MGW Gen 1 to MGW Gen 2?

[pridemore54]

Has anyone here gone from a MGW gen 1 to gen 2? I bought my gt500 with the gen 1 already in it and I see great reviews about how the gen 2 feel all the time but never the gen 1. I have had the notorious 1-2 upshift grind about 3 times under full throttle (A couple with an audience which was super embarrassing) and I now refuse to shift from 1st to 2nd under spirited driving. I am so sick of it already and I would hate to buy this gen 2 and still have the issue. Fluid has already been replaced if that matters. Thanks guys

 

[GT Premi]

You must not've searched too hard, if you couldn't find any good reviews about the gen 1. Until the gen 2 came out, most people haled the gen 1 as the bee's knees. Once the gen 2 came out, all of a sudden the gen 1 was sub par; even though not many people have actually gone from gen 1 to gen 2. The very few who have and reported about it aren't giving any reports that make it seem worth the expense of upgrading. The gen 2 is a beautiful piece of kit for sure! But nobody is reporting anything that says the gen 2 is functionally superior enough to warrant paying $405 for a part you'll never see again once it's installed, and is only negligibly better than the gen 1 you already have. Although, you do have the enviable position of not having paid for the gen 1, so it would/could be no-harm-no-foul for you to drop the coins for a gen 2.

You'll see and probably receive a lot of posts from people praising the gen 2 as the jam on the toast, but those are mostly people coming from a stock shifter to the gen 2. There's a member here called Tob who went from stock to gen 1 to gen 2, but he drove his GT500 so infrequently that his opinions about them can only be taken as anecdotal at best. No offense intended toward Tob.

 

[pridemore54]

Thank you. I really couldn't find any reviews at all on YouTube or on here. Even MGW's channel didnt have amything on it or maybe I just missed it. I haven't seen another person with it on their mod list either. If I had bought it I'd sure be kicking myself in the rear like the owner before me said he does. The gen 2 really does seem like it's worth the money from stock but $400 is a lot to throw at a shifter when you already have one from the same company.. Appreciate the input and info!

 

[Snoopy49]

Check with George at MGW, at one time he was giving Gen 1 owners a discount on a Gen 2.

 

[94CobraPace]

I went from a Barton to a Gen 2 on my 10.. It was worth the switch to me and would do it again.

 

[Tob]

There's a member here called Tob who went from stock to gen 1 to gen 2, but he drove his GT500 so infrequently that his opinions about them can only be taken as anecdotal at best. No offense intended toward Tob.

Anecdotal at best? Ouch.

Almost every drive with my own car was a test for a given shifter. As far as my opinion, I've yet to see anyone take a deeper look into stock or aftermarket units from both a theoretical, practical, and real world perspective.

OP, the MGW Gen1 was a nice piece. Looking back, the issue with it lies in that it retained the pendulum design architecture as well as the fact that it was available with an adjustable throw that allowed the end user to shorten it further than the TR6060 synchros are comfortable with. The Gen2 is unique in that it is not a pendulum design but rather a single axis, true "bolt action" design. Throw reduction is fixed. The unit is far more precise than any other pendulum design and that includes the Gen1.

I'm curious as to how far you have reduced the throw when I read about your shift issues. I'd start by dialing it back.

Take a closer look at my opinion and I think you'll be in a better position moving forward.

Regarding the stock architecture.
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/a-tale-of-two-shifters.953804/

Why the Gen2 is better.
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/mgw-gen2-a-closer-look.1074257/

My own Gen2 install.
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/mgw-gt500-shifter-second-generation.1047557/

 

[RedVenom48]

^^^ What he said. I couldnt fathom driving my car with a stock or modified OEM shifter. Gen 2 and Redline D4 and its a completely different car. TR6060 syncros definitely seem quirky though thats for sure.

The Master clutch cylinder and pedal box also seem to be suspect in the 1-2 up shift grind. Im soon to install my WOT Box for no lift shift use for now (untill i strengthen the engine timing components) and hopefully i can hold off upgrading the master for a bit.

 

[pridemore54]

Anecdotal at best? Ouch.

Almost every drive with my own car was a test for a given shifter. As far as my opinion, I've yet to see anyone take a deeper look into stock or aftermarket units from both a theoretical, practical, and real world perspective.

OP, the MGW Gen1 was a nice piece. Looking back, the issue with it lies in that it retained the pendulum design architecture as well as the fact that it was available with an adjustable throw that allowed the end user to shorten it further than the TR6060 synchros are comfortable with. The Gen2 is unique in that it is not a pendulum design but rather a single axis, true "bolt action" design. Throw reduction is fixed. The unit is far more precise than any other pendulum design and that includes the Gen1.

I'm curious as to how far you have reduced the throw when I read about your shift issues. I'd start by dialing it back.

Take a closer look at my opinion and I think you'll be in a better position moving forward.

Regarding the stock architecture.
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/a-tale-of-two-shifters.953804/

Why the Gen2 is better.
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/mgw-gen2-a-closer-look.1074257/

My own Gen2 install.
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/mgw-gt500-shifter-second-generation.1047557/

Thanks for the info! during my limited research I did note the how shady and under engineered the pendulum design seemed. I haven't played with the throw considering I don't plan on keeping it anyways, the only gear change I have had problems with is 1-2 so I didn't suspect that to be the main issue. I have pretty much decided I will go with a gen 2. Thank you guys. You've been helpful

 

[Tob]

If it matters, I just got back from a three day visit to see my good friend George from MGW along with his wonderful family. The focus was to install one of the upcoming second run of GT350 shifters in George's car and get as much feedback as possible. We installed a unit within a few hours of me getting off the plane and were on the road to Roebling Road Raceway the next morning to track the car. It went very well. I left Sunday but not before spending a few hours in his manufacturing facility reviewing each and every change in detail.

George has been continually improving and updating the GT500 shifter as well. I noticed a few stacks of raw Gen2 shifter parts that were freshly machined but didn't study a completed unit. If you have any unanswered questions by all means ask and I'll forward it to George.

 

[pridemore54]

If it matters, I just got back from a three day visit to see my good friend George from MGW along with his wonderful family. The focus was to install one of the upcoming second run of GT350 shifters in George's car and get as much feedback as possible. We installed a unit within a few hours of me getting off the plane and were on the road to Roebling Road Raceway the next morning to track the car. It went very well. I left Sunday but not before spending a few hours in his manufacturing facility reviewing each and every change in detail.

George has been continually improving and updating the GT500 shifter as well. I noticed a few stacks of raw Gen2 shifter parts that were freshly machined but didn't study a completed unit. If you have any unanswered questions by all means ask and I'll forward it to George.

I posted in the MGW vendor forum about a possible discount for trading in my Gen 1 to see if that was still a possibility. I hear nothing but great things and would love to have a Gen 2 in my Shelby. After all, I gotta make sure I stay on top of all these corvettes on base. So far 3-0

 

[MGW]

I just replied to your post in my forum section but i will post here also.

Yes we offer a Gen 2 discount for Gen 1 owners to 350.00.

George