Looking for feedback from any of us still using the stock 4 speed shifter. I just completed a rebuild of a stock shifter and replaced the linkage and bushings on my 71 to replace a Hurst Competition Plus that was impossible to shift into reverse. Shifting thru the gears is now fine but it is surprising how loose the shifter is with side to side movement (left to right) especially in neutral. I don't see anything in the design of the stock shifter to dampen side movement of the lever on the pivot. Am I missing something or is this just the way it is? I sure don't remember this much free play on my previous Corvettes but maybe my standards have changed over the years LOL.

 

The stock shifter has no centering feature, in neutral it just moves side to side.

 

Yes,,,,, as Melff sated, it moves left to right in neutral. The beautiful simplicity and rawness of the original shifter........making the C3 Corvette the cool and raw car it is. I love it. Would not want anything else in the car.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I sure want to leave it as original as possible but that's just me. Funny, I notice that early design versions (C2) of the shifter had a spring attached to the bottom of the lever.

 

There are 2 holes on the transmission forward gear levers. Top hole is long throw bottom hole is for short throw.

 

When I rebuilt mine, I cannibalized 3 different shifters to get the plates I wanted and cut custom shims to remove the slop. Shifts as good as my super comp and got to keep the reverse lockout.

 

I have a Hurst and love it. When warm, the 2-3 shift is as simple as pushing the lever forward. Why wasn't it going into reverse? Were you using the (patented) "Hurst Slap" method?

Not that this solves the problem you asked about, but you can get a stock looking shifter for the Hurst here:
https://www.southerncarparts.com/cat...=hurst+shifter

 

The Hurst had a strong spring that kept it from being floppy, which also made it a bear to get into reverse. Thats why mines on the shelf as well. Also the reverse lockout is cool. After my rebuild and using the correct holes I thought it shifted just as weell or better than the Hurst.Shorter throw as well since my holes where closer to the soline than the Hurst arms holes

 

I agree... I have my stock shifter and you can play around with it a lot... Certainly more than one would expect...

 

I disassembled the Hurst and cleaned all of the components for giggles and to try to understand why shifting into reverse was difficult. Looks like DOM was in 80 so some wear evident, very little lubrication and what was there was dried out. I see the two strong springs at the lever base and it appears both need to be compressed to get the handle into reverse. I may put a rebuild kit in it as a winter project but for now its back on the shelf. I tested the rebuilt stock shifter in the upper and lower lever holes just to get an idea of the differences. I like the feel or effort in the upper holes but its a pretty long throw. the lower hole really makes a significant difference in the throw but with a somewhat heavier feel. Looks like the Hurst lever holes are in between the stock options.

 

My 68 Corvette had a large oil leak throughout it's early life. The shfiter mechanism turned into being burried in a big blob of hardened oil and sand. Although a low mileage car, the sand had startingly erroded the moving pieces of the shifter. I rebuilt the shifter with parts from a Corvette vendor. It was kinda a fun thing to do. I subsequently replaced the Muncie with a 5 speed Tremac and it's associated shifter. I was surprised how crisp the Tremac was and how short the shifting throws were. Don't know how to quantify it, but the Muncie shifter afer being renewed, was still pretty loosey-goosey as compared to the modern crisp Tremac shifter.
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BTW: If any NCRS readers are having the vapors about me replacing the 4 spd Muncie with a 5 spd Tremac, I didn't replace the shift indicator plate on the shift console.....it still shows a 4 speed.......so the interior still looks factory original.

 

I'm curious to hear about using the stock brackets with the Hurst for a shorter throw. Also my kit is missing the reverse bracket anyway so using the stock one would be helpful.

 

you may have to shop around to find them...maybe ebay. There isnt much to them. comparing my hurst arms to my stock ones, the hole was slightly closer the the shift bolt hole on my stock arms
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...eed+shift+arms