Got my rebuilt Hurst 4 speed shifter back.

While it will be quite some time before I actually get to test it out, I just got my Hurst Competition Plus 4 speed shifter back from Hurst Shifters Online, wwwhurstshiftersonline.com  in South Carolina

It looks just like new. All the internals have been replaced or reconditioned and finished in Phosphate and hot oil. Turn around in my case was a little over 4 weeks,

 Just thought I'd post this as I'm sure others have an old, rough shifting shifter and might take advantage of this service. Cost for the OEM starts at $250 US depending on condition of the part returned. Ask Scotty for details.

Geoff.

The CORRECT centering pin (shown) is so much better than "using an allen wrench" of just any size !!

The CORRECT centering pin (shown) is so much better than "using an allen wrench" of just any size !!

Click to expand...

 I went one better Mark, I used a 1/4" drill bit!!

 The centering or alignment pin is just plastic, but it will find its way into my tool box after.

Geoff.

Nowyou will have to plate and and lower boot etc etc etc

Nah, not that fussy, but that's a nice selection of hard to find shift linkages you have there!

As for the rubber boot that Ford only used, Hurst guy says NOT to use one. The boot will hold in moisture. There is not a repo for the 71-73 and for some reason I can't figure out, the only one that I found that is available for the '70 does not fit the 71. Same engine and trans, but perhaps the tunnel opening is not the same location. Hmmm!

Geoff.

Are you saying you put a Competition Plus Hurst shifter in your car? The factory installed shifter was not a Competion Plus. I have a NOS Competition Plus Hurst shifter in the box. Has white nob not black like original. 

The factory shifter actually has larger diameter shift rods than the competition plus and has a flat shifter shaft sort of like the 71 but still different. The Hust parts list the same shifter for 1965 to 1973.

Here are some pictures of the one I have. I think I paid $35.00 for it to go into a 65 A code 4 speed vert I have. It was in an old auto parts house and they actually tore it down a couple weeks ago. He had a stack of them for lots of vehicles, all gone now.

David, nice collection if pics, but I have to disagree. The shifter is the original '71 with flat stick and aluminum T handle.

The factory invoice does however just list it as "Hurst Shifter" I'll admit though I maybe assuming it is a Comp Plus as that is what I was told. I'll email Scotty at Hurst and find out for sure. Personally, I don't care as long as it works better than it did.

Geoff.



Believe it or not, this is about the best shot I have of the stick and T handle.

We're talking about the difference between the *factory* Hurst shifter unit and the *aftermarket* Hurst Comp Plus. They are completely different units that literally share no parts.

Ok guys, I never intended to get into a discussion on what is what. While I may have been mislead to some extent in the past as to what was a Hurst Competition Plus shifter, I emailed Scotty at Hurst Shifters Online, Hurst's rebuild service, and received the reply below. Given that they deal with every type of Hurst shifter for all makes, I believe he has explained to the best of his knowledge.

Maybe I put the wrong point across.

I think the Ford version of the Hurst shifter is better than what they called the Competition Plus. The shift rods on the Ford version are much larger diameter.

I remember back in the 60's & 70's at the strip Hurst would have a booth set up and do rebuilds the whole weekend. They use to honor their Lifetime guarantee but I guess not anymore.

Maybe I put the wrong point across.

I think the Ford version of the Hurst shifter is better than what they called the Competition Plus. The shift rods on the Ford version are much larger diameter.

I remember back in the 60's & 70's at the strip Hurst would have a booth set up and do rebuilds the whole weekend. They use to honor their Lifetime guarantee but I guess not anymore.

Click to expand...

 Ok understood,

 Like I said, not a discussion, but rather just saying I got my Hurst shifter rebuilt.

 I guess mine was made on a day when they were NOT stamping Competition Plus on them as Scotty alludes to. It doesn't have that.

Geoff.

Moving right along. I have installed the stick into the newly rebuilt receiver. No slop on it (yet) and hope it stays that way. Pic later.

In the mean time, I thought I'd look at the never ending issue of the cheap repop rubber boot splitting on the corners. This has the rectangular hole and is '71 only. I say "rubber" loosely!! No idea what crap that's really made of.

 In the past, I have gone to my old fav "Goop" as a means to reinforce the inside area around the hole. This has worked quite well, but still split on the front corners after a couple of years. So I put my experience in prototyping to work and thought I'd try this. I took a piece of (.040") aluminum, marked and cut out the hole, drilled a bunch of 1/8" holes around the outside, roughed up the surfaces and "Gooped" it in, held lightly by a clamp. I also used a small piece of electrical tape on the front and back edges to protect the stick. Not sure that will do anything though! I may wrap the stick as well just so it doesn't rub the chrome off. I will adjust the hole size so it's not a tight fit. After I get it where I want it, I'll add more Goop to further secure the plate. Will this work, only time will tell.

Now just waiting for the weather to warm up enough to work in the unheated garage. I'll be changing the PS box at the same time, but that's another thread to be continued as well.

Geoff.

