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Good morning.
New to Corvette ownership with a 62.
Reverse gear is elusive- shifter doesn’t move left easily. 1-4 are all great. I am assuming stock shifter. I haven’t yet pulled the ball to see if there is a lockout connected. PO says the lockout T was useless.
I have read all the posts I could find about linkage adjustment. A few questions.
First- my shift rods are threaded at the shifter and not the transmission fork end. No manual illustrations, photos, or videos I have seen show the threaded ends at the shifter. In the car, this seems impossible to adjust. How is it possible to make this adjustment in the car? Are these rods backwards?
Second- if stock shifter, where is the “block” placed to ensure all three levers are in neutral? From above the console? How would I determine use of the block versus pushing stock through a slot or an allen wrench through a pinhole? I see very little of the shifter from beneath the car.
Thank you for your help.
Try this reply and illustration to a 2018 post. The illustration appears to be from a GM service manual and shows the threaded rods at the transmission. The original question was about a '62.
Originally Posted by 65GGvert
If it's the stock shifter, if you lift the console shift plate and boot, you should be able to see 3 rectangular cutouts about 1/4" wide in the top of the shift levers. There's a tool you can put in there to hold them (when shifter is in neutral they should line up side by side) or you can put the shifter in neutral and adjust whichever one is forward or back slightly so they line up.
Last edited by barkingrats; May 31, 2026 at 12:34 PM.
If a Muncie shifter linkage, the rod is disconnected at the transmission lever and the threaded end turned on the rod to lengthen or shorten its length to move the transmission lever into adjustment. Most Hurst shifters have a threaded adjuster at the shifter levers like this photo.
There are a few exceptions with a Hurst. On a Mopar the threaded adjuster for the reverse rod is at the transmission lever. But Corvette’s have all 3 at the transmission levers. The rod length can be adjusted by removing the securing clip at the shifter and rotating/threading it in or out. This can be a little difficult in the car. The rod end can also be removed from the transmission lever and then the rod rotated in the shifter knuckle to lengthen or shorten the rod. This can also be difficult as the bends in the rod may create interference in turning it. You just have to experiment to see which works best.
Last edited by DansYellow66; May 31, 2026 at 03:55 PM.
Good afternoon,
I changed the trans oil and am getting after the shifter following the advice received.
Please, if someone can help me identify the shifter, I would appreciate it.
I see a stick shift lever welded to a mechanism, no reverse lockout cable. The three shift arms are to the left of the shifter and I see no grooves in neutral.
Hopefully some photos attach to this.
Thank you. View from passenger side looking to the left. View of front of lever looking towards rear of car. Putty knife holding carpet to see the three arms.
Wow - someone needs to check me as I’m not used to seeing shifters from this limited perspective, but I think it’s a Hurst with a modified base to mount an original handle to it. Not the greatest welding job for appearance.. if so the notch for the adjustment key is at the bottom of the housing.
Last edited by DansYellow66; Jun 1, 2026 at 07:52 PM.
Good evening,
After a thorough dousing in LA Awesome and some work with a toothbrush, I found Hurst lettering on the side of the mechanism. With dirt out of the way, I found the place to thread an allen wrench through the individual arms.
Thank you everyone for helping.
Shift rods threaded ends backwards?
