I spoke with hurst today, the guy seemed very informed. He told me that problems getting materials, and machining are causing the holdup. He said late January, if things go well. I ordered the BM today, tired of the excuse game.


[Modified by sloth, 2:04 AM 12/15/2001]

 

I put the B&M in mine the second day I had it, I couldn't wait.. :smash:

 

sloth, agreed.........I wouldn't take one NOW if they gave it to me.........
just tell the truth..........damn, is it SO fricken hard??.... :bs

 

I don't know where you got your information, but it's way off. We are simply waiting for the units to return from the e-coater, today or Monday. I work directly with the engineers managing the production, you won't get more accurate info than from me.

Hurst will be assembling them next week. They will be in motion once assembled. They won't be issued to dealers until they get from Nevada to Ohio via truck. I don't expect dealers to have them until after but near Jan 1, due to the holidays.

Hurst is completing this project as fast as they can, but they have lots of other products to manage and produce. Those interested in a better shifter than the competition, please just relax, it won't be long.

Chris

 

Excuse me, I think you are the one that is misinformed, I spoke with Hurst on Thursday, I have emailed them, they all tell me the same story, late January if your lucky. You keep stringing everyone along, you obviously have a stake in Hurst.


[Modified by sloth, 2:10 AM 12/15/2001]

 

I'm only going by memory but I remember waaaaay back when zrchris started posting info on Hurst and remember him saying that he had no direct relationship with Hurst. Does anyone else remember that?

But so many months later, you can see in the tone of his posts, "we this, we that...," that he does have a connection with them.

Who is "WE?!"

Should WE rename you "Mr. Hurst?"

If it's one thing I hate that I have always made my views known on.... "I hate people that do not post with FULL DISCLOSURE!"

I don't doubt that this shifter has the potential of being the best one out there... whenever it gets out there... if it ever gets out there. Heck, it better be cause it took long enuff in R&D. But do you know how many months WE have seen your posts and, like a broken record, say "It's coming! It's coming! Just another month or two."

Zrchris, this is just my opinion, but I think that, unless you have those shifter's in your hands, all boxed with postage stamps on them and are one second from dropping them into the mailbox for the unlucky few that have waited sooooo long for them, I'd "refrain from posting (edited :D)" about when you think they are coming out cause this is getting tiring! Also I think you are hurting their reputation and their business cause you keep getting everyone excited just to that you can smash their hopes again for another month.

This is so ridiculous cause I have to see this Hurst crap on the different forums here and elsewhere with the same answer... Soon!

don
[Modified by don527, 2:22 PM 12/15/2001]

 

I got tired of waiting 10 months ago. Even if it is better, it can't be that much better (most of the C5 shifter issues with me are in the transmission design not the shifter).

JohnS

 

[quote]Zrchris, this is just my opinion, but I think that, unless you have those shifter's in your hands, all boxed with postage stamps on them and are one second from dropping them into the mailbox for the unlucky few that have waited sooooo long for them, I'd "refrain from posting (edited :D)" about when you think they are coming out cause this is getting tiring! Also I think you are hurting their reputation and their business cause you keep getting everyone excited just to that you can smash their hopes again for another month.

This is so ridiculous cause I have to see this Hurst crap on the different forums here and elsewhere with the same answer... Soon!

donExcuse me, I think you are the one that is misinformed, I spoke with Hurst on Thursday, I have emailed them, they all tell me the same story, late January if your lucky. You keep stringing everyone along, you obviously have a stake in Hurst.[quote]

:rolleyes:

Don't mind him !Keep us informed Zchris. :smash:


[Modified by northernvette, 7:16 PM 12/15/2001]

 

Per the demands of the CF Administrator I am not permitted to directly state any commercial involvement since I'm not a supporting vendor. So complain to them if you're concerned about "FULL DISCLOSURE". I am not formally an employee of Hurst, I am a very informal non-paid consultant, working closely with them to design and produce this shifter. Because I help with this project, I say "we" sometimes.

Any public contacts anyone attempts to get in touch with at Hurst cannot tell you the actual status of this project, because you're not even calling to the plant they're made at- you're calling a support department in Ohio that's not even there to support pre-release products, while they're being made in Nevada. I assure they are padding the delivery date because of the extensive delays and exceptional amount of complaints from C5 customers.

Again, the delays occurred for various reasons, most not associated directly this product. Material was NEVER a problem, assembly and coating details were the latest holdups, months ago we were finalized machining.

I try to give the exact status as it stands- most appreciate that, but impatient people that think it's so trivial to produce a product just get upset when that estimate isn't correct in the end. I'm doing what I can and the product is coming very soon. I have never tried to string along anyone. You think I know the exact date they're being delivered and have hid it all along?? This isn't an exact science, Mr. Gasket does what they can while supporting thousands of other products. If you don't like posts about the status, don't read them. I'm simply responding to posts others make.

We're talking about a SHIFTER. This isn't a life threatening product, it's a lever. As JohnS said, despite the fact that this shifter has many advantages over the others the world won't be drastically changing when it's introduced. If the stock shifter is so terrible that you can't operate your car with it now, buy somebody else's shifter. But don't be surprised if you feel you have a second-rate product a month from now.

