Big Block 69

I don't know how much the Hurst Shifters cost now, but when my wife bought mine from Eckler's a few years ago, It wasn't much more than the price quoted earlier in this thread for a new stock shifter.

pltmgr

I've been reading about bending the stick to eliminate clearance issues. Anyone had any luck with this?

Big Block 69

The stick that came with my Hurst Shifter came bent so that it will not hit the console going into reverse

restoman1

Yes you can. Just heat it up and it'll bend with a little force. However, heating it up will ruin the chrome. In my link on the first page I had to bend the original "Muncie" shifter arm and you can see by THIS PICTURE that it messed up the chrome at the bottom where I heated it up.

Ed

Tom454

Original "GM Restoration" is $199 from Paragon.
Hurst is $450 (MidAmerica) and there is a "shortage" right now (not available)

Big difference.

Tom454

But other people are complaining it hits (mine does).... so what do you think the deal is? Any idea's?

Tom454

I have oxy/acetylene and can do this... but it's still broken... locks up/doesn't engage. Plus... my wife can't get it into reverse... so the point is moot at least for me. Once I receive my GM replacement I'll take a look at the Hurst to see what the issues are. We shouldn't have to torch the stick to make it work anyways... either it fits or it doesn't. (IMOP)

TheSkunkWorks

As you've learned, this issue isn't uncommon. The deal is that Hurst apparently just didn't quite get the throws short enough, but IMHO performing the short-throw mod is still better than going back to the PoS stock shifter. The more spirited driving you do, the more you'll appreciate having gone to the effort.

ezobens

Have you verified that the Competition Plus you have is the correct one for a C3?
I've never had issues with the stick hitting anything-
Makes me wonder if someone previously bubba'd the install by using a shifter and rods from something else?

Hurst has been making these things for a bazillion years, I find it hard to believe it doesn't fit a percentage of installations- Sounds like something else may be off?

ezobens

Not so much if you look elsewhere-
Summit sells the Shifter for $236 and the linkage kit for $146.
That's almost $70 less than MidAmerica.

3X2

The problem mine had was the extremely long throw from 1-2 and 3-4 as compared to the stock shifter. Reverse, the handle would hit the left side of the console. My setup was the Hurst shifter with a reproduction T shift handle I got from Paragon so as to look stock. I've read here on the forum that the repro T handle from Corvette Central is a little different as to not hit the console. But, I still do not like how long the shift is as compared to the oem shifter.

If anyone is interested, I'll sell the Hurst complete with the stock handle and repro T handle. It is brand new. I installed it, tried it, didn't like it and installed the stock shifter. I didn't even take the car off of the jackstands before swapping it out.

Big Block 69

When my wife bought mine, she tried to order it through Mid-America. They said there were supply issues and it would be several months before they could get any in stock. Eckler did not seem to have this problem and had them in stock and sent me one. For whatever reason, the price was substantially less through Eckler. There may have been running changes in the shifter and stick design. Mine does not hit the console on the side going into reverse or at the top in first and third.

Tom454

This has turned into a "3 blind men and the elephant" fable... LOL

I did in fact write down and take pics of the Hurst when I had it apart but you know how that goes... can't find the darn stuff when you need it. I seem to recall I looked up the numbers and it came out to be the Comp Plus unit.

I suppose there is the possibility that it is the wrong model for the car.

I know how the OEM shifter feels because I have one in my C2 (66). And having driven the C3 with the Hurst I can compare.

I can live with either one... but need to remedy the Hurst issues currently at hand.

I ordered an OEM from Paragon (+ mounting bolts) and a used/refurbished OEM bracket from Chicago Corvette yesterday. When I get the Hurst out I'll give it the evil eye and see what gives.

Thanks for all the info... I don't have a lot of history with Hurst shifters so it was a great help.

1974ta

Like the 70 vette I am biased.

I gotta say that an OEM shifter shifts like butter too once set up properly. Stock linkage has provision(extra hole) to move OEM shifter for shorter throw. They all left the factory with longer throw. However, you will be VERY pleased with the stock shifter if properly set up and it wil not hit the console.

Bill

Tom454

Update...

Received all of the parts. Had to buy the shifter, the linkage, the hardware and the shifter mount bracket. The HURST was relatively easy to remove but I didn't know it was easy until I tried to install the factory shifter. LOL

I tried both the long & short throw, readjusting for neutral using the flat gage for both. The short throw is definitely harder to shift. It took considerably more muscle to go through the gears. The shifter handle just barely hit the console in 3rd. Chose the long throw position and... surprise... the shifter handle hit the console enough to tear the shifter boot on a "spirited" shift. Upon investigating the lever adjustment, I found it was possible to tweak the 3-4 rod adjustment so that the shifter handle does not hit the console during a 3rd gear shift. The neutral/gage adjustment seems to be intact as well... there is so much slop in this design that it seems you can get away with messing with the adjustments for this purpose.

A few notes:
The HURST shift rods/levers and the OEM shift rods/levers are not interchangeable.
The factory levers have the two separate sets of holes for long/short throw.
The HURST levers only have one set of holes.
The factory shifter requires a flat gage for neutral gate preliminary adjustment.
The HURST requires a 1/4" (.250) drill bit for the same adjustment.
The HURST gage adjustment is much more solid/exact.
Both 1-2 & 3-4 levers are installed with the offset inwards towards the transmission (innies). Everything clears the tunnel, there is plenty of room between the rods and shifts are smooth.

I may have gotten away with simply adjusting the HURST to stop it from hitting the console, but that would not have solved my feminine issues. I think it needs a rebuild anyways... it seems too sloppy.

And the most important (ha ha) ... (since we both drive it and don't race it) the factory shifter in the long throw position is the
choice for my wife. Hands down. She says she thinks she can drive it now without help getting it into/out of reverse. (the car I mean). Us knuckle draggers tend to underestimate shift effort required by the ladies. Unless she's a heavywight wrestler... or facsimile... this has to be taken into account. Since I have now compared both designs in the same car (my SBC C2 has an OEM shifter), if I were going to race it, I would probably stay with the HURST. It seems more "positive".

By the way... the "reconditioned" OEM shifter bracket I purchased is severely pitted and looks very ugly. I (re)sandblasted it and reprimed/painted it. It had not been primed....only topcoated. I recommend going with a repro if you are concerned about it being pretty.

One more thing... install the rods on the shifter BEFORE you install the shifter on the bracket. The clips are nearly impossible to get on once the shifter is up in the hole. You can rotate the gates/rods out of the way to wrench on the (2) mounting bolts.