73 LS-4

Well I'm trying to restore my 69 convertible back to some of it's former interior glory. My first major hurdle in doing this is the shifter in the car. The shifter is a hurst shifter, but won't work with the stock shifter console, so the former owner made a center console for it but it's deffinitly not the best looking thing. So my question is, are all the hurst shifter in the corvette catalogs built to fit in the stock console, or is there a certain part number I'm looking for? My fear is that this shifter is the one in the catalogs and something else is amiss, albeit I don't see how since the the trans can't be that far out of wack since the trans crossmember is welded in there and doesn't look like it was rewelded.

Thanks for any help
Pat Kunz

Greg

The Hurst shifter should fit with your stock console, no problem. This is a common change up as the factory shifters don't compare in quality to the Hurst. I have one in my '75, same console as your '69 and it fits right through the original console.
Maybe the last owner didn't have the correct shifter mounting plate. Corvette is unique and doesn't bolt right to the tranny like Camaros and Chevelles do.
Best,
Greg

jpatrick636

I don't know the answer to your question, but it is not difficult to relocate the shifter handle with a homemade adapter.

73 LS-4

Thanks guys, I went back looking through the records I have on the car and found out it's a Super shifter, not the application specific one. the super shifter's are not vehicle specific so I guess it answers the why it doesn't fit real well part, albeit it does shift great. Thanks again I now feel more confident in buying a new hurst shifter for a corvette.


Pat Kunz

Uncle Ralphy

I've got the same problem with my Hurst shifter in a new console housing. The shifter slightly hits the side of the console before I've even got the trim plate installed. I'll never get the shifter in reverse when I install the trim plate.

jpatrick636 - What would a homemade adaptor to relocate the shifter look like??

69autoXr

???
The Hurst does bolt directly to the tranny.

vettfixr

The correct Hurst shifter which is application specific to our C3s is the Competition Plus shifter. This shifter bolts directly to the tranny. I have one on my car and the only complaint I have is that the shift handle is somewhat longer than the stock handle. This can easily be corrected by buying the stock looking handle that most vendors sell. Its a great shifter and a vast improvement over the original.

bashcraft

Mine does.

My shifter fits perfectly. It's a super shifter with a competition plus handle.

GUSTO14

Al...

I had difficulty getting my Hurst Competition Plus into reverse for years after I bought the car. When I did a frame off a couple years back, I decided to find out why this was and make an adapter or something to get it to work correctly. Going back to a stock shifter was not an option I was willing to consider.

I tried shimming the mounting bracket on the tailshaft housing, but could not make much of a difference. Then I looked at the drive train in the car (so much easier with the body off ) and realized my tailshaft was sitting slightly off center to the left. We adjusted the mounting holes in the transmission mount and moved the rear of the transmission to the right. It now works perfectly.

I had been under the car so many times, I'm surprised I never noticed it. On the other hand, there were no vibrations or any other evidence that it wasn't aligned perfectly, and it wasn't off by much... but then the shifter wasn't hitting the console by much either...

Good luck... GUSTO

73bbc

On my '73, I used the kit with the handle Hurst recommends for that year, and it was too long, as well. I tried 2 options for a fix. I ordered the handle only for the later C3s (79 to 82, I think) and it worked fine, but it's straight. I also cut and welded the first Hurst handle below the boot line, and that worked great, also. The cut & weld method lets you really custom-fit the handle to your liking by angling the handle in any direction you want. I found that the most comfortable position was where my arm was almost fully extended in 3rd gear.

Ed Blue 03

The shifter for a 73 is a Competion Plus, although it looks like a Super Shifter, there is also an installation kit you need to buy. Haven't installed mine yet.

mensch53

Mine hits the console a little when I throw it into reverse on my '69. Not a big deal, but definitely not perfect.

Anyone have a picture of what the correct '69 Hurst shifter looks like? I have an indentation in the top of the white shifter ball that looks like an insert went in there, but it is now missing.

63mako

I needed an adapter plate to mount to the trans that the Competition plus shifter mounts to. Works perfect.

GUSTO14

The original **** looked like this...
Later models came with this... where the shift pattern was an insert in the ****.
If you go here, you might be able to buy just the insert. http://go.mrgasket.com/ProductsListB...minselection=4

GUSTO

Uncle Ralphy

Thanks Gusto. I'm going to slide under there today and have a look.

Al

Paul Borowski

...on Hurst Competition Plus shifters, the handle can be moved to the right so it doesn't hit the console going into reverse by mounting the handle "to the right" of the small plate and/or the handle stub of the shifter itself. Had to do this to my '75 when I made it a 4spd car two years ago.

mensch53

Good call. I will look into that.

toddalin

Actually, your picture of the original isn't quite original. Your picture clearly shows the lettering as stamped on the ball. On the original in my '64, the pattern is engraved into the ball, then colored in. Also, my ball is not as white, but that could be from age.

jpatrick636

jpatrick636 - What would a homemade adaptor to relocate the shifter look like??[/QUOTE]

It depends on which way the shifter has to move. For example, mine had to go right and back so it is shaped like an S that bolts into the shifter mount and the shifter bolts to the other side of the S. Or picture a line going down that turns to the right then turns down again.

If it just had to to the right, a spacer would do it. Etc.

If you have a torch, flat stock is easy to bend or you could lap weld two pieces to make an offset with thicker metal.

You can do alot with a torch, a drill and a tap.

The heat and bend the shifter method mentioned elsewhere works as well.

694speed350

I have a hurst shifter on my '69. shifts great slight touch of the console in reverse.