Hey guys I’ve got this Muncie M20 4 speed trans with Hurst Compe***ion plus 3138 shifter. I need to remove the shifter lever to install one that will work for a bench seat. But how do I remove it? Thanks
Pullout the pivot shaft. Lay it out piece by piece. Take photos. Apart is easy……going together not so much sometimes….
Not that simple with the bayonet style handle, you need to slide a very thin feeler gauge type blade between the handle on both sides to release it , then dis***embly is pretty simple...if you pay attention. One of those easier to show than explain things.
That is the early design compe***ion plus shifter. The handle does not detach from the mechanism. Most of the shifters of that design that I’ve had are pretty worn out by now and need to be rebuilt. Hurst makes a bolt on bench seat handle, but it needs to be bolted to a later style shifter that accepts bolt on handles. I’ve only seen the bayonet style handles in ‘67 and newer muscle cars. I’ve never seen one with the bench seat handle (tri five chevy style).
That is a Hurst Shifter for a production car. Unless you have the handle with the same bottom end that is part of the shifter and doesn't bolt on the shifter you are sol. This first shot is pretty much the same handle that I had in my 69 Cutl*** S with an M21 and factory bench seat. My wife of 55 years got to where she could shift that thing through the gears pretty smooth when we were dating in 69. The handle you have was out of a Bucket seat Camaro/Nova/Firebird and maybe a couple others and back in the day we didn't much care for those round handles. Back in the 70's and 80's I wouldn't have batted an eye at pulling out the torch and heating up that round handle a couple of inches above the shifter and bending it forward to where it cleared the bench seat comfortably in Second and fourth. Your call now on if you worry about killing the value to some collector later. They are a pain in the **** to work on but don't a high degree of skill. Far more patience and perseverance than skills. Experience says that one needs to be taken apart and cleaned good and lubed right and may need a few parts to help it work smoother. This Ebay seller has most of the Hurst Shifter pieces you might need. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_tr...trksid=p3542580.m47492.l71970&_ssn=shifter-dr I'd watch those videos and watch more than one guy's video. As suggested, when you take it apart lay he pieces out in order and lay them out with the same side in the stack up each time. Plus take pictures as you go to cut down on the "how the hell did this go in" syndrome. On a hard used shifter those spacer plates are often worn or roughed up.
So I guess I should get another shifter ***embly that’s specifically for a bench seat? Sorry I just want make sure that I’ll be spending $200 for a properly working shifter. I soaked the current one in mineral spirits and got all the crud off. I’ll sell it later on.
The handle comes out by pushing a 0.010” feeler gauge in the beside the handle on the left side to unlatch it. They can be stubborn. There are adapters to go to a hurst bolt on handle, I believe Brewers makes one.
I've bent more than one shift lever cold, with a big bench vise and three blocks of br***, by cranking just the vise handle. I could have used a hydraulic press but the vise seemed quicker and safer if something slipped. I never noticed any chrome damage, but it was for other owner's cars so years later I can't say. Many moons ago when I was still dumb as a rock, I was driving my Mopar factory 4-on-the-floor on a sandy road, and the shifter grabbed a pound of that road until it was barely able to shift. I unscrewed the rubber boot, gave it a couple shots of 90w gear lube up top, and it shifted like ****er as long as I owned it. Neither of these stories are meant to be tips or endor*****ts. Your results may differ.
Hopefully, this doesn't come across as too preachy here.......... Hurst products arent priced like they were in "the old days" but if you can work some overtime or just save up, a new Hurst shifter with the appropriately sized handle (bolt-on) will usually satisfy most situations, a lot of the handles as from the original Hurst company should still be available, many links in search below, many show factory drawings with dimensions. https://www.google.com/search?q=hur...4xLjAuMaAHghY&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img#ip=1 Related thread from the HAMB Here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hurst-shifter-for-32-ford.1283832/
Go to shifterdoc.com. He has a PDF on dis***embly and rebuilding Hurst shifters. Also sells rebuild parts etc. Bill
Don't waste your money on a NEW Hurst shifter, they ain't what they used to be. You'd be money ahead to find one with a bolt on stick at a swap meet or on marketplace. All you need is the main body. Clean it, lube it, and run it.
I do have to say the two new Hurst shifters I have just don't quite have the tight feel of the earlier ones.
You're right, they're Looser than a $3.00 ***** and will cost almost another $100 to get them tightened up. It's great when they get hung up in 2nd gear, too!
The Jalopy Journal
