Ok, so I acquired a shifter cable from a mid 2000's corolla this week, a very stout push pull cable complete with eyelets and all. The ends were tricky to make mounts for, but nothing a drill and file couldn't handle. Chopped the engine shift lever down and rewelded it to the splined portion. I have a good idea about how to mount the cable to the engine, although I am concerned about the leverage needed. I should be able to adjust accordingly.
The big issue is, I can not come up with a shifter design that is functional and not cheap looking. I want to keep the handle away from the outer frame for obvious reasons, but for the life of me, my creative juices just aren't flowing. I did take a look at a sequential shifter for sand rails, and while it would solve my problems, it is expensive, and kinda small. Help me out if you would.....