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SGT#507

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It seems like several of the magazine articles (especially C&D) has criticized the Shelby GT for the "high effort" Hurst shifter. I have to admit that the first couple of days I had mine I was suprised by how hard you had to shift and the "notchy" feel, and did have some trouble with the 2 to 3 upshifts.

 

After driving the car now for just at 2500 miles, I don't notice it at all, and the short throw shifter is one of my very favorite parts of the car. I know part of that i that I have gotten used to the shifter, but has it also actually loosened up since it was brand new?

 

Any thoughts, ideas? What do other folks think who have had theirs for awhile?

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It is easier to shift the competition shifter now that I have 1000 miles on my car. The problem with these people testing the cars is that they are used to rice rockets with massive play but easier shifting. The SGT's are V-8's and have always been harder to shift than a 4 cylinder or V6 car. Especially with a competition shifter such as ours. They, Car & Dumber needs to be put out of business not for just the SGT article but for every car they do write about. They make the owner of ANY new car feel as he was just ripped a new A-hole by the manufacturer as Car & Dumber just spanks everything they write about even new ferraris etc....

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We have about 1500 miles on ours and I still have to say it takes a little work to get it into gear. Installing a T-handle helped that a lot though.

 

 

1000 miles on mine, and it is easier now..or I have gotten use to it :)

 

Sue

#545

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I only have about 500 miles on my car but the shifting has already gotten easier. It's still notchy but nothing unbearable. I have a 94 Cobra with the B&M Ripper installed and it was the same when new. Now it has about 30K on it and shifts quite nicely.

 

All of these short throw shifters are going to be higher effort than the standard shifters, especially when compared to the imports, but I see nothing wrong with them.

 

The one in my Cobra was even useful in preventing a theft one time. I was attending a party at a friends house a few summers ago and needed to make a beer run. A couple of the girls wanted to go to the store with me and my friend. As it was a pool party I wasn'g going to turn down two bikini wearing women that wanted a top down ride. When we got to the store my friend and I went in to get the beer and left the girls in the car. One of the girls had a 6 cyl Mustang and decided she wanted to drive a Cobra so they took off and left us at the store. It was only a couple of minutes later when they pulled back in with a disgusted look on their faces. The girl driving couldn't get the car in 3rd gear so their joy ride was cut short. Needless to say, they suffered much embarrasment the rest of the night!

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;) The shifter is for racing. If someone didnt like it they should have never bought the car or bought an automatic. I like it the best out of all my cars that I have. I just think SOME people who buy these types of cars are illiterit to fact that this is a performance 60s style car. Be a man and shift it like you stole it.
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The shifter is my absolute favorite thing about my SGT aside from the pure looks of it. I love the solid feel of it, the look of it and the way you can really feel it lock into gear. I love everything about my SGT. let the morons at the magazines criticize. The comment about Car & Dumber is right on...that is the absolute worst magazine about automobiles. I am very happy that i made the decision to buy an SGT and i'm a proud owner of #0890. B)

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You just can not take the shifter for granted.

 

It makes you PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU DRIVE!

 

I have run mine on the track at Willow Springs (and will again in two weeks) and that is where you really appreciate the Hurst shifter.

 

If Car & Dumber had a problem with the shifter driving around, they should have driven faster.

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Well, I'm wondering if I might have a transmission mount install problem since I get noticeable movement in the shifter every time I go over a bump. The slack is pretty obvious and even my mechanically challenged wife has mentioned it. That *could* have something to do with the forced shifting if it's misaligned somehow. I have not taken it to the stealership yet as I want to check it out myself first....

 

 

.... I just have to figure out how to get by big rear under that low sitting car. <_<

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Well, I'm wondering if I might have a transmission mount install problem since I get noticeable movement in the shifter every time I go over a bump. The slack is pretty obvious and even my mechanically challenged wife has mentioned it. That *could* have something to do with the forced shifting if it's misaligned somehow. I have not taken it to the stealership yet as I want to check it out myself first....

