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Does anyone know of a kit available for a 1980 vette with a T-10 to convert it to a short shifter? I think if I make the shifts closer, the car would be more fun to drive.
My 80 has a Hurst Competition Plus shifter setup. While the shifter is still available, the mounting kit for 80-81 cars, which includes the throw levers, is no longer produced. If you go the Hurst route, start searching for the mounting kit now.
I don't know when the short throw option was stopped on Corvettes. You might check your shifting arms to see if they have a second hole, 1-2 and 3-4 only. If not, you could take them off and have a second, lower hole drilled. The lower the hole, the shorter the throw, but more effort is required. You could drill the reverse arm to shorten the throw on it also.
I am told that I am cheap, but I would try this idea first.
My car does not have that extra hole in the bottom unfortunately. I am going to look around a little before I decide to drill that extra hole, which should work, but like you say a little more effort in shifting would be required.
After 30 odd years of driving mine, also a super T-10. I am very used to the shifter. My modern 6 speed does have a shorter throw, but it was made for it.
Short throw on an old T-10 will make for greater effort. And most likely more miss shifts.
I think the increased effort will be barely noticeable, but not to the point that it takes the enjoyment out of driving. The farther down you put the 2nd hole, the greater the effort. I think no more than a quarter inch would be fine. Also, if your shifter is hitting the console in any gear, drilling a lower hole would fix that. I don't understand about the potential for missed shifts, but maybe. This is the first I have ever heard about that. Several people on this board have switched to the lower hole and I don't remember anyone speaking of missing shifts because of it. I don't have my original shifter in front of me or I could give you the measurement. When I replaced it with a Hurst Shifter, It came with new shifting arms which did not have 2 sets of holes. I am thinking about adding them.
Rick
Big Block 69
Last edited by Big Block 69; Dec 19, 2021 at 08:05 AM.
I looked into Corvette Central and looked up the replacement levers for this car and they also don't have the extra hole on the levers. Then I looked at the older vettes, I want to say 78 and older vettes on that same website and those levers do have the extra hole. I wonder if I can just order the replacement lever and rods for a 78 corvette?
Slightly older thread, but I have a relevant update. I attempted to add the "short throw option" levers to the ST-10 in my 1980 while I was rebuilding and reinstalling my shifter. I ordered the levers for a 74-78 ST-10 that had the optional holes as my factory levers did not have them. The stock shift rods did not have enough length to be able to utilize the new levers. The new levers stand at more of an upright angle with the transmission in neutral, whereas the stock levers lean back a bit more towards the shifter while in neutral. Basically, the stock rods needed about an additional 1" length on the threaded portion to fit the swivels on the levers and not be at the extreme end of the thread adjustment. With the shifter locked in neutral with the infamous shim tool, the swivels could not be moved forward enough on the rods to fit in the lever holes. Perhaps adding a set of factory ST-10 rods from a 74-78 would allow it all to work, but that's going to be for someone else to try.
Long Shifters shows a HB-1000S on a Richmond T-10, I wonder if that would also work for the ST-10. I have a Hurst Competition Plus for mine, but I think the heim joint ends on the shift levers with the Long shifter are more durable than the plastic bushings that Hurst uses. It might be work looking into.
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
I also had the Hurst. The supplied shifter stick was too long, 10" maybe? For a really short shift I put in a 6" stick but it sat too low for my liking.
Slightly older thread, but I have a relevant update. I attempted to add the "short throw option" levers to the ST-10 in my 1980 while I was rebuilding and reinstalling my shifter. I ordered the levers for a 74-78 ST-10 that had the optional holes as my factory levers did not have them. The stock shift rods did not have enough length to be able to utilize the new levers. The new levers stand at more of an upright angle with the transmission in neutral, whereas the stock levers lean back a bit more towards the shifter while in neutral. Basically, the stock rods needed about an additional 1" length on the threaded portion to fit the swivels on the levers and not be at the extreme end of the thread adjustment. With the shifter locked in neutral with the infamous shim tool, the swivels could not be moved forward enough on the rods to fit in the lever holes. Perhaps adding a set of factory ST-10 rods from a 74-78 would allow it all to work, but that's going to be for someone else to try.
Interesting- thanks for posting this info.
I have 65 GTO going together right now with a 1970 M22- using the factory Hurst shifter.
Like my other 65 and 66 GTO (same factory Hurst shifters), it's a long throw in the factory console.
I found these levers on ebay- and was going to give them a try:
They'd work on a ST-10 as well- unless like you said- the linkage rods aren't long enough to work with upright levers.
Fortunately, the GM A-Bodies don't have that problem.
But there's no reason you couldn't use longer linkage rods from the stock 74-78 Corvettes- or another application (perhaps the A or F-body) on the Corvette.
Short throw shifter for BW T-10
