I have a newly aquired '69 F-100 w/ 360. Transmission was 3 on column, previous owner changed it to a Hurst Indy shifter on the floor. The shifter touches the seat when in first and therefore my son, with shorter legs, can not move the seat up. The throw to second is a long stretch forward even while leaning.
Two questions:
Sometimes the shifter "hangs up" especially between 2 and 1. It will move around but not change the gear. Normally if I let the clutch out a little in whatever gear it happens to be in then push in the clutch it will shift. Any ideas on the problem or correction.

Secondly, is there a way to shorten the throw and to keep the shifter from hitting the seat in First? Third gear has about 2 inches of clearance.

Thanks for your help.
Richard

 

Richard,
Is there nothing better for you and your son to do in NC than
mess around with your truck? [just kidding].
It might be possible to solve both your shifter problems with one move. Roll under your truck and see how the shifter is bolted to the trans. There will be a mounting PLATE of some type, which will bolt to the trans, but the SHIFTER will bolt to this plate. Hopefully the shifter is mounted with two bolts. If you loosen them, see if you can swivel the bottom of the shifter back, towards the rear axle (thus swiveling the shift-stick forward, away from the seat).
Now, you won't be able to swivel the shifter much, b/c the shift rods (the two threaded rods which run forward, to the shift levers on the side of the trans) will stop if from swivelling. You can disconnect these from the side of the trans (label them w/ tape so you know where
they came from), swivel the shifter forward, and tighten the two mounting bolts.
With the shifter in neutral, you will need to adjust the threaded rods(i.e., shorten them if you shfiter your shifter forward) and reattach them to the tranny. Make sure that both the tranny and shifter are in neutral when you adjust the rods [some Hurst shifters will have a small hole, just below the shift-stick, where you can slip a small pin (about .25" dia). This pin ensures that the shifter is in neutral. I don't believe that your Indy has this, but look anyway. If you have this small hole, adjusting the shifter is much easier. If not, having someone in the cab to ensure the shifter stays in neutral will help greatly]. Look at both shifter levers on the side of the tranny and make sure they are in the 12 o'clock position (if they aren't see if you can reattach them so that they are. If they aren't at 12 o'clock, shifting into one gear will be harder b/c the "pull" of the lever isn't in a straight line). Make sure the shifter moves easily in the neutral gate (between R-1 and 2-3).
If either the levers on the side of the trans, or the shifter levers
have multiple holes for the shifter rods to mount into, move the shifter rods into the holes closest to the pivot points (this will shorten the shifter's throws). Again, not sure if your Indy has multiple holes or not. Reattach your shifter rods and have someone shift thru the gears, while you ensure that they tranny levers move appropriately.

Make sure you are up for this before you start taking the shifter apart. My old 68 had a junk-o-rific three-speed floor shifter and I never liked it much. It had so much slop I could actually put the trans into two gears at the same time but luckily I never let the clutch out. Hope this helps.

Ohio Bill

 

Thanks Bill,
Lots of things to do in NC. We went to the beach ( Atlantic Ocean for those in Ohio) for the weekend. The truck is both an incentive for doing some school work and a "bonding" experience.

Will roll under the truck after the rain passes mid week and at least look.
Then will try yours ideas and any others that come along.

Hope there are others out there that have worked with the Hurst Indy since I have read that it is a common conversion.
Thanks,
Richard