Long brand Shifters (Not Length)
06-30-2016, 04:26 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Long brand Shifters (Not Length)
How many guys have one of these? I never heard of them before I got on Corvette Forum. I was planning on installing a Hurst on my 4 speed, but I hear good things about the Long. I would be using the H pattern. I may put in an overdrive later, then I'd need a completely different shifter, or maybe just different linkage?
http://www.longshifters.com/shifter_4_hb100s.asp
http://www.longshifters.com/shifter_4_hb100s.asp
06-30-2016, 05:20 PM
#2
Race Director
very doubtful a Long rail shifter will fit in your tunnel although it is the best hands down shifter I have ever shifted, besides that Leonard was instrumental in me finding my trans/shifter which makes me a big fan of his.
06-30-2016, 05:20 PM
#3
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Long makes incredibly good stuff. They are part of the same company that builds the G-Force transmission in my car.... Long Engineering. I can't say enough good about their quality and service.
As mentioned, it might be a tight fit in there.
I've got a GF5R race transmission with no synchros etc. Normally that would have an "in-line" race shifter on it, but that means no console and whacking big holes in the floor. Uh-uh.
When I told them what I wanted, they built a custom 5 speed shifter to go with the trans based on a NASCAR 4 speed housing. They then built special reinforced shift rods to make it all work and fit in my console. When you buy one of these transmissions, they won't sell it to you unless you buy one of their shifters with it. At first I wanted to re-use my Hurst off my Doug Nash 5 speed, but after seeing the difference I was convinced. Hurst is good...but the Long's are in another realm. It uses "sliding blocks" internally vs stamped shift arms.
The one in my car was described by a buddy as feeling like "bolt action". There's a couple of versions...mine is the killer one...but even the "regular" one is great.
BTW, that buddy is just now stepping up to one like mine..so he has his regular Long shifter for sale if you have a Richmond 5 speed type trans.
JIM
As mentioned, it might be a tight fit in there.
I've got a GF5R race transmission with no synchros etc. Normally that would have an "in-line" race shifter on it, but that means no console and whacking big holes in the floor. Uh-uh.
When I told them what I wanted, they built a custom 5 speed shifter to go with the trans based on a NASCAR 4 speed housing. They then built special reinforced shift rods to make it all work and fit in my console. When you buy one of these transmissions, they won't sell it to you unless you buy one of their shifters with it. At first I wanted to re-use my Hurst off my Doug Nash 5 speed, but after seeing the difference I was convinced. Hurst is good...but the Long's are in another realm. It uses "sliding blocks" internally vs stamped shift arms.
The one in my car was described by a buddy as feeling like "bolt action". There's a couple of versions...mine is the killer one...but even the "regular" one is great.
BTW, that buddy is just now stepping up to one like mine..so he has his regular Long shifter for sale if you have a Richmond 5 speed type trans.
JIM
Last edited by 427Hotrod; 06-30-2016 at 05:21 PM.
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Richard Daugird (06-30-2016)
07-01-2016, 12:40 PM
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You know...I don't think I do.
But here's a pic of the one my buddy just got that is similar design. Mine is made out of a slightly different housing. He is actually returning this one and they are building one like mine for him.
Look close at the bottom pic...you can see the three thick sliding blocks instead of little stamped arms.
The shot of the curved rods is mine. Looks funky but they don't flex and work perfectly.
JIM
But here's a pic of the one my buddy just got that is similar design. Mine is made out of a slightly different housing. He is actually returning this one and they are building one like mine for him.
Look close at the bottom pic...you can see the three thick sliding blocks instead of little stamped arms.
The shot of the curved rods is mine. Looks funky but they don't flex and work perfectly.
JIM
07-01-2016, 04:34 PM
#10
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Holy smokes Jim, that thing looks like an anvil! I am in the process of putting an Richmond in my 69 which has a Hurst. Could you pm me the price on one like yours and what to ask for for them to build one for me. Thanks for posting the pics, that thing looks awesome.
Bill
Bill
07-01-2016, 10:56 PM
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Cleaned it out...had a lot of hits all of a sudden!
JIM
JIM
07-01-2016, 11:03 PM
#12
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Holy smokes Jim, that thing looks like an anvil! I am in the process of putting an Richmond in my 69 which has a Hurst. Could you pm me the price on one like yours and what to ask for for them to build one for me. Thanks for posting the pics, that thing looks awesome.
