Bob, the machinist ( at a one man shop around the corner), confirmed my suspicions, this piece is case hardended. Hard skin, baby. Even though he could file the metal exposed by my cut, he surmised that there's a good chance he'd break a tap, and he didn't really want to fire up his EDM ( nor I it would've tapped me). So he went with a 3/8 hole to clear the 3/8 NF bolts.
I'm using grade 5 fasteners, the stock Hurst bolts are too short. You'll need 1 1/2 plus.
Pulled the old Hurst and loosley fit the new one in place. The handle sits at least two inches higher than stock. It's noticeable. The base of the stock stick sits up high in the console "box" and the rubber boot is barely going to cover it. Additionally, the boot will probably wear hard, being pushed around by the shifter base. I might wrap the base to limit metal/boot contact.
But most importantly, IT WORKS. The console clears the shifter, barely. DZ if you tune in, the clearance problem is not going into reverse with this setup, it's 2nd and 4th. I'd bend the shifter, but I'm scared, freaked out by the brute strength of the other pieces of the stock Muncie assembly. The handle comes very close to the rear of the "box", and I didn't have the chrome surround in place.
Yes!Success. I'll try to move this post over to tips and fixes for everybody's future reference. In case another stooge with a 64/67 wants to rip through the gears with that stock chrome ball in their hand!
[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 07-26-99).]