inconsistent shifting '63 vette

[Stephan Kaufman]

Dear Sirs:

I own a 1963 Corvette coupe with a 327/340. The shifter being used is a Hurst Competition Plus. I've owned the car since 1986 and shortly after its purchase I had the four-speed transmission professionally gone over twice. Since last fall I've had a shifting problem with the vehicle and I can't seem to find anyone who is knowledgeable enough to give me what I consider to be a credible answer. What's occuring is...about 50% of the time when the shifter shaft is moved from second to third the floor shift doesn't move the shaft to the right through the neutral position and up into third. Instead, the shaft is pushed straight ahead apparently placing the trans back into first. If I move the shaft back to the neutral zone I can then get the shifter to place the car in third. One other point...when the engine isn't running the shifter always clicks normally through neutral while going from second to third. Does it sound like a shifter problem (adjustment or otherwise) or the transmission?

Your kind and prompt attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Stephan Kaufman

[Bill Clupper]

Re: inconsistent shifting '63 vette

First I'd look at the neutral gate adjustment. The adjustment for the Hurst is done by locking the shifter in neutral by inserting a pin in the bottom of the shifter housing through the levers and the rear of the housing. Hurst provided a nice tool for this, but a drill bit works just as well. i think it's about 1/4 inch dia. With the trans in neutral and the shifter locked via the pin, adjust the rods to slip through the arms on the trans with no drag. Also, check the condition of your bushings. Hurst shifters use bushings at the point where the connections at each end of the linkage rods go through the holes in the shifter arms or the trans arms. Get all that right & it should be smooth as silk.

[Bill Clupper]

Re: inconsistent shifting '63 vette

First I'd look at the neutral gate adjustment. The adjustment for the Hurst is done by locking the shifter in neutral by inserting a pin in the bottom of the shifter housing through the levers and the rear of the housing. Hurst provided a nice tool for this, but a drill bit works just as well. i think it's about 1/4 inch dia. With the trans in neutral and the shifter locked via the pin, adjust the rods to slip through the arms on the trans with no drag. Also, check the condition of your bushings. Hurst shifters use bushings at the point where the connections at each end of the linkage rods go through the holes in the shifter arms or the trans arms. Get all that right & it should be smooth as silk.