I need to adjust the Hurst 4 speed shifter and linkage Bubba installed on my 68 convert. He did not properly set the neutral position on the shifter and did not properly adjust the length of the shift rods. When shifting, I get 1-2-3-2. Can't get 4th gear regardless of how hard I lean on the shifter. With the trans out of the car it is an easy task, but with it in the car, it is difficult to get at the shift rod end and retainer clip and difficult to get the index pin in the shifter base to set neutral position and also to back off the shift stop bolts. My arm does not have enough bend to get my hand in there. Any suggestions?

 

I have bench adjusted Hurst Competition Plus shifters and installed them from the top down onto the Muncie 4 speed transmissions (the shifter plate was installed onto the tail housing and I shortened the 7/16" top shifter bolt a little to clear everything....the length was still OK on that bolt.) I can get to the adjuster rod slot in the shifter box on my 72 Vette pretty easily but, the bench pre-adjustment and top down loading has worked pretty well for me. Just be aware of which way the shift rods might have rotated when your slipping the entire assembly into the Vette. There can be other problems with a 4 speed making shifting difficult and I hope all the shifter parts have been checked to make sure they are in fact the correct ones for a Corvette installation.

 

Solid- the shifter is already installed on the trans and in the car. I don't want to remove it. Are you saying you can see/reach the adjustment slot from the top if you take the console and rubber shifter boot off? What about reaching the spring clips to adjust the length of the shift rods? My headers on the big block are in the way. I've previously installed Hurst shifters but always did the adjustment before installing the trans in the car, so there was plenty of room to work. The shifter and linkage were installed by the PO, but I have found several good photos of the correct shift arms and rods, and they match what I have and the bend/offset on both the arms and rods are installed correctly. However- the internal comb mechanism is in the wrong position to allow 4th gear to engage. When I move the shift lever from 3rd to 4th gear, the 3-4 gear arm goes to neutral and the 1-2 gear arm goes to 2nd gear.

 

I removed the exhaust hanger, trans mount and mid pipes.

I was able to then disconnect the rods from the trans and spin them. Once I had one line up to the paw in neutral I moved to the next biggest size. Then tightened them all down once everything was lined up and pulled the pin.

 

"I removed the exhaust hanger, trans mount and mid pipes."
Hmmmmm. I may have a problem. The pipes from the header collector are welded into one piece all the way back to the mufflers, so I can't get any extra room there. I may see if I can loosen the bolts on the collector and rear muffler hanger and jostle the whole works around to get some clearance. I need someone with really skinny arms to work on this.

 

I have a 75 small block with headers I found a piece of rod the size I needed bent it into a L shape did it all from the bottom . Like everything else on these cars it was a B

 

If you look on the bottom of the shifter assembly that your shift handle bolts on to......there is a tab on both sides of the housing with a 1/2 circle cutout in them. These 2 tabs are the center point of the shifter travel.....into each shift arm that hangs out the bottom of the shifter box there is a 1/4" diameter through hole. You position the shifter at the dead center neutral point by inserting a 1/4 drill or bolt into the shifter assembly through both tabs and all shift arm holes. You will have to disconnect the arms where they bolt onto the transmission internal shifter shafts on the side cover and tail housing (reverse gear) the rear shift shaft on the side cover is 1/2 gear and the front is 3/4th gears. At this point you should only have to set the shift rod lengths properly to get the shift arms bolted back into place, it will not be a fun job with everything in the car but can be done. You need to look at your shifter box and see if it is a Competition Plus shifter, it will have a bolt in the front and back of the shifter locked down with a nut, these are shifter stops for when someone is hammering through the gears to stop the linkage from over traveling the transmission shifter shafts. The 2 stop bolts should be backed off and turned in until they contact the shifter when it is in 4th gear at the front and 3rd gear at the rear, when you feel the bolts bottom against the linkage, you need to back them out 1/2 to 1 turn and lock the nut down.

All these instructions are pretty basic and there are Utube videos if your not visualizing the procedure. This information is again assuming it is a correct Corvette Hurst shifter installed and not something installed by "Bubba" with a mixture of Chevelle/Camaro parts instead of the Corvette shifter parts (I've seen it done too many times!)

There could also be internal transmission problems that would cause your problems...try adjusting the shifter but while the arms are removed from the shift shafts and the clutch depressed, see if you can shift the transmission into 1-2 and 3-4th gears.....MAKE SURE! The transmission is in neutral when you are done and trying to reinstall your shifter arms....also make sure reverse isn't engaged as it can lock-up the transmission if reverse is engaged.
Good luck!

 

Solid- thanks for the description. I am familiar with all of those steps, which are easy if the transmission is out of the car. My problem is getting my hand into the tight space in the trans tunnel to remove the spring clips on the adjusting arms and to get the pin in the shifter to set the neutral position. The headers limit the space. If I had just a stock headpipe it would be easier. As a last resort, I will loosen the left header and try to move it out of the way. Not much room to do that either- they must have been a b to install.

 

I finally had time to concentrate on the shifter issue, Got the car up on jack stands and crawled under. First thing I noticed is that my friend Bubba had installed the 3-4 gear pawl upside down- pointing down instead of up. I was able to remove the clip, shift rod and then installed the pawl in the correct position (up). I could not reach the bottom of the shifter to insert the pin to set neutral, but finally made a "pin" with a 18 inch handle that I could maneuver into position to set neutral. Adjusted the rod length, installed a hardened washer instead of the nylon one, tightened everything up and now I have a properly working shifter. Good ole Bubba. Just when I think I have him completely removed from my car, he pops up again! Photos show correct shifter linkage and how Bubba had it and my patented long-reach neutral pin for tight quarters use.