Muncies and Hurst Shifters

My 69 Corvette race car has an M22 with a Hurst shifter, I find the change really tricky and often end up in the reverse plane when downshifting from 3rd to second. I’ve rebuilt the shifter and have metal bushings. I’ve added a weaker centring spring and tougher reverse spring. It’s an original Hurst not a modern one. I still find the change terrible, even a model a has a nicer shift. Anyone got any thoughts? Any different shifters out there?

 

Use a 3 speed shifter on a 4 speed, and a separate lever for reverse is the easiest.

Or if you want to get creative , vulture a shift lever off a Subaru with the Pull up ring and cable down the centre of the lever.
Weld this to a tab to bolt on to a hurst shifter.
Then make a cable operated detent to lock out the reverse gate

Here is a Subaru lever spliced onto an FR500C remote shifter [it was used to lockout 1st gear AND reverse on a T56R]

 

I never had any problems with a Hurst accidentally going for reverse. Competition plus short throw. In my corvette and 63 Bel-Air both.

 

I do wonder if there is actually something odd going on with mine.

 

I’m sure they did a lockout lever for the 3 speeds but I’ve never seen one for the Competition Plus.

 

You may find one of these , will solve your problem. Seems there could be something wrong with your unit, though. I have never had any issues with my good old Hursts, even without a lockout kit.

 

Is it possible you’re not used to shifting with your right hand? Might have to build that muscle memory?

 

I can't see the possibility of that happening.
Are your levers oriented like this?

 

It doesn't go into reverse [up by first on a Muncie]
When aggressively down shifting from 3rd across to 2nd it over-centers to the reverse "gate" and cannot be pulled back.[this costs valuable time]

This is an issue in Road Racing , not Drag Racing

As Mimi posted above , Use a 3 speed shifter on a 4 speed is the easiest.
Grumpy Jenkins [have you heard of him? ] used a 3 speed shifter on his 2nd Gen Camaro pro-stock

 

@Oneball is in the UK which is RHD , the same as NZ.
We are use to shifting with our Left Hand and when we switch to driving a LHD car [shifting with the Right Hand] down shifting is more difficult at speed.
You guys are use to power upshifting [this is easy], try lightning fast down shifting! If you shift too slow you can break the tyres loose and "swap ends" on corner entry

Nice "Handbag" in that photo

 

I’m pretty much split 50/50 between LHD and RHD and actually spend more time working a stick with my right hand but can concede that it could be operator error.

I have been trying really hard to move the lever properly but it still often goes part way into the reverse plane and that’s why I changed the springs.

I wonder if I could just mount a latch to stop the lever moving all the way to the left.

 

Try this example on a high dollar 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa

 

That’s the sort of thing just without the gate.

 

The other Hurst designed solution, would be the 70’s era Super Shifter. This does the same thing as the original Loc/out kit. Mine has been around the block a few times, but you can get the idea.

 

I had some pictures of a shifter (not a Lenco) that a guy had in his 32 Ford. It was American made and had a lever for each gear so it would be tough to miss a gear either upshifting or downshifting. Think it had a way to go from high gear to first and reset all the levers. Unfortunately I can't locate the info now, but maybe someone else knows the name of the company. It would solve the downshift problem and it looked pretty well made.

Well, found some info on line about the shifter.........unfortunately its for an automatic and not a manual........fergot that little detail.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=608250331620024

 

Are you thinking of Kilduff?
Pretty sure all their offerings are for automatic transmissions.

 

Ram Rod, can't miss or hit reverse.