Track season is quickly approaching, and I have yet to even get started on a project I wanted to complete this winter. My goal is to have a whole panel of switches set up to control various things on the car, including my transmission (auto). This will be for track purposes (1/4 mile) but I may also try auto-x this spring, among other things.

This switch panel will be located on my center console in between my headunit and my MSD RPM switch (00VI). I'm going to be using a sheet of fairly thick plastic (it's actually a semi-transparent light tile that would go on a ceiling), cutting it to size, mounting the switches, and tapping into the wires. I'll be trying to make it look as clean as possible, obviously.

Here's the rundown of the switches that will be on it as of right now:
-Overdrive (I have an aftermarket shifter)
-Race/Normal (shift_fast)
-1, 2, 3, 4 (shift_fast)
-Overrun clutch (shift_fast)(may not need this)
-Drop resistor
-Torque converter lockup
-Hi/auto/low fan controls

So that's it for now. I'm not sure if I have room to squeeze anything else on there, but depending on how I arrange it maybe I will. What do you guys think? Any suggestions for other things that may be useful at the track?

 

I think like guys posted earlier.. when you at the track those switches look to hard and fiddly to reach and use effectively.. i'd move the shift_fast switches to behind (side closest to you) auto shifter and mount them in the centre console between front seats.

 

You bring up a very good point. I've thought about it, though, and don't want to mutilate any part of my armrest console. I also don't think it's nearly as bad in the center console as most people make it out to be. I have fairly long arms and reaching over the shifter (especially when it's in the 1 position like it likely will be if I'm using the shift_fast) isn't that bad. I'm also the first to make use of a push-button version of the shift_fast, so all I do is push a button to select each gear, versus using different positions of a toggle switch.

 

Can you get 4th now with the Shift_fast?

 

As of yet, I haven't successfully used it, no. However, just as the cold weather hit, someone had a brilliant idea to try engaging the clutch overrun solenoid when I gave the A-only signal for 4th gear. That *appears* to be the combination for 4th. Like I said though, this happened the same time cold weather hit here and it's been snow and cold ever since. It's beginning to get warm here, though, so I will try this combo here shortly to see if it yields 4th. It's nothing hugely important, obviously, but something I would love to see work just to say it works and we know how to do it.

I doubt I'll have everything wired up the way I want to and have this panel installed in time for my trip to the track on the 25th, but, at the very least I'll be doing some comparison runs with normal vs. drop resistor vs. drop resistor + shift_fast (since at the track I won't need to shift into 4th making a pass).

 

I think the switches should be fine Pat. I know your shifter and it's lower than people think so the shift_fast is right at hand level basically. You don't need to quickly fiddle with the other switches at the track either. Possibly the TC lockup but the DR switch,Fan,and R/N switch will be set before racing. I think that will look clean and you shouldnt have much of a problem. Just my opinion tho.

 

My thoughts exactly. The switches should be about the same level as my hand, and the shifter will be out of the way anyway when it's in D or 1 at the track.

 

Just a progress report. I finally got around to starting a prototype:



Don't judge it too harshly, it's far from the finished product

 

Very nice job man.

I've been reading up on the shift fast mod, and I noticed that you have 4 push button switchs, did you every figure out how to get into 4th gear?

 

I haven't successfully gained control of 4th gear, no. However, grey99max seems to have figured it out for us, I just haven't had a chance to test the theory out yet. It involves some extra wiring and trickery that should be easy to implement.

 

Tatanko can you post photos of the wire up...?? especially on Jimes write up for the fan...?? I had the same/similar question you had in the other thread. In my opinion, I would have my switchs right past the shift trim piece... where the center console starts.. Someone on here has a photo of three switches placed on that location(I would place o/d, fan, etc), its looks very clean...I would think there are some steering wheels with accessories button (2 on each side) that you could want to hook up the shift fast mod on to... IDK i'm just throwing out ideas...

raul

 

Yeah, I can post wire-ups then. The fan one was really simple, actually, it's just hard to visualize at first sometimes, especially when you've read two TOTALLY different write-ups

When you say "right past the shift trim" I'm assuming you mean I should put it in the bottom-most DIN pocket (the one separated from the other 2 a little bit)? In that case, I'm going to have to disagree because even though the shifter would be in the 1 position when I'm using most of the buttons, it would still not be as easily accessible as where I'm putting it (slightly shorter reach, but less accessible). Thank you for the idea, though.

