I'm not sure where to put this but this is where I hang out so anyway. I have a client who wants a paddle shifter steering wheel set-up. I am honestly at a loss on this one. The money isn't an issue so anyone who wants to drop me a line as to where to get started on this please do so. The only guy I know who builds open wheel racecars is impossible to get ahold of and I left the state so I can't pop over to his shop. I remember an air shifter set up from years ago on some Japanese racecars years ago that never really caught on and it was still using the stick anyway. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out on this.

 

Is he wanting paddle shifters for a traditional h-pattern transmission? If he wants to use a sequential tranny then it would be rather easy, just some linkages for linear movement. But if he wants to use an h-pattern that will very tricky but very cool and different. I imagine it will take a crazy mechanism to convert the paddle shift movement into an h-pattern and go through the gears in order with the h-pattern. A way i can think of would to use servo motors on the shift rod on the back of the tranny, use one servo for the torsional "twisting" movement of the shaft, and another for the linear "inward and outward" movement. Make this servo drive assembly bolt/attach to the tranny, eliminate any mechanical linkages. Then, create a paddle switch mechanism, it would give input to a shift computer, the computer would intake the signal from the paddle mechanism and convert it to the correct drive pattern for the servos, which would put it in the correct gear. With enough hardware/software power, the system could probably work rather effectively. Now of course this whole idea would still require the use of a clutch pedal. but i think the shift computer could be a really cool thing and it could have more inputs, like VSS, and throttle position, and it could shift according to those inputs, and it would all be possible with some software programming. what do you think, yeah i'm kinda dreaming.

 

or have a seperate server to pull the clutch in really fast as soon as you start to pull on the paddle, could be done, but lots of work R and D and of course money, but if those three things are problems it would be one sweet plan. Porcheonda

 

That's what i was thinking. The tranny would have to be reworked or changed to keep this within what is still a big budget. It's actually for a Supra project (I know I know, let's just say the best and brightest aren't on the Supra boards) and I would like to do it on our S2000 project if this works. I hate to toss a Getrag box but hooking up all of the electronics would be nuts, more importantly this has to be a performance enhancement or it won't be done so it has to be a fast shift. Anyone know where to start on the steering wheel and various parts?

 

Momo Italy (the PARENT company) would be your best bet. They do supply F1 teams after all.