Among the things i like least about my Toyota iM is the length of the stick throw. My attempts to secure a kit have come up empty. Started contemplating a custom solution which would be a simple (easier said than done, right?) shortening of the stick's shaft. Said shaft is currently 7" from the base (this is the correct sub, no?) of the boot to the tip of the threads (having removed the shift knob). It currently travels 5" from 1st gear to 2nd gear position. If I can shorten the shaft (said no man ever) from the current 7" to about 3.5" (leaving enough height for the reverse mechanism) the throw would be reduced to about 3.25".

Question one, has anyone done anything like this? Question two, would this modification alone make a significant difference? Thanks all!