[300Deluxe]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of finishing up a few sheet metal projects on my car before I pull the body off the frame. One being installing the factory shifter hump - not the "console" version as sold by various vendors. I've converted from an automatic.

The car currently has an M-21 and a Hurst Competition Plus shifter. I've got a rough hole cut that allowed for shifter installation, but it looks as if the base of the shifter where it mounts to the transmission is too wide to allow the factory style hump to be installed in the correct position.

I'm not opposed to installing a Muncie shifter, as I won't be banging gears too awfully hard when I get the car back together.

Just curious what you guy's experience is with this. I'd rather not have to cut up my new hump.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: I should add that this is in regards to a '66

 

[BowtieAaron]

are you using a console or not?

the console shifters offset the handel about 1" to the pass side. makes it fit the console hump and console real nice.

 

[300Deluxe]

Thanks for the reply.

I have a bench seat, so no console.

Are you saying that the Hurst shifters are console / no console specific?

The handle itself doesn't seem to interfere with the hump. It's the shifter mechanism that attaches to the side of the transmission that interferes.

 

[O'Man]

Thanks for the reply.

I have a bench seat, so no console.

Are you saying that the Hurst shifters are console / no console specific?

The handle itself doesn't seem to interfere with the hump. It's the shifter mechanism that attaches to the side of the transmission that interferes.

My experience here is as follows. The Hurst console shifters are offset. ALL stock Muncie shifters are offset. All stock stick levers are offset. Console or no console, Muncie or Saginaw all have offset handles as delivered from the factory. The offset is more than an inch.

There are Hurst shifters W/O offset that will bolt to the Muncie and I suppose there is one that bolts to Saginaw transmissions as well.

Now to your problem. You need an offset shift lever even if you have no console according to what I know. The humps are different for console / no console cars but apparently the levers are all offset. If you want I have a picture of an offset lever installed on a Saginaw that might help you visualize what is needed. The picture shows the lever..mounted on a transmission viewed from the "driveshaft eye view". The trans was not installed in a car at the time the pic was taken. Send me an e-mail and I can email the pic back to you.

 

[Keith Tedford]

My '69 has the bench set and came with the offset shifter as mentioned above. There is a lot more than an inch of offset. Bench and fourspeed handles come up in the centre of the car so will have the same offset.

 

[cheveslakr]

If you're adapting it to the 66 in your sig then yes, the hurst shifter will work just fine with the factory hump. No offset handle required.

Jerry

 

[300Deluxe]

My shifter handle is fine. It is a bench seat handle that is properly angled to clear the seat.

My issue is with the mechanism that the handle bolts to. My hump will not properly position because of this. The mechanism protrudes out from the left side of the tranny too far preventing the hump from correctly positioning on the tunnel.

 

[O'Man]

My '69 has the bench set and came with the offset shifter as mentioned above. There is a lot more than an inch of offset. Bench and fourspeed handles come up in the centre of the car so will have the same offset.

I just found some pictures. Unfortunately not a Muncie but rather a Saginaw. The offset is about 3.5 inches. I sure guess I was off with that 1 inch number!!!!

I think we all missed the boat. The original post is not about a 69 it appears it is about a 66. All my information...which I still think is correct...is about later cars 69 ...72. I owe an "Im sorry" to anyone I mislead in advertently.

 

[vinsales]

jarrett, my 67 el camino came from the factory with a gm floor shift and i changed it to a hurst shifter and i had to trim the factory floor hump on the drivers side for it to fit even though hurst says you don't have to. it was only about 1/4 inch but it had to be done. it was the shifter body that hit not the handle.

 

[300Deluxe]

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

I'll try to find a Muncie shifter to replace my hurst.

Any ideas on were to get a decent price on one?

 

[Rich-L79]

Why not just trim the shifter hump and stick with the Hurst? The amount of trimming isn't huge and the shifter boot will cover any modificatins.

If you really want to go to a Muncie shifter, and there is nothing wrong with a Muncie shifter (though many say bad things about them), try to find a good original and recondition it. The reproductions look nice, but don't often hold up well to much real world use. When you search want ads or swap meets for a good Muncie shifter, make sure to get one complete with the rods and rod ends. The reproduction handles and knobs are fairly decent though I'm not sure the bench seat handle is reproduced. It might be, I'm just not sure and don't have time to look it up.

