Kinda sorta like putting a turkey pan on the belly of a $20k motorcycle because a proper race exhaust and bodywork is "too pricey".
maybe it's a street bike predominately, an they rarely go to the track, so the time and cost is not worth it. so that I understand more than the OP.
Yup. Who gives a shit what its worth? Is he doing this to re-sell it or to keep using and enjoying what he has? Everything costs money, including happiness [when it comes to vehicles].
Just buy the minivan you really want: www.jalopnik.com/at-6-000-would-buying-this-stick-shift-2002-honda-ody-1830210728
I hadn't really expected this level of bad advice and non- answers, but I am not surprised. So here is some information for you; I like this escape. I have had it since new and it has only 100k miles on it ( figure the math on that). It has no dents, scratches or rust. I am not worried about compensating for anything as I am fairly secure in my manhood. I am not intending to put very much extra money into it. It needs new shocks and struts, since it is on the originals. A set of lowering springs is not much extra money. Late model Mustang rims bolt on and I can find take-offs on craigslist cheap if I am patient and it will need tires soon. B&M does not make a shift kit for it, just a kit to fix its engineered in flaws, and I don't know anything about reprogramming anything with shift points and such. That is one of the things I am asking you geniuses about. Does anybody know anything about actually going to a floor/console mounted shifter, which would work in place of the column mounted one. They do make such things for other vehicles, but I have not seen anything specific for the Escape. Please feel free to continue with idle speculation and google searching for other unrelated stuff. The Escape is a totally awesome vehicle and I am sorry that so many of you are posting from such a strong position of ignorance. Maybe I can get a map and come visit some of y'all and show you how it works.
Here's some info from my Ford geek friend who is deep into model differences, and isn't into sugar coating:
You could just do what one of my friends in high school did, just literally pull half the springs out of the trans... It shifted pretty hard afterward.
OP can rig it up. just make sure the reverse indicator is spot on. I destroyed a TH400 in a '56 chev because dad forgot to mention that. it still had powerglide indicators. @+60mph too. it was exciting! lol[/QUOTE] Impossible. You can`t destroy a TH 400...[/QUOTE]
I am glad that we have established that it is a stupid idea and bordering on impossible, however, since I race vintage bikes and a clapped out SV, that still leaves me with a chance of making this happen. I probably can make a shifter out of a 2005 work, but that will still leave me with a pretty crappy shifting transmission. I also know that this trans is known for having issues and there are a couple of trans kits that will improve the oil flow and help it live longer. It is pretty cheap and can be installed without dropping the trans. Does anybody know about doing things to/with a chip? Can't it be reflashed like with a bike? How much does a computer affect the shifting of the trans? I think the Mazda 6 from the same years used the same trans and it has one of those gates that allows manual shifting of the trans with the + and - thing. I wish I could put a manual in it with a sbc.
Probably wouldn't like it, since it is really clean and well setup. But, when dealing with the great unwashed masses here on the Beeb, I had to put it in terms they would understand.
Sometimes really stupid ideas turn out pretty kick ass. This is pretty stupid but I also thought that no one would mod out a Subaru Forester. I saw one with rims, dual exhausts and what I could only guess was a heavily modded motor in it and now I think it's awesome. Who knows, that Escape might turn out cool. Or really really really f@ckin' ghey.
No lol. all I was sayin (by example) was use a cable. seems pretty simple to me. I dont even know what a ford escape is.. but whatever it is a SBC and a 4sp is not too difficult. lol do it! p.s. clutch pedals are usually the biggest hurdle there.