Does the transmission have to come out of my 1967 vette to install a hurst shifter. Any other issues?

 

No, it doesn’t have to come out. I’ll add that you actually must remove the shifter on a C2 Corvette prior to removing the transmission, unless you have modified the car for a removable cross member. And you can’t reinstall a transmission into a C2 with the shifter installed without a removable cross member. So installing a Hurst shifter with the transmission already installed is the only approach unless it’s modified.

It is a tight fit to get any shifter in place. The shifter mount bolts have to be inserted into the shifter body when it’s lifted into place and then threaded into the mount plate. You can’t hold the shifter body up to the mount plate and then insert the bolt ans the tunnel is too tight.

And it is a little tight adjusting the shifter gate. A 1/4” gage pin has to be inserted from the side to keep the levers and main case all positioned in the neutral gate correctly. There isn’t much room on the side due to the tunnel wall to insert the pin so it has to be long enough to reach the gage hole on the inside wall of the case, and still stick out enough to grab on to and remove, but any longer than that and there won’t be enough space to insert it.

After that it’s pretty straightforward other than removing the console plate so the shift boot can be removed to allow removing or installing the shift handle.

 

I found I could get a bit more room to work by removing the transmission mount bolts and forcing the transmission to the passenger's side. With under car exhaust pipes it becomes even more of a challenge.

 

I have side pipes and tend to forget about that.

 

This is just an FYI that I realize is unlikely to actually be helpful.

My Grand Sport vintage racer has a Hurst disguised to look like an original Corvette shifter. Because the engine needs to come out for frequent freshening, the Hurst has to be easily removable.

I cut two holes in the side of the transmission tunnel that allow direct access to the bolts which secure the Hurst. After disconnecting the linkage rods, an easy job, I can remove the shifter from inside the car. The two aluminum plates in the picture below cover the access holes.