9. Floor
A hole in the floor must be cut a bit larger than the shifter base. After the transmission was bolted to the bellhousing (with a cover bolted to the shifter hole), I raised the transmission with a floor jack until it hit the floor. Using a punch, I made a dimple in the floor just outside of each shifter bolt hole.
In order to cut the hole, the front seats need to be removed and the carpet needs to be pulled back to expose the part of the transmission tunnel that will need to be cut. I drilled holes corresponding with the dimples and then used sheet metal cutters to cut the hole (Figure 9-1). A jigsaw would have probably been a better tool to use. My friend Bob used a cutoff wheel in his 1986 Caballero, but that technique generates quite a bit of metal filings.
Figure 9-1: Hole Cut in Floor for T5 Shifter
Originally Released 11 February 2002
updated 27 August 2007