I was wondering what the best way to set-up my 84 Caravelle's shifter
when installing the Porsche G50 trans.

The trans has an inline axial shifter rod, just like older VWs.

The usual way is to fit the entire Porsche shifter tower into the
cockpit floor to replace the VW one.

It occurred to me that I could use a Toyota floorshift and mount it
on a modified console to place it where it would be in  Hiace,
thereby alleviating chopping the Porsche lever and ending up with a
long throw and long flexy imprecise shifter. The Toyota uses cables,
I think (must look at my Hiace!) and would be relatively easy to
adapt. If it's NOT cable-operated, a Corolla/Corona cable unit would
do, so long as the 2 forward-running cables can be curved around
toward the back without impinging on the radiator or bending too
tightly..

Then I started to wonder about electric shifters. I guess this would
necessitate using linear motors (solenoids). As there are 3 positions
of the trans shifter rod in each direction, this would necessitate 2
solenoids for each, or a pair of 3-position solenoids (and I don't
know whether such solenoids are made).

Transverse solenoid(s) to rotate the shaft to change lateral planes
ie among the 1-2, 3-4, 5-R planes. Longitudinal (axial) solenoid(s)
to move the rod fore-aft to select the 1-3-5, N and 2-4-R planes.
This could be in addition to the manual shifter, and be operated via
porsche Tiptronic levers on the steering column.

I guess this would need some simple electronics to coordinate the
solenoids, as some shifts would need one solenoid to move, others
would need both solenoids.

Thoughts, anyone? ... other than "why bother..."
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut