anyone have the hurst billet plus shifter for the t5? i'm thinking about getting one, but i've read in the searches that the stock shift **** wont fit, is that true? i just bought the stock leather shift ball, how do you like the shifter compared to stock?

 

I put my Hurst billet plus on just after I rebuilt my trans and couldn't be happier. The difference is amazing. You read about how much of a difference it makes, but until you put one on your car you won't really understand just how much of a difference there is.

The only problem I had with the shifter (and it's a small problem), is that the shift handle mounting bolts lossened up after a week or two. They were tightened properly during the initial install, but still loosened. So I took them off and used blue loctite and cured the problem completely. That was about 9 months ago that I did this. They are still tight.

In short, I highly recomend the Hurst shifter. Summit has them for $165.

 

thanx for the reply, but will my stock shift **** still work with this shifter?

 

anyone?

 

I doubt it.

I have a much older Hurst shifter; I bought it in 85 IIRC. I think it's got the same threads and all that as the newer ones. The thread in the stock **** is some huge metric size, like 16mm or something; but the thread on the Hurst is 3/8"-24. I absolutely hated the cheap plastic-looking, loastic-feeling, printed-paper-label POS that Hurst supplied with it. I made a bushing by cutting off and drilling & tapping the right size bolt, so I could put the stock **** on mine.

 

do you have some pictures of or a guide for the cutting ? i want to do the same, and attach a nice shifter - how far down the shifter did u cut bc mine turns into a flat/tapered rod after the threads

 

The B&M Ripper accomodates the stock T-5 **** and boot. Check sig.

JamesC

 

I didn't cut anything except the bolt I used as raw material. I made a bushing to put onto the small shifter threads, so the larger stock leather **** would fit.

 

The Pro 5.0 shifter is also a direct fit for the stock T-5 **** and boot. Very happy with it.

 

Don't get the B&M! I did, and I would never buy another one. It's a P.O.S. Please get the Hurst or the Pro 5.0

 

This helps me too, I wanted to buy that Hurst shifter for so long. I was actually gonna buy it last night, but for some reason I didn't. Isn't the Pro 5.0 $200? The Hurst is $165 at jegs and Summit.

 

Humm, I'm not sure what Tom's difficulty with the B&M is, but I've personally found it to be a first-rate product and have often given it my recommendation (any of these after-market shifters are far superior to stock, and with a few minor differences all are pretty much the same--at least in my opinion).

JamesC

 

I have a billet plus and am happy with the shift quality. I installed a black shift **** with a white 5 speed H pattern engraved into the top. Looks cool and is smaller than the baseball sized stocker. Maybe this winter I will get it back running.

 

Well, my problem is that you can't get the B&M with adjustable shift stops, even though they USED to make them that way -so they know how. That's the first problem, and it's a major one, especially for a T-5 and it's weak shift forks. When I got my B&M Ripper, I drilled and tapped the housing and installed my own adjustable shift stops. Then I went back to the strip, which brought me to problem #2...

Missed shifts. I think that I missed more 3-4 shifts with the B&M during one outing at the track than in ALL my prvious history! The HARDER you try to shift fast, the greater the chance of missing the gear. The only way I could KNOW I was going to make a clean 3-4 shift, was to granny shift. That doesn't work for me. I didn't install it so I could start granny shifting at the track. I blew so many passes with that fuggin shifter...

When I first put it in and drove around town, I thought, "This thing is increadible! What a MASSIVE improvement!". And sure enough, in around town driving, it was a wonderful improvement. But at the track, I wanted the stocker back. Just sharing my expirience. If I were doing it over, I'd buy the Pro 5.0.

 

Huh.....I never knew the Ripper didn't have the stops. I thought they all had that!

I thought they installed stops in order to keep from bending the forks??

 

Yep, B&M quit making them w/shift stops. I would say that the shift stops are AT LEAST 50% of the reason to buy an aftermarket shifter. And yes, stops are intended to prevent shift fork bending and breakage.

 

My Ripper doesn't have stops, but frankly, since I don't race and since I seldom thrash the car, I have no complaints. If I were racing however, I would no doubt feel differently.

JamesC

 

I have a Hurst in my 88 and I like it except for the adapter/bushings they supplied. I use one of those cool Hurst NASCAR ***** and it didn't fit using any of those bushings. Weird, Hurst Shifter, Hurst ball,... WTF.

I ended up threading the shifter till it tapers from round to flat with a thread size that fit one of the adapter/bushings. I cut about 1" off of the top as well. This set the ball low where I like it. It seamed to me that the Hurst was taller then the stock shifter. I'll get a pict shortly.

 

Here are some picts.

 

with ****

 

I preffer the totally STOCK appearance. JMO, though.

 

I tried the smaller stock type handles and the euro ones, the T one from my 71 M-22 but the big white ball fealt better. Don't get weird now, that bigger fealt better , but hitting third was easier as well.

To each their own.

 

What size hole is in that ****?? Looks good IMO.

If you got it separate to fit a T-5, then it should be (ugh) metric.

Which also means it should fit mine cause the stock black ball fit.

Is it THAT much bigger than a stock ball? Where'd ya get it?