Frankie the Fink

Original '63 May car with VERY early numbers correct Muncie and Competition Hurst shifter. Recently the car is a mother to get into first gear...other gears and reverse seem fine. Shifter seems OK and properly aligned and rods are good... It almost feels like you're trying to engage first with the clutch pedal not depressed, you can force it in but its ugly. Reverse fine too.

This is the Muncie that I installed the upgraded side cover and new shifter forks in over 18 months ago and has worked sweetly since then.

Fluid is fine and correct GL4... I know next to nothing about transmissions once you get the deeper than the shifter forks.

Any insights appreciated...

66jack

Is your clutch adjusted/out of adjustment?
Have you checked to see if there are brass shavings in the oil?

:::EDIT:::

This person had the same problem...

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-1st-gear.html

Frankie the Fink

I would think if it was the clutch all gears would be a problem...but I can certainly check that again. Free play seems fine and no grinding...

65 Pro Vette

Frankie, have someone get in the car and get underneath the car and shift gears and watch that first and second linkage I had one came loose and it acted just like that. Look at the swivel linkage also on that hurst shifter see if anything is moving. Is the clutch catching about halfway up not on the floor . If all that is good sounds like it might be a synchronizer.

SW Vette

Have you adjusted your free play lately? Before diving into the internals, I'd rule out the easy stuff first and take a few turns on the adjuster nut. Sounds like the clutch may be dragging a wee bit.

Edit: I see a few others type faster than I

66jack

CHECK MY EDIT...

GTOguy

X3 on the clutch dragging. Tighten up the free play a bit. Does it go into 1st easily with the engine off? If so, likely the clutch. An old school way of getting it into first easier is to put it into second initially, then push it up thru the gate into first. Lines everything up perfectly that way. But check the clutch free play first!

SW Vette

One would think so, but not really. First and especially reverse are much more finicky about clutch disengagement than the rest. Once you're rolling you can actually shift without using the clutch if engine revs match tranny input revs.

63split63

Call Paul @ 5speeds.com . He will advise you over the phone .
Bill

DansYellow66

I'll be watching with curiosity since my rebuilt 66 Muncie has a rather stiff resistance before it slips into first and I'm running a Hurst shifter with steel bushings and the clutch is carefully adjusted with minimal free play at top and room at the bottom. The shifter is carefully adjusted with shim stock. I remember my old GTO and prior 66 Corvette having very light shifter action in first gear. Mine doesn't sound quite as stiff as Frankie's. I don't recall what it's like with the engine off - guess I should go out and check.

Edit: Back from the garage. Motor off mine has a somewhat stiff detent before snapping into each gear - but it's pretty much of the same effort for all 4 gears. I think most of that is from the Hurst shifter, although I've never had a Muncie in this car and it's been over 30 years since I last had a Muncie shifter. Corvette handles are short so shifter effort is usually a little higher than larger cars.

Frankie the Fink

No Jeff - its still a b!tch even with the engine off and clutch depressed....I'm hoping I get off cheap and its linkage..

Frankie the Fink

Not in my case Dan, seems first is the culprit..

Frankie the Fink

Thanks for the thoughts....I'll look into this after Lakeland NCRS meet...

Have some "honey dos" tomorrow and I want to be in Lakeland for the Concourse judging Friday and maybe hit the swap meet Saturday.

lib

I've been down that road with my 63 w/T-10 and Hurst. I've adjusted the clutch etc, and came to the conclusion it is probably the synchros'. I've become proficient in double-shifting down OR letting the clutch pedal out slowly before stopping while putting pressure on the shifter to allow it to slide into first gear (when everything comes together like I want it to)

W Guy

The synchros are out of play when the engine is off. The teeth might be misaligned at first, but after getting it into gear, it should go in again and again with ease. I suspect an internal issue in the shifter body.

Verne

DansYellow66

But when I drive the car the effort to go into first at a stop light increases over that for the other gears. That's the reason for interest in the responses you get on your issue.

Frankie the Fink

Have to put running boards and a bug shield on the wife's new Durango birthday present today and get the tags switched over so I'll be busy today.

It'll be next week considering Lakeland before I re-engage on this but thanks for the replies...I've noted them all for investigation... This Muncie ground a bit downshifting into second when I first got it. Changing the fluid cleared that up in a few hundred miles and no problems until now. I did have to RTV a leaking countershaft (typical on Muncies) hole at the front of the tranny two years ago but I don't think that plays into this issue (or maybe it does).

Boyan

I'm sure someone at Lakeland can check it out and come up with a fix. Lots of eyes there.

GTOguy

What W Guy said. It isn't the clutch since the engine is off, and it isn't likely syncros either, since they only apply with the engine running. Suspect shifter or shift forks inside the trans. If you start tearing into the trans, just rebuild it or have it rebuilt and it'll outlast all of us. Your car merits a nice-shifting gearbox.

Frankie the Fink

Verne knows his stuff Jeff. I'll start troubleshooting in earnest next week...gathering ideas for now!