Stock 4 speed Shifter
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 40
Likes: 8
From: Liberty Hill, Texas
Stock 4 speed Shifter
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.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
Likes: 2,736
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 40
Likes: 8
From: Liberty Hill, Texas
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.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,797
Likes: 4,420
From: Virginia
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
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
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,033
Likes: 9,155
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
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
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 806
From: Dallas
2022 Corvette of the Year Finalist -- Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I agree... I have my stock shifter and you can play around with it a lot... Certainly more than one would expect...
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 40
Likes: 8
From: Liberty Hill, Texas
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.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,239
Likes: 786
From: Redondo Beach, California
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.
.................
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.
.................
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.
Last edited by 68/70Vette; Sep 3, 2020 at 09:15 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 147
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From: Toronto, CA
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,033
Likes: 9,155
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
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
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...eed+shift+arms
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Oct 20, 2020 at 09:04 PM.