Next update;

I got the boot finished. An extra layer of Goop to hopefully ensure the plate stays put. Let it dry, then filed out the hole to give some clearance around the stick and yes, there is some electrical tape temporarily around the stick in the picture.

In hind sight, I kind of wish I'd spent the extra 100 bucks and got the stick re-chromed. This one is still very good, but there are marks from the original manufacturing that tick me off. Oh well such is life!

Now it's just waiting for warmer days ahead.

Thanks for posting up this info, I have a shifter that I picked up off of Craigslist a while ago that needs to be re-done.

Are the shifter bodies the same from 70-73?

Any body got any linkage rods for sale? I just have a shifter body and stick, no adapter plate or linkage...

Looks like mine was from a day when they were stamping the other letters. Or the shifter body is shared and workers pulled the stamped body of the shifter from different bins...

First question; yes, according to the info from Scotty. See download. Only the stick and I assume the stick mount would be different on the 72 73's, 71 is flat stick as is mine. There is a number on the body to the right side above the mounting bolt hole. 1200252M. US Patents 3216274 3308128 (8's are a bit blurry, could be 6's)

What is odd is the patent numbers look different, but according to Scotty, they should all be the same. The body looks identical to mine though. Look on the levers, mine have 7268, 7265, 7267. Other than that, does it look the same as my other pictures?

Not sure if Scotty can help with OEM linkages. The aftermarket ones are way different.

If you need more info PM me.

Geoff.

FINALLY, today was warm enough in the garage for me to install the shifter. It went in easier than it came out. I have not been able to drive it yet, still too much salt on the roads plus I don't yet have this years licence sticker. However it shifted through the gears smoothly without the engine running.

I was going to replace the PS box at the same time while it was up on jack stands, for the one I just rebuilt and posted on recently, but alas it's still way too cold laying on the concrete floor, which is still around freezing temp. So, put that on hold for now. Once that project is in and done, I'll catch that thread up as well.

So until I can gat the car out and test drive, that's all for now,

Geoff

Eastern PA has bad enough winters- I don't know how you guys in Canada can stand it! lol I know, you grow up there and you get used to it, it makes the other seasons more enjoyable, and so forth. I am 55 now and it seems to me we had much more snow when I was a kid, but I still can no longer stand it. Not so much even the snow, but 10 degrees F and -10 with wind chill, that gets old fast. Great shifter info by the way in this thread. The factory Hurst shifter in my '71 Mach 1 429 CJ-R is still shifting smoothly and the boot is even in good shape. I'm not even sure how that's possible, but clearly the prior owners had something to do with it. Anyone remember the old Hurst Shifty Doctor grease in a tube? I still have a tube of it in one of my storage bins. I worked at a parts chain for a few years back in the early 1980's, and the tube is probably from the 1970's. Not sure how good the grease would be, but it's a neat conversation piece. Used to like the old Hurst ad slogan- Shift as hard as you like, just don't break your arm.

Eastern PA has bad enough winters- I don't know how you guys in Canada can stand it!  lol  I know, you grow up there and you get used to it, it makes the other seasons more enjoyable, and so forth.  I am 55 now and it seems to me we had much more snow when I was a kid, but I still can no longer stand it.  Not so much even the snow, but 10 degrees F and -10 with wind chill, that gets old fast.  Great shifter info by the way in this thread.  The factory Hurst shifter in my '71 Mach 1 429 CJ-R is still shifting smoothly and the boot is even in good shape.  I'm not even sure how that's possible, but clearly the prior owners had something to do with it.    Anyone remember the old Hurst Shifty Doctor grease in a tube?  I still have a tube of it in one of my storage bins.  I worked at a parts chain for a few years back in the early 1980's, and the tube is probably from the 1970's.  Not sure how good the grease would be, but it's a neat conversation piece.  Used to like the old Hurst ad slogan- Shift as hard as you like, just don't break your arm.

Click to expand...

Interesting story there.

In SW Ontario, not far from Detroit, we don't get as brutal a winter as "out west", but plenty cold enough. I think you're right about the amount of snow we get these days, no where near what we got 40 years ago. If we have had a total of 18" all winter that's about it, but we hit record lows in February, (which normally is not as cold as January) of -25C , -13F with wind chill down to -40 (c or f). Coming from Britain, I was not born into these cold temps, but you do get used to it somewhat. A friend from the UK said to me once " I can't imagine that, what does -25C feel like". I replied "when you go outside and hear the hairs in your nose freeze, that's what it feels like"

Anyway getting off track now, but glad you found the post interesting and if you have a 48 year old shifter with factory boot still working well, you're a lucky guy.

Geoff.

So, I just fired up the car for the first time since putting the shifter back in yesterday. I can't drive it just yet, too much salt and no license sticker for the year, but I did pull it through the gears. OH what a difference!! Smooth as silk and a far cry from what it was before and what I'd been putting up with over the last few years.

I absolutely believe it was a good investment albeit costly for me.

So, if your shifter is not as good as you'd like or maybe you're just convincing yourself it's still okay, I highly recommend Scotty at Hurst Shifters Online

www.hurstshiftersonline.com  803-818-1657 Scotty Brokaw. Email: [email protected]

Geoff.