How long is your...

[717-113]

The previous owner of my SL had the shift lever chopped down and put on a awful wooden shiftknob. Anyway with a new knob now, the shifter is going to sit way to short. I was planning on getting the lever extended, but how long should it be? Its an older 230SL, so its got the straight shifter i'm pretty sure
Thanks

[gnj588d]

It should be 12 cm or. 4.3/4.inches .from the chrome gate to the top of the black ball.  Good luck Mike.65 230SL U.K.version

[Jordan]

You don't say if you have a manual or automatic.  I have a manual 66 230SL (bent shifter) and my shifter is 22.5cm long from top of the ball (where it is wrapped by two bushings) at the base to the top of the shifter shaft (with the shifter knob removed).
Marcus

[717-113]

ahh yes, I just realized I never said that. Sorry its a manual transmission

[gnj588d]

My measurments are for auto c.cheers. Mike

[w113dude]

There are two types of gear shifters, some earlier ones for what ever reason had shorter stems, It may very well be that is the right size for that gearbox. I had a 65se 4speed and the shifter in that car was about 2" shorter than the taller ones. If that is the case just look for a stick shift assembly that has the taller stem. There is this seller on Ebay "euro7" I think he is out of Chicago area, he has a lot of scrap sls he might be able to help!

Good Luck,

[114015]

Hello 717,

Markus is right. The shift lever is long, about 22 - 24 cm in length.
Attached is a picture (not mine) how this should look like.

The old shortened shift lever cannot be repaired. Welding of such a hardened steel pin is not very successful and even worse, the lever is conical-shaped. Hard to copy that.
Better try to get a correct one.

I vaguely remember that Euro7 (Sam Mc Cready) was in Madison, WI ... but I might be wrong. (Well, that's not too far from Chicago anyway).

Achim

[717-113]

Thanks for the input and the size 114015. I'll try the cheap way out, and see how it goes. Thanks again