.... I just have to figure out how to get by big rear under that low sitting car. <_<

 

My shifter seemed pretty rough at first. I shifted hard and after a while some bolts came loose and the shifter had more freeplay and vibrated at higher RPM. As this continued I noticed the linkage seemed to shift smoother even though the stick was still loose. The dealer tightened the bolts and the vibration is gone and the shifting seems smoother than when brand new. I think there are some breakin issues, but there may be some miss alignment too.

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Well, I'm wondering if I might have a transmission mount install problem since I get noticeable movement in the shifter every time I go over a bump. The slack is pretty obvious and even my mechanically challenged wife has mentioned it. That *could* have something to do with the forced shifting if it's misaligned somehow. I have not taken it to the stealership yet as I want to check it out myself first....

.... I just have to figure out how to get by big rear under that low sitting car. <_<

 

 

 

Funny you should say that because i have noticed the same thing. I have 2200 miles on mine and i started noticing it at about 1900 miles. I just read a post on another site some one thier had that problem on thier Gt and it turned out the the Bolt that holds the ahifter arm that connects to the top of the transmission was loose. Im going to check mine today at work so i will let you know if that was it. But according to the other poster, This took care of that problem. :)

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Bingo!!!

 

The bolt that holds the shifter bracket to the transmission was in fact loose! Unscrew by hand loose. It's a 10 m.m. bolt with no loctite on it? Anywho tightened it up but added a small amount of Blue loctite to the bolt before doing so and the problem is gone.

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It seems like several of the magazine articles (especially C&D) has criticized the Shelby GT for the "high effort" Hurst shifter. I have to admit that the first couple of days I had mine I was suprised by how hard you had to shift and the "notchy" feel, and did have some trouble with the 2 to 3 upshifts.

 

After driving the car now for just at 2500 miles, I don't notice it at all, and the short throw shifter is one of my very favorite parts of the car. I know part of that i that I have gotten used to the shifter, but has it also actually loosened up since it was brand new?

 

Any thoughts, ideas? What do other folks think who have had theirs for awhile?

 

 

Mine was a little tight at first, but I got used to it real quick. It shifts just fine the way it is.

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Bingo!!!

 

The bolt that holds the shifter bracket to the transmission was in fact loose! Unscrew by hand loose. It's a 10 m.m. bolt with no loctite on it? Anywho tightened it up but added a small amount of Blue loctite to the bolt before doing so and the problem is gone.

 

.

 

THX Ed! I'm going to climb under mine this weekend and check it out.

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  • 2 months later...

It seems like several of the magazine articles (especially C&D) has criticized the Shelby GT for the "high effort" Hurst shifter. I have to admit that the first couple of days I had mine I was suprised by how hard you had to shift and the "notchy" feel, and did have some trouble with the 2 to 3 upshifts.

 

After driving the car now for just at 2500 miles, I don't notice it at all, and the short throw shifter is one of my very favorite parts of the car. I know part of that i that I have gotten used to the shifter, but has it also actually loosened up since it was brand new?

 

Any thoughts, ideas? What do other folks think who have had theirs for awhile?

 

 

 

Tough shifting from 2nd to 3rd, checked it out and found bolt in backwards and very loose, replaced stock rubber bushing with new poly bushing. Shifts beautiful 2nd to 3rd and feels tight. Check your stick!!!

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The shifter is my absolute favorite thing about my SGT aside from the pure looks of it. I love the solid feel of it, the look of it and the way you can really feel it lock into gear. I love everything about my SGT. let the morons at the magazines criticize. The comment about Car & Dumber is right on...that is the absolute worst magazine about automobiles. I am very happy that i made the decision to buy an SGT and i'm a proud owner of #0890. B)

 

 

Same here! It is one of the best features I love about the car. Mine feels good & "solid"

 

I also bought a Ford Accessory shift boot with aluminum bezel from partscheap.com and it with the white ball shifter is beautiful!

 

http://www.partscheap.com/mustangaccessories05.htm

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Take a look at this.

 

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2006/02/HurstShifter/

 

I don't understand why Hurst would make a seperate version just for the Shelby. Go figure. This is the base shifter and not the Billet Plus. Oh well.

 

no red bushings on mine (assuming Hurst uses red poly bushings on all the shifters).

 

 

I still HIGHLY recommend the "T" handle over the ball. A whole lot more control...

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