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I've searched and read and searched and read, but found absolutely no how-to, with the exception of Josh's(which deals with putting one in an automatic trim piece).

I'm getting the car back some time this week, and I want to switch out the stock shift boot right away. The cutting board idea that was discussed in Josh's thread looks promising, but if there's something easier, that would be beneficial. So if you've done it, a quick writeup, or even photos would be helpful. Thanks!

Haha, you're so much like me. I was so hung up on the shift boot and other little details when I did my swap.


I'm getting mine sewed, and I'm putting letterz and shit on it. Less than $10 in materials. Its a similar design to what I showed you last fall.

Oh, right, I suppose I should give you ideas. I'm using a pleather-like material, with a mesh backing.

lol, it's not that I'm especially "hung up" on details, it's that I'll have some spare time in a few weeks, and I'd very much like to have something that doesn't look as ghetto as the factory boot.


And are you talking about the pleather that you stapled together?

I still haven't gotten mine attached to the base plate. It's just sitting down there.

I think probably the easiest way and something that wouldn't look too bad would be to get a decorative piece made that goes around the plastic shifter surround. This piece would have screws in it.

There would be a similar piece that goes under the plastic. You would then clamp the shifter boot between the metal piece and the plastic trim piece.

Anything else requires a lot more fabrication.

I think I might get a cutting board, and cut it so that it has "shoulders" or glue a mild shoulder on it, so the boot doesn't visibly go below the plastic piece. I was just hoping there was an easier way.

Yeah....there just doesn't really seam to be an easy way to do it.

If you play with it and find out something, definitely let me know.

I just cut away most of the stock boot and sewed/stapled the aftermarket leather boot onto it. It looks and fits as if it was meant to be there.

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... 8990#38990

It's very easy. The stock rubber boot is made of several "rungs." Cut off everything except the bottommost rung that fits on the top of the console, so you have a rubber frame that attaches to the stock mounting points. Then attach your new boot to that frame.

Ohhh, so that way, it fits the console piece correctly as well. . . Good work, Vikash!

Yups. Like it grew that way.

Thanks Vikash, I appreciate it, even if you don't have photos.

I'd run out and take a picture now but my car is 350 miles away.

But it's easy! You'll figure it out in like five seconds.

See.....I've got it a little more difficult.....no stock trim plate for the MT in my interior color....nor a stock rubber boot.

Two words.... Shift Gate!

i used a stock WRX shift boot.... all i did was poke some holes in the bottom of the boot where the stock trim piece has some little nipples hanging out, but i need to figure out some way to keep it on the little nipples and i trimmed the plastic ring a little a the bottom of the boot too. it looks pretty factory. but that ended up in my old t-leg and i put the black 5speed trim piece i got from japan in the red car and it came with a sweet custom made shiftboot that looks pimp

Josh, there were MT's with beige interiors. Andrew (petridish38) has one, and I just pulled up the part # for the MT trim piece in beige, although I dunno if I can get it anymore.

If you can find one in a JY that isn't too weathered, I'd much rather do that than try to fab something up to the auto trim piece.

I just picked up a leather one from my local Advance Auto. The top part opens up so it can slide over your shift knob without even taking the knob off and velcros tight again.

The bottom part was elastic and wanted to be too narrow, so I just used scissors to cut the elastic band at one place. Now it was loose and plenty wide enough to fill the opening.

I used a hole punch to punch 4 holes in the leather around the bottom of the skirt. I removed the plastic console from the car that the boot should attach to. I slipped the punched holes over the plastic posts that they are supposed to attach to. Then, I put little binder clips on the plastic posts to keep the boot from sliding off them.

Looks pretty good and it didn't require hardly any work, which was important considering it was a stupid project to start with.

If you don't have something figured out by the time you go pick up your car, just remove the stock boot and drive without it until you can put in a leather one. Shifter feel is 0139448109 times better without that corrugated rubber boot.

Agreed! I did it on a whim, and haven't looked back.

Agreed. However, I ended up pulling off the shift lever, and was left at an intersection with just the rubber knob-stub hanging out. I put the lever back on, and have been disappointed since. Its too high in comparison, but I don't suppose its good to drive without it.

This thread made me take my patchleather stuff back to my mom so it could get sewed. Hehe, I love being an only child.

I got mine from Art.

I didn't sew it or anything. I just trimmed down the stock boot and fitted the new boot over it. Looked good, felt fine, woo woo.

Art contributed to my rice.

BAC5.2 wrote:
Art contributed to my rice.

Yeah, Art is a major ricer

555BCTurbo wrote:

BAC5.2 wrote:
Art contributed to my rice.

Yeah, Art is a major ricer

I do what I can.

subyluvr2212 wrote:Josh, there were MT's with beige interiors. Andrew (petridish38) has one, and I just pulled up the part # for the MT trim piece in beige, although I dunno if I can get it anymore.

If you can find one in a JY that isn't too weathered, I'd much rather do that than try to fab something up to the auto trim piece.

Yeah I know....it's just finding one that is the problem. Plus the beige interior changed in 92.

Legacy777 wrote:Yeah I know....it's just finding one that is the problem. Plus the beige interior changed in 92.

beige sucks anyway... get a new color