Flappy paddles for changing gear.
I debated fitting them to the steering wheel, or fitting them to the column, and decided that I'd prefer them on the column, where I would always know where they are so I don't accidentally down-shift when I wanted to up-shift (I know the gearbox won't let you shift down) or vice versa (which it could let me do!)
I started by removing the airbag and steering wheel, followed by the column shroud. I decided to use the 4 mounting screws for the clock spring, and base my design around this.
So, I started off the fabrication by making a template for the base plate out of some 3mm thick foamex board (usually used for advertising signs), and then drew a design for the paddles - using the top of the steering wheel shroud as a rough template for the outermost edge, and filling the rest of the shape in by hand. I cut this out of the foamex too, and offered it all up to the car, and placed the wheel back in position to check it out.
I was happy with that, so I moved onto making it out of some 3mm thick aluminium which I had lying around. I chain-drilled the base plate, then filed it smooth, and did the same with the paddles themselves, clamping them together whilst I filed them down smooth so that they were a perfect match.
I added some small hinges, put some bends into the arms of the paddles, and offered it back up to the car:
Happy with this (although the left hand one looks a little low here, but I hadn't properly tightened it all up), I tweaked the little arms coming downwards (well, by tweaked I re-made them) and added a couple of switches, to be activated by these little arms.
I then added the wiring back to the original gear shifter, put the steering wheel shroud back on, and all good:
[youtube]1IPHLXLw-Qc[/youtube]
I'll eventually take the paddles off, give them a proper clean up and a blast with some paint
