If you want to add a little geeky flair to your car (and elicit laughter from anyone who rides shotgun), this quick project is a good use for an old or broken flight stick: pop off the shift cover in your car’s centre console and replace it with a joystick. It may not add functionality, but it will make driving more fun.
The project itself was easy, as the author over at GeekGreek points out. All he had to do was remove the shift grip and slide the cover down, exposing the column. The joystick (a 1991 era serial-port model) body was actually two halves that screwed together, so he opened them, removed some of the extra plastic, and put it over the column, attached them with a little epoxy, and screwed the halves back together. That was all there was to it.
Interestingly enough, the actual buttons on the top are intact and still click when you push them. As Hackaday notes, it would be pretty cool if those buttons connected to something, like the horn, the lights, or even start the engine. One of their commenters even pointed out someone who did the same thing with a Thrustmaster joystick and did connect up the buttons (see the second and third pages of the thread for photos and video) to cruise control and a few other features, so the possibilities are there.
You can go cosmetic, or take it all the way and make it functional — either way, the choice is yours. Besides, it will make an interesting story to tell the next time a friend or coworker hops in the passenger seat.
Manual Transmission for Gamers [Hackaday]
Comments
5 responses to “Replace Your Car’s Gear Shift With A Gaming Joystick”
Just remember, your H pattern needs to be located near the gear stick or you risk a fine. You should be able to buy stickers with common shift patterns from your local Auto Parts store. 🙂
Cannons don’t work, needs more Bond.
Cool DIY if you want to make sure any chick you get to your car bails at the first opportunity, never to return.
why would you do that?
you grip a joy stick from the center, the gear knob from the top.
you are now going to have sore writs when you drive.
you no longer have the gear config diagram
it will no longer pass a road worthy
and you have swapped out a leather gear knob for a plastic one with buttons that don’t work.
your an idiot
Ouch the irony.
I would have thought this to be illegal
Any modification to a car is illegal without a modification permit (dependent on state).
This mod however, is just…. what is the bogan equivalent of a gaming fan boy?
Well that’s what it is.