The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Dave (or anyone else for that matter), how much cutting, welding/fabbing was required for your hurst shifter to fit in the stock console?

I also really dig the hurst dual/gate 2, but once I looked at the dimensions it looked awfully difficult to install it in the console and keep it looking "semi-stock". I figured since that some of the manual challys came with that cool looking hurst "pistol-grip" shifter it would only make sense if they had come out with a cool hurst auto-shifter: the goats and hurst'olds can't be the only ones having hurst-auto fun!

You can of course get cool pistol grip handles for the stock auto shifter if you want.

My problem was that my freind Linda who owns part of my car (long story) was sometimes shifting down to first when looking for second. Because the trans is modified it goes into 1st at any speed. So she almost went into a ditch a couple of times. So at her request I fitted a shifter that would make it difficult for her to do that. Hence the quarter stick.

Restorers please close your eyes.

I had to cut up the stock shifter mounting metalwork under the console. I then had to weld the shifter in. It was the only easy way to do it that I could see that would eliminate any side movement.

I then had to cut up and narrow the optional alloy cover to fit inside the stock opening in the console top plate.

So the short answer is yes. It did take a bit of cutting and welding. Solid shifter though.

If I had a console I would stick with the slap stik set up, they work just as good as any OEM shifter.
Also Hurst auto shifters copied the slap stik shifter.
You can buy a pistol grip for your shifter, your thinking yeah I've seen them, the straight up and down ones? NO these hav a tilt forward grip like the 4-speeds, no buttons or clumsy triggers. Simply give the handle a decent push down to engage gears - thats it, simply and looks great.

Here's a photo of one:

The stock shifter works fine unless it is worn and/or has a woman using it.

I LOVE that new shifter handle but in racing conditions (low gears and slippy track) you need something VERY fast and positive while fighting the steering with only a couple of seconds between shifts. You need to pull back slightly on the slapstick before trying the next gear. Failing or forgetting to do that in a race could cost you the engine. So I will stick to the Hurst shifter for now.

I still have my old shifter in storage if I ever wanted to re-install it.....

Yeah if it's for a race shifter you might want to replace it with a Hurst or B&M aftermarket. Youc ould blow up the engine or worse......lose to a bowtie! Still they are a nice looking shifter

What shifter are you running Dav?

The same as the title and subject of this thread mate!

Hurst “Pistol-Grip” Quarter Stick.

Better photos of it.

Had to do a lot of work to the cover to make it fit in the console opening and I might have been better off making one from scratch. The push button on the top can be used for anything like NOS or something. I use it for the line-lock.

Likes sh!t hot mate! Yeah, I know those shifters, I was looking at one of them for my Challenger but since decided to keep the column shift.
How does it actually shift, this is what I know...........

Pull trigger from Park back to Drive or 1st (drag) Simply push it forward not using the trigger to 2nd, from 2nd you MUST use the trigger to move into Drive. Thats it. I love the look.
It looked to small height wise for the console so I left it, looks like you got that covered looks nice and snug

or has a woman using it.

With a T-shifter Dave you probably did mean one with the knob eh...

You could also go for the B&M pro ratchet shifter; I had to cut the console only minorly and instead of the steel top plate I made one from wood and applied plastic 'fake wood pattern' on it. It bolted right onto the tunnel in my case. Maybe it was only luck though...

See the pic.[/quote]

Not a big fan of B&M but that looks like a great set-up.

My shift sequence is like this;

Launch in first.

Shift light on,
push lever forward to second.

Shift light on,
stamp on floor switch to engage overdrive.

Shift light on,
squeeze trigger on shifter and push into third at the same time as stamping on floor switch to turn off overdrive.

(If needed - stamp on floor switch again to shift to third-over.)

The time between each shift gets less the higher up the box you go.

Yehaaaaaa that sounds like heaps of fun mate, I love watching NHRA factory hod rods with there shifting just makes me want to go out and buy an all out strip car!
Hows she shift, good? Nice and crisp? Or are you still working out the bugs. What kind of times are you pulling mate?
Low 11's?

High 11s. But then this is not an all out strip car.
There are two video clips of the car on here somewhere. Yes she shifts crisp and yes I can juggle which helps.

Kuewl, Are you running off the bottle? I guess you use roll control with that button, just curious as I wanted to know if you could use your overdrive with the button?

No bottles on my baby. Just 4000lbs of steel and 520 horses!

Yeah. What you call roll control I call line lock. That is what I use it for.

It is a momentary switch i.e. it does not latch. It is only on as long as you hold it down. No good for the overdrive. The floor switch is better anyway. Gives my left foot something to do.

Dave you forgot to mention your heavy foot to get the lead out!

Geez thanks for all the input and pictures guys, I really dig those interior shots. I don't if I'm ready to cut up my console quite yet..maybe I'll just remove it all together! Most of these shifters have some short of mini boot/console anyways.

I didn't cut up my console. Just the metal braketry under it. I kept the bits i cut off but as no-one ever sees under the console i could weld any old metal under there if i wanted the stock shifter back.

AH ok, I get what you mean Dave. That pistol grip sure does look sweet though, well worth the effort I'm sure!