Bill
Bill
As I mentioned, he's sending back the one in the pics, mainly due to the straight rods. That arrangement was designed for something you don't mind whacking the floor on so you can get perfectly straight rods. That's what those spacers are for...to move it outward which doesn't work too well in our cars. It's pretty tight on my console but I got it to fit with a little work. Can't remember how much room is under a C-3 console..but a C2 is right on it. That big upper bolt is high enough to touch it...but if you get it in there it's worth it!
He sent me a note today and said they had actually discontinued the version I have but they are going to build him one anyway. They said they had enough parts to do one for him. Not sure how many other custom ones they can do...but if enough people are interested I'm sure they will get interested too!
He's been working with Chris at Long. I always dealt with Bubba in the past. Worth giving them a call and see what they can do.
I'll send you a PM too.
JIM
07-03-2016, 04:55 PM
#13
Drifting
LOL....yep it's a tank!
As I mentioned, he's sending back the one in the pics, mainly due to the straight rods. That arrangement was designed for something you don't mind whacking the floor on so you can get perfectly straight rods. That's what those spacers are for...to move it outward which doesn't work too well in our cars. It's pretty tight on my console but I got it to fit with a little work. Can't remember how much room is under a C-3 console..but a C2 is right on it. That big upper bolt is high enough to touch it...but if you get it in there it's worth it!
He sent me a note today and said they had actually discontinued the version I have but they are going to build him one anyway. They said they had enough parts to do one for him. Not sure how many other custom ones they can do...but if enough people are interested I'm sure they will get interested too!
He's been working with Chris at Long. I always dealt with Bubba in the past. Worth giving them a call and see what they can do.
I'll send you a PM too.
JIM
As I mentioned, he's sending back the one in the pics, mainly due to the straight rods. That arrangement was designed for something you don't mind whacking the floor on so you can get perfectly straight rods. That's what those spacers are for...to move it outward which doesn't work too well in our cars. It's pretty tight on my console but I got it to fit with a little work. Can't remember how much room is under a C-3 console..but a C2 is right on it. That big upper bolt is high enough to touch it...but if you get it in there it's worth it!
He sent me a note today and said they had actually discontinued the version I have but they are going to build him one anyway. They said they had enough parts to do one for him. Not sure how many other custom ones they can do...but if enough people are interested I'm sure they will get interested too!
He's been working with Chris at Long. I always dealt with Bubba in the past. Worth giving them a call and see what they can do.
I'll send you a PM too.
JIM
07-03-2016, 05:29 PM
#14
07-03-2016, 08:31 PM
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LOL...well I have maintained a CDL license for about 35 years!
It's really not hard to drive. Once you get the hang of it, it slips right into gear. I've had quite a few folks drive it and within a few miles they've got upshifts and downshifts working pretty good.
No doubt it can be a little "clunkier" than a synchro trans...and it's a strange sensation/feeling with the extra 'slop" in the sliders. If you lightly get on/off the gas at low speeds you can sometimes feel the slack in the assembly. To describe it, you can put it in gear and hold input shaft stationary and still rotate the output shaft 1/8 of a turn maybe. You don't feel it in normal use. You "'might" feel it if you get the motor in that "inbetween" stage where you're not accelerating or decelerating and it gets to bouncing back and forth. All you have to do is apply a little gas or let off completely and it's back to normal.
It's a hardcore racing trans for sure...but man does it shift when you want it to! And for just fun scootin' through the gears it's a heck of a lot of fun too.
JIM
It's really not hard to drive. Once you get the hang of it, it slips right into gear. I've had quite a few folks drive it and within a few miles they've got upshifts and downshifts working pretty good.
No doubt it can be a little "clunkier" than a synchro trans...and it's a strange sensation/feeling with the extra 'slop" in the sliders. If you lightly get on/off the gas at low speeds you can sometimes feel the slack in the assembly. To describe it, you can put it in gear and hold input shaft stationary and still rotate the output shaft 1/8 of a turn maybe. You don't feel it in normal use. You "'might" feel it if you get the motor in that "inbetween" stage where you're not accelerating or decelerating and it gets to bouncing back and forth. All you have to do is apply a little gas or let off completely and it's back to normal.
It's a hardcore racing trans for sure...but man does it shift when you want it to! And for just fun scootin' through the gears it's a heck of a lot of fun too.
JIM