I replaced my factory Muncie with a Hurst Comp. + shifter and after removing the Muncie and inspecting it I noticed a heavy cable attached to the reverse arm that Bubba had cut.

Anyone kow what this cable was for and do I need to replace it?

cc

 

Sounds like the reverse lockout. Placing the vehicle in reverse locks the steering column and allows you to remove the key from the ignition.

 

Do you know why you would want to do that? Is that how you originally had to park it?

 

Ok, so, if this is for the steering column interlock how does it work?

Right now, my steering column locks everytime I shut the car off.

It sounds like if I reconnect the cable, I will only be able to remove the key if I put it in reverse which will pull the cable which then releases the interlock allowing the key to be removed.

Except, if that is the theory of operation, the interlock should be engaged all the time preventing me from removing the key unless the interlock was either removed or disabled.

Man, I thought I got rid of my steering column lock problems when I traded my C5 for the C3!

cc

 

Cliff,
Here's a link to a thread I started on a similar topic. Unlike yourself, my key doesnt come out

How do you like the Hurst Comp+ ?

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1647363

 

The steering column/transmission shift interlock was installed as a safety device. When GM first went to the locking steering column, they were very afraid that someone would turn their ignition key to OFF-LOCK (locking the steering wheel) while the car was still moving forward. So they came up with this interlock system for manual as well as automatic transmissions.

The idea being that you had to shift the manual transmission into REVERSE and the automatic transmission into PARK before you could turn your ignition key to OFF-LOCK. (Note, you can still turn off your engine by turning to OFF, but you can't get to OFF-LOCK until the transmission is shifted to REVERSE or PARK.)

Some GM cars used a linkage and bellcrank system, others (such as the Corvette) used a bowden cable system to connect a lever on the lower end of the steering column to the transmission. Shifting into PARK or REVERSE with a manual trans will cause the cable to move the lever on the steering column to the UP position. The lever must be in the full UP position in order for the ignition key to be turned all the way to OFF-LOCK.

This paper will provide further information on this system.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...tems27JL04.doc

You can easily defeat the system by disconnecting the cable from the lever on the steering column and wiring the lever so that it is always in the full UP position. Just don't forget, this little trick will allow the steering wheel to be locked regardless if the vehicle is moving or not.

One last thought. You may think that this is sort of a dumb device. But when you sell several millions of cars and trucks, you never know today when someone will sue you regardless of their own stupidity.

Jim

 

Thanks Jim. That was extremely helpful.

I really like the Competition Plus. My Muncie was very loose and in dire need of a rebuild. It was also not very accurate locating gears.

I have always been a Hurst fan anyway. I had my first experience with one in a '65 roadster. It came with the car when I bought it from a guy who needed college money.

My only negative experience with this particular shifter was actually with the installation kit. The first-second gear rod was too long to allow full engagement of first gear.

It was hitting the emergency brake pulley bracket. I ended up removing the rod and cutting off about 1/4" to fix it. Getting the rod back in was interesting. The threaded rod to shifter pin kept falling to a position perpendicular the the shifter hole. Very frustrating. I finally got the bright idea to put a jamb nut against it to keep it in place for installation. Took me a couple of days to think that up. There's not much room with the cross brace and the exhaust pipes right there.

I think the hardest part was removing the Muncie though. Talk about an over engineered solution!

I'll never put the Muncie back in because the Hurst is so good. And, it doesn't come anywhere near hitting the console plate like the factory shifter did. I see so many C3s with dents in the console plate (mine included) from the shifter hitting them. You can shim it out but it's stupid to even have to.

If you're thinking about getting one I reccommend Summit Racing for price. They have a kit under their own part number for C3s. It does have the provisions for the lockout cable on the reverse arm also. I just didn't know what it was for at the time.

cc

 

Jim, there's good reason for their fear. I remember when we were in high school one of the "cool" things to do was turn the engine off while the car was going about 50mph then turn it back on which resulted in a loud backfire from the unburned gasses. I did it with my '60 Impala and many of my friends did it with their cars too.

Thanks for the article. I have been under my car several times and never noticed that mechanism. I will have to look for it and see what Bubba did.

Seems like I'm always fixing something Bubba did. As if normal age and wear and tear aren't enough.

cc

 

I did that ONCE myself. I blew the muffler wide open on my dad's 1961 Chevy wagon.

It also happened on my 1975 Vert when the HEI ignition model went bad. The ignition would just cut out and then suddenly come back on. The backfire down through the exhaust loosened the baffles in both mufflers. It sounded like tin cans rolling around in there after the explosion.

Jim

 

CCrane72

You wouldn't happen to have the Summit part numbers for the shifter and the linkage kit that you went with, would you? I was going to replace the stock 'mystery shifter' in my '70 LS-5 with a Hurst, also. Did you keep the original Hurst shifter handle or did you go with a stock looking replacement (Paragon)?

- spence

 

spence, the part number is sum-chuu146. It consists of part numbers huu-3917992 and huu-3738611. Strange that they would do that since Hurst also offers a single part number for the same kit. Summit did not have the Hurst kit part however.

I have the Hurst stick on right now. I'm thinking about buying the curved Hurst stick to put on it. I'd like to use a T handle and they just don't work too well with a straight stick. I don't really have any interest in the stock looking stick. Since I don't like the Muncie anyway, I'm not going to try and fool anyone, lol.

cc

 

Here's a pic of both ends

 

Thanks depdep3 that helps a lot. Now I know what to look for.

 

Yep, it's there. Looks like I should be able to replace the cable and it will all be good again.

Thanks again to this great forum and it's most helpful members.

cc

 

Be very carful when you put the new one on. If you bend the cable it looses all it's strenght and might not work well afterwards. The way it works is a little odd. Sometimes the cable pulls, and sometimes it pushes, thus if it gets a kink it does not push well.

 

I tried to push the steering column lever down and it wouldn't budge but that may be because the key wasn't in the ignition. In any case, I wonder if that is why Bubba cut the cable. Maybe it was stuck.

Thanks for the warning depdep3.

cc

 

I'm pretty sure the key has to be in and in the "on" position before the arm can be turned by hand.

 

The system is kind of clever in that you must have the lever all the way UP in order to be able to turn the key to OFF-LOCK. But once you are in OFF-LOCK the lever is locked in the UP position. Once you turn the key clockwise to the OFF position, the lever should be unlocked and you should be able to shift.

Jim

 

Shouldn't that be clockwise to the ON position?

 

The ignition switch and lock cylinder positions are clockwise:

ACCESSORY, OFF-LOCK, OFF, RUN, START

On GM vehicles of this era, you can always turn your engine off without engaging the lock mechanism.
Jim