The Shifter Expert! Parts, restoration and help

[sfm5s081]

Just wanted to give a shout out to Bill Heeley in Maryland. Bill is by far the best person for original and replacement shifter parts: knob, linkage, levers, rods etc. So far he has helped me with 2 1965 Gt350s, a 66 Gt350 and a 1967 GT500. Truly a valuable asset to the community.

billheeley201@comcast.net

[GT350DAVE]

Bill does great work. I have used his shifters for years.
Dave

[Bob Gaines]

Bill is considered a Icon in our community.

[werthie]

65/66 QUESTION:  i've heard that it's possible to graft an original shifter handle to a Hurst linkage.
has anyone done this?  pros and cons (other than it's not factory)?
thanks,
alan

[dbm350]

Yes, it is possible. Have a friend who did it very successfully. Just have to get the proper angle on the shifter handle when you weld it.

[werthie]

there must be someone who does it "professionally" . . .  yes?

alan

[Relicdog]

Davidkee@4speedtoploaders.com

[67 GT350]

My 67 Gt has that, kind of cool. I looks factory, but it is not. You do not have to pull up on the T handle, you just shift it like a Hurst. I did have to get a 65 ball so the pattern would match, Reverse is left and up. I like it, very  tight right now because it is so new.

[SFM66H]

65/66 QUESTION:  i've heard that it's possible to graft an original shifter handle to a Hurst linkage.
has anyone done this?  pros and cons (other than it's not factory)?
thanks,
alan

alan,

Yes, it is possible, and I have made two of them. I made this one for my 1966 Shelby and the other one was requested by a famous R-Model owner who installed and vintage raced his car with it.

I had gotten that idea myself back in the early 1980's when I had somehow talked myself into believing that the factory shifters were "inferior" and that a Hurst Competition Plus shifter must be better. I was already a big fan of the factory Hurst shifter in my 1970 Boss 302, and wanted to duplicate that solid, precise feeling of adjustable stops in my Shelby. And in a word - it was AWESOME! Talk about the best of both worlds, this is it. No one could ever tell that it was installed because the angle/height/function was exact as factory. I even retained the spring for the reverse lock out handle so it even felt perfectly authentic! I was so proud of it that I always pointed it out to people because they had no idea what was going on under the boot.

But truth be told, I "matured" (got older) and looked at the factory shifters in a new light. Like Jim Cowles told me, "They won 3 National Championships with those shifters in the R- Models. They're excellent." That, and I wanted the full "retro" experience with a factory shifter when I got my car out of long-term storage. So I removed the shifter shown in this photo and reinstalled a perfectly sorted factory piece that Jim & I rebuilt. And I love it, he was right.

Back then, I was a machinist and had access to some exceptional welders. I made a fixture with locating rods and adjusting screws to mount the two shifters right next to each other so that the height and angle of the handles could be aligned perfectly. Then I did my measuring, cutting, bevel grinding, mocking up, fixture checking, tacking and eventually welding. I sent my handle out for rechroming, but that might not even be necessary. If the heat discoloration stays below the boot, you may never see it. You just have to be willing to sacrifice a brand new Competition Plus and a stock shifter handle.

So this shifter is now sitting in a wax papered box and I will probably never use it. To me, it's a unique part of my cars history, but it's not doing anybody any good in there.

Thinking . . .

Kieth 

[Pcunder]

Alan,

+1 for David Kee T/L... He makes/sells a part that adapts a 65/66 handle to a std Hurst box. He also make one for the 69. Not sure about the 67/68 but only bcz I didn't ask. It only has to do with correct angle and bolt spacing so the could be the same.

Seems like they were about $40. Bolt on, no welding, correct angle and look (reverse lockout doesn't work)

I was goin the same route as Kieth and his sounds very nice as a welded unit..

Phil