It would be neat to have the shift buttons on the steering wheel, but this is my daily driver so aftermarket steering wheels and adding buttons to it are definite no-nos. Jime I believe uses his cruise control buttons for certain things and I could use that for 1st through 3rd at the track, but I actually use my cruise control, so I dunno.

Keep the ideas coming, guys. Even if I don't use them, they're definitely interesting and keep my mind going.

 

What I would do is cut out the holes in the center console where the heated seats would be and install it there. Or fab up a custom steering wheel mount for the switches

 

I still think about mounting it somewhere on the center console (just the push buttons). Would make them very easy to use, for sure. I'm not getting rid of my heated seat switches, though, and I'm not sure if I want to butcher any other area for it

I just got an idea. I think I'm going to order a second gang of switches specifically for track-use. I'm going to fab them into a little box that can me mounted on the dash or elsewhere just at the track. To take care of switching between the box and the "permanently" mounted ones, just have it so that there are male/female pin connectors say, in the footwell where I can unplug the ones in the dash and plug the boxed ones in. I would have to crawl in the footwell each time, but if it's for the track and it's this easy, big deal. What do you think?

 

Oh you got a fancy maxima Well look on the opposite side of the switches, you will see a cut out line that nissan left, put the switches there.

 

Read my edit.

 

Sounds good, what I did with my 4switch box, I just keep it under the drivers side seat and pull it out whenever I want to use it. But yours will have alot of switches on it so that might be hard to memorize when a box is in your lap

 

Do you use it much? I'm guessing not. I had fun a couple times messing with mine, but winter hit pretty quickly. Did grey ever hook up 4th gear for you, or no? He seemed to have possibly figured it out, but I never tested it and I wasn't sure if he did or not.

 

Na 4th never bothered me. I use mine prob once a week to show off lol. People see it says RACEMODE on it and get excited.

 

Yeah I used it a couple times to show off to nerds and self-proclaimed gearheads. I haven't made any track passes with it yet, though. Next time I go to the track this switch panel will hopefully be done, though, and I'll see the full benefits of this "stage" of shift_fast (compared to grey's) and the clutch lockup.

 

In my old car I had 3 arming switches in the 3 coin holder slots... I wish I would taken pictures of it ... as far as the spot i was talking about... its not the other din.. that would be a real pain in the butt for that... I was talking on the right side of the e-brake... that little area of space we have... before you have your cupholder and all... if Ihad a 97 center console... I'd do some (ricer setup) for that whole sleeper looks (one cupholder would hold the nitrous gauge... and the other would hold the arming switch, pruge switch, heater,etc..) and it would be cover for that sleek look... until opened. Someone the org offers to make setup for you... I cant seem to find the pic.... crap....anyhow... I'll try to find the pic the switches placed in the area I was previously talking about... I know I saw it somewhere here...

Raul

 

Well I only have one coin holder slot, I have heated seats so I have switches there. I refuse to give that up, too, they're just too nice in the winter. I'm also not giving up my cupholders (if you can call them that), I actually use them. Like I've said before, this is my daily driver and I don't like to compromise stuff like that.

 

The long writeup was my first attempt, when I really studied the schematic I realized that all you have to do is ground the hi or lo speed wire going to the ECU. The one on my homepage is the easy one.

 

Thanks. That is the one I plan on going with, since it is indeed MUCH easier.

 

YES. All my in-car wiring is done. All I have to do now is finish the actual panel the switches are mounted to and install it and I am good to go

 

Sweet, I can't wait for pictures... pleeeeeease post them...

 

Yea I want to see pictures of the switch panel and where its mounted.

 

Won't be 'til next week, unfortunately. I work the rest of the week and will be out of state all weekend.

 

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