I wanted basically the look and feel

of the gated shifter in a classic Ferrari,

in my MINI. I now have it, thanks

to Doug Whalen’s patented

“Shift Machine” shift knob,

and CravenSpeed’s shift well cover.

I designed the shift knob pattern in

Adobe Illustrator, to exactly match

the size and typography of the stock

MINI shift knob. I wanted this to look

like a stock, MINI part.

Then, with the help of some CAD designers where I work, I emailed Doug the files, and he was able to mill my exact design for me. Doug’s shift knobs are fully customizable, so you can have the one-off shift knob of your dreams. He also can polish it, leave it brushed, bead-blasted, etc. I like how heavy it is, and how that extra mass noticeably helps make the shifts easier. Plus, the quick-release mechanism makes removal and installation a breeze!

Then, I saw the polished aluminum shift well covers from CravenSpeed, and I knew I had to have one to complete my wannabe Ferrari shifter. Yes I know, it doesn’t really have the gates, but it comes close enough for me!