sure why, just looks out of place); and I miss the open gearstick from my quite missed Elise S3.
And much as I'd love to go the distance, I'm completely unqualified. kitkat has provided excellent instructions (I did get there in the end) - but they aren't quite for complete dummies like myself (I had several moments of "is this right?" and "which bit exactly?").
Hopefully this overly detailed guide will not only increase sales for Jonathan at Darkworks for his CNC Shift Boot Delete, but will also give other members sufficient confidence that this really is achievable - even for dummies.
I went for the black finish in the end - and I'm pleased. Basically invisible/looks like the plastic (!) - but is obviously a beautiful piece of kit. Ahem.
I'd also recommend watching this recording and this one (posted elsewhere on this forum) - as it adds a bit more colour as to where to stick your fingers... and how stuff pops up. And how you keep turning on your music accidentally.
I'm very pleased with the end result. Would still love to go full floating - but not for my skillset.
1. Remove gear knob.
Loosen the M5x16 grub screw from the front of the gear shift knob with a 2.5mm hex key.
You can remove the grub screw if you wish. Then unscrew the gear knob (and don’t worry about the spring scratching away as you unscrew). Remove the knob, screw, spring and set aside; do not try to remove the reversing mechanism.
2. Remove the centre console rubber tray from in front of the gearstick.
With some gloves, pull up the front plastic gloss plastic tab under the rubber mat. This is the front of the panel cover, pull it straight up.
THIS PANEL IS SHARP (although I found it easier without gloves but did get a few small scratches).
It lifts by about 1cm.
3. The whole piece of trim (piano black and brushed aluminium) is removed as one piece. Pull up near an edge and then slide your tool underneath. In hindsight I’d recommend putting a thin piece of cotton around the tool - both sides (you don’t want to scratch the aluminium and don’t want to flatten the alcantara/scratch the leather). My alcantara didn’t like being flattened with force although brushed up ok with a toothbrush after.
4. Work your way from front to back. It gets a little stuck on the pause/volume button, but does lift over.
5. Once it’s removed, you will need to disconnect the start-stop button by depressing the front edge of the connection. The start-stop button stayed loosely attached to the trim, but drops by about 0.5cm as you lift the trim.
6. Snip the zip tie from around the gearstick.
7. You can then lift the boot over the reversing bit/lever.
8. You can now re-attach the gear knob, spring and screw. Ensure you tighten the grub screw once the knob is sitting straight.
9. Once the trim is removed you can unscrew the 4 torx screws. I used T-10.
10. Attach the Darkworks shift boot delete; the recessed portion of the part should be next to the start stop button. Ensure the part sits perfectly central; the mounts do overshoot the edge of the trim slightly but this doesn’t prevent fitment.
11. Reattach the start-stop connector. Remember that the start stop isn’t properly attached to the trim.
12. Replace the trim back in the car starting with the area near the start-stop button; do ensure it’s in the correct position and the start-stop button hasn’t slipped under the edge of the trim (mine did each time the trim didn't quite re-engage with the clips); needs a decent thump to re-attach them.
13. Re-insert the rubber tray.
Onto this post... I dislike the oem leather boot (not sure why, just looks out of place); and I miss the open gearstick from my quite missed Elise S3.
And much as I'd love to go the distance, I'm completely unqualified. kitkat has provided excellent instructions (I did get there in the end) - but they aren't quite for complete dummies like myself (I had several moments of "is this right?" and "which bit exactly?").
Hopefully this overly detailed guide will not only increase sales for Jonathan at Darkworks for his CNC Shift Boot Delete, but will also give other members sufficient confidence that this really is achievable - even for dummies.
I went for the black finish in the end - and I'm pleased. Basically invisible/looks like the plastic (!) - but is obviously a beautiful piece of kit. Ahem.
I'd also recommend watching this recording and this one (posted elsewhere on this forum) - as it adds a bit more colour as to where to stick your fingers... and how stuff pops up. And how you keep turning on your music accidentally.
I'm very pleased with the end result. Would still love to go full floating - but not for my skillset.
1. Remove gear knob.
Loosen the M5x16 grub screw from the front of the gear shift knob with a 2.5mm hex key.
You can remove the grub screw if you wish. Then unscrew the gear knob (and don’t worry about the spring scratching away as you unscrew). Remove the knob, screw, spring and set aside; do not try to remove the reversing mechanism.
2. Remove the centre console rubber tray from in front of the gearstick.
With some gloves, pull up the front plastic gloss plastic tab under the rubber mat. This is the front of the panel cover, pull it straight up.
THIS PANEL IS SHARP (although I found it easier without gloves but did get a few small scratches).
It lifts by about 1cm.
3. The whole piece of trim (piano black and brushed aluminium) is removed as one piece. Pull up near an edge and then slide your tool underneath. In hindsight I’d recommend putting a thin piece of cotton around the tool - both sides (you don’t want to scratch the aluminium and don’t want to flatten the alcantara/scratch the leather). My alcantara didn’t like being flattened with force although brushed up ok with a toothbrush after.
4. Work your way from front to back. It gets a little stuck on the pause/volume button, but does lift over.
5. Once it’s removed, you will need to disconnect the start-stop button by depressing the front edge of the connection. The start-stop button stayed loosely attached to the trim, but drops by about 0.5cm as you lift the trim.
6. Snip the zip tie from around the gearstick.
7. You can then lift the boot over the reversing bit/lever.
8. You can now re-attach the gear knob, spring and screw. Ensure you tighten the grub screw once the knob is sitting straight.
9. Once the trim is removed you can unscrew the 4 torx screws. I used T-10.
10. Attach the Darkworks shift boot delete; the recessed portion of the part should be next to the start stop button. Ensure the part sits perfectly central; the mounts do overshoot the edge of the trim slightly but this doesn’t prevent fitment.
11. Reattach the start-stop connector. Remember that the start stop isn’t properly attached to the trim.
12. Replace the trim back in the car starting with the area near the start-stop button; do ensure it’s in the correct position and the start-stop button hasn’t slipped under the edge of the trim (mine did each time the trim didn't quite re-engage with the clips); needs a decent thump to re-attach them.
13. Re-insert the rubber tray.
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