 

Thanks for the info, Chris. We have a bunch of pre orders for the shifters from some very patient customers. About 3 have dropped off since we made the offering at $169, shipped free. One bought the Kirban and is happy with it, tough he told me he would sell it as used when the Hurst comes out just 'for something to do during the winter.":)

We are looking forward to adding it to our line for sure:) From the posts from beta testers here and on other forums, I am anxious to see them come out.

In the mean time, the Kirban and Ripper shifters are available.

RG


[Modified by RG in Dallas, 12:43 PM 12/17/2001]

 

Chris,
Thanks for all the many updates. I'm not is as big a hurry as some others, mainly because I don't plan any extreme shifting until spring anyway. If the Hurst is out sometime soon I'll order one and am sure I'll like it.
Mike

 

Yeah guys- I sure appreciate the support from those that have hung in there. Anyone interested in ordering that hasn't yet, please order from Exit 28 Motorsports. RG will take care of you.

I just received this message from the Hurst product manager a few moments ago:
>
The sticks for the Corvette C5 shifter are back from the plater today and the assembly process is on the high priority list! I have already told receiving to be looking for these shifters and to call me as soon as they arrive.
>

It really won't be long now, get ready to start the new year with a new shifter!

Chris

 

Uh... Ok. :confused: Did Johnny Cochran write that up? :crazy:

You're definitely right... it's just a shifter. No one should care when this thing comes out. It's not the shifter that people are so frustrated about. It's the constant claim that the shifter is coming out "soon" by people, or maybe just a person, who claims to know more than those "support people in Ohio." Do you know those support people you commented on have been more accurate than you have and have the better sense to tell the customer, "I don't know," so not to misrepresent the company.

You have been posting about the release of this shifter, month after month, for almost a year now. The shifter article in Corvette Fever has been over a year ago. We're not talking about being a week or two off from your first posts. We're not talking a month or two off. We're talking month after month after month... we're talking a whole year off! After so many months, can you see for yourself that, you really never knew when the shifter was coming out. You just knew when it was done.

Let's make something clear here... You probably have the inside know of the development of this shifter. But it doesnt sound like you know anything about the "company" even though you made it sound like you do in your posts.

In afterthought, maybe it's my fault then for thinking that you had any knowledge of the company and thinking that you represented the company. Maybe there are a few out there that also made that mistake and I hope we cleared that up now. Now that I've read your well written statement of your informal role in the company, I will know now how to regard your comments on the shifter.

Thanks for the enlightenment and I look forward to whenever this shifter comes out.

Don


[Modified by don527, 2:32 PM 12/17/2001]

 

I sent Chris my check awhile ago and I am not worried at all.....When the shifter gets to my front door it gets there....I have MORE IMPORTANT things to worry about than when the shifter shows up....Thanks Chris

 

Thanks for the support Gary!

don527-

Again I reiterate that the company has been through many changes this year, and that it's a big company trying to manage many products from different lines. "Stuff" happens.

You're right I don't work for the company, and don't know all details of the operation, but I can tell you who actually knows what's going on with this product and who's guessing. I interact with the Hurst product manager and production engineer on a daily basis about the C4 & C5 shifters & upcoming related products- the customer service people available to the public do not. So those support people that say "I don't know" are telling the truth regardless of the situation, it's not a matter of "misrepresentation".

I give the best information I can rather than inventing a deadline. I don't know what else to do. How am I misrepresenting by telling the truth?? It's not my fault it's late, and it's nothing anyone planned. No one can see into the future. I just pass along what I am told by the management, reasonable estimates at a given time. Some would apparently prefer to just be in the dark.

Everyone knows how long it could have taken and how long it has taken. Clearly the delay is significant and Mr. Gasket is not comfortable about it. But this isn't some huge profit industry with unlimited resources, they're gonna do what they can while supporting the rest of the line. This is a single application that is more difficult than most to satisfy the customer because of the original design. Most are glad "we" took the time to make a better product. But I sure didn't donate my efforts for guys like this.


[Modified by zrchris, 3:02 PM 12/17/2001]

 

Don sure is a Ball-Buster. :smash:

 

:smash: :D

Speak the truth, Don't be afraid to speak your mind, And let the chips fall where they may.

Don
[Modified by don527, 5:24 PM 12/17/2001]

 

I got a nice surprise in the mail last night from Chris. He went to the trouble of photocopying a couple of magazine articles about the NOS system I have installed in my car. Even though we have never met, he took the time to do this for a fellow Vette owner. Thanks Chris.

Chris designed the Hurst shifter for the C4 and I have it on good authority that it is heads and shoulders better than any other C4 shifter on the market. It also had delays in production, but those that waited have been rewarded with a superior product. Remember the old phrase "Good things come to those that wait".

 

Will the Hurst, or any other aftermarket shifter be rubber-filled like the o.e shifter for vibration dampening?

 

No. They are all solid mount as far as I know.