 

[300Deluxe]

Hi Rich,

oman and I discussed the same thing via email and that may be what I ultimately wind up doing. I'm just not liking the idea of cutting my new hump. I'm being too picky I guess.

That option would be much more economical than buying a Muncie shifter.

 

[Rich-L79]

On the wagon project I put in a factory (reproduction) hump and then subsequently trimmed it to fit my old Hurst Comp/Plus shifter. It wasn't too painful! It all fit under the boot on the floor and the console I installed.

If you don't have the hump installed yet and you'd rather not trim it, you can have the metal stretched in that area to provide more clearance for the larger Hurst shifter body. But with this method you'll still play heck getting that top large mounting bolt through the Hurst body and tightened. Trimming for room for the bolt is really the best bet.

On the wagon I didn't actually remove any metal, I just cut three vertical slits in the hump cover next to the shifter which allowed me to bend the "fingers" of metal out of the way, installed the shifter and then bent the fingers back into their relative original positions. I made sure to leave enough clearance for the shifter to move with the drivetrain torquing to avoid any shifter to floor contact. The NOS boot retainer and boot fit just fine after that.

 

[Bungy L-76]

I would avoid the factory Muncie shifters if you are going to drive it.
You didn't say if you are using the correct Hurst installation kit. If you are, it should fit. read should. I put a Hurst comp plus in my 64 with the install kit (#373-3163) and it fit perfectly with the factory hump. Maybe your aftermarket hump is not stamped perfectly thus the interference. I would definatly do as the others have stated and just trim the hump.

 

[300Deluxe]

Alright, I think I may have found the problem....

I still have the box that my installation kit came in so I got the part # off of it and searched Summit's website, which is where I purchased it.

I could have SWORE that when I ordered it 3 or 4 years ago the application was for a Chevelle, but the search turned up a Corvette application. With my current install kit the shifter gate sits too high for the hump to lay in the correct position on the floor.

I'm assuming the Chevelle installation kit would position the shifter lower, correct??

Would anyone here with a Hurst Competition Plus shifter have a picture handy of the shifter and hump installed? I'd like to see the orientation of the shifter gate, hump, and floor if at all possible.

Here's a couple pics of what I'm dealing with. Excuse the hack job of a hole I cut. I originally purchased the "without console" version, traced the outline and started rough cutting the hole.

 

[Rich-L79]

I can't be much help with photos, but in general the shifter body looks to be in the right location. Your mounting bracket should look like this (the one bolted to the transmission at the top)

What I do notice from your photos is that you have the wrong shifter handle. That offset handle is probably for a 68-72 Chevelle application. The Hurst handle for 64-67 simply comes straight out of the shifter body. Mine can be kind of seen in the photo above lying on the floor in the background.

 

[300Deluxe]

Thanks for the pic, Rich. NICE looking transmission too!

I'll have to monkey around with it this weekend to see what I come up with.

 

[Pete 67]

Your Hurst shifter actually looks like a Camaro piece. As Rich said, once you get the correct shifter body & mounting plate for a 66 Chevelle, your clearance issues may be alleviated.

 

[Euell Florett]

Once you get the


(1.) correct shifter body

(2.) & mounting plate


for a 66 Chevelle, your issues may be alleviated.

And...don't forget the (3.) correct a-body shifter hump. :beers:

 

[mryanduv]

I can't be much help with photos, but in general the shifter body looks to be in the right location. Your mounting bracket should look like this (the one bolted to the transmission at the top)

What I do notice from your photos is that you have the wrong shifter handle. That offset handle is probably for a 68-72 Chevelle application. The Hurst handle for 64-67 simply comes straight out of the shifter body. Mine can be kind of seen in the photo above lying on the floor in the background.

X2!! rich, you hit the nail right on the head :yes:. same setup in my '67. i, personally was never happy with any muncie shifter i've ever had. keep the hurst, & make it fit. it'll make you a happy camper.