Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

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luc3ch
Posts: 122
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:11 am

Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by luc3ch »

Pulling my trans to redo the clutch. I am lucky to have an old Hurst Indy shifter in the car. I want to service it and tighten it up. But Hurst doesn't sell a kit. They recommend rebuild services.

Any advice? Apparently these shifters require some skill and fitness to work but it can't be that hard. At least I should be able to clean, lube, and adjust it.
1964 Comet Caliente, 302, upgraded to Toploader, front disk brakes ready for 2021 season after the snow melts!

luc3ch
Posts: 122
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:11 am

Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by luc3ch »

Replying to my own post here.

Got the shifter and linkage sitting on the workbench. It doesn't look that complicated. Just some bushings to replace and possibly drill the trans levers to shorten the throw. I plan to lengthen the handle because it hits the bench seat in first and third (3 speed).

Also I found an internet seller that sells all the shims and everything that Hurst won't sell you. But all their stuff if for the Comp shifters. I guess the Indy was considered too cheap to bother with rebuild parts even though they go for upwards of $150 and beyond.
1964 Comet Caliente, 302, upgraded to Toploader, front disk brakes ready for 2021 season after the snow melts!

popscomet
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by popscomet »

Back in my young days the cheap conversion shifter was a FOXCRAFT,,,,,,am thinking the INDY was a step above,my best one was a FENTON,,,took it to a machine shop of a friend and they installed heavier springs and then with me sitting behind the whl,they heated the chrome stick and I shaped the stick to suit my arm distance,kinda scorched the chrome alittle but that didn't bother me,BOY,I could grab 2nd gear and never had to lean over,the stick just would clear the bottom of the dash WITHOUT the ball in reverse and 2nd,,after that reshape I could screw the ball back on ..had this on a 1956 ford,in fact two 56 fords the 2nd one was a AT til I converted it over to a stick,after the stronger springs were installed,at 1st it was all I could do to pull the stick over into 1st or reverse,,,then after awhile either my muscle in my arm grew or the spring weaken some,but GLENDA never could put it in gear,when that stick came out of 1st going to 2nd it snapped like a dry stick it was so loud and it almost would put itself in 2nd gear.....BOY,this post brings back SWEET thoughts,,,me and Glenda in those 56 fords 8) 8) pop....thanks :lol:
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Jims65cyclone
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by Jims65cyclone »

I have less sweet thoughts of an experience with a three speed floor shift conversion kit I installed in my first car, a 60 Plymouth. I don't remember the brand, but Pop mentioned Fenton, and that rings a bell. It was a universal kit that would fit a bunch of cars by using some mounting brackets that looked like swiss cheese because of all the holes punched in them for different transmissions. All those holes made the brackets flex pretty easily, and it wasn't hard to end up getting the transmission stuck in 1st and rev at the same time when backing up, then shifting into 1st. Well...I was on a date one night. It was POURING down rain when I took her home. The street in front of her house was a steep hill. When I started to leave, I backed out of her driveway into the road, shifted from rev to 1st and it locked up. :( That had happened a couple of times before, but I was on level ground and was able to shimmy under the car and move the shift levers by hand to straighten it out. It also wasn't pouring down rain. This time the water was sheeting down that hill like a water slide. I chocked the wheels and crawled under the car. I remember the water gurgling around my ears as I laid on my back trying to move the levers. Since the car was on a hill, it had pressure on the gears and I could NOT get the levers to budge. Finally called my dad who came in his pick-up, pulled up behind my car and pushed it forward just enough to release the pressure on the gears. I crawled back under and was able to get the levers back in sync. I drove it home, as soaking wet as if I'd been thrown in a swimming pool. That was a Friday night, and I spent all day Saturday fabbing up some new mounting brackets you could have pulled fence posts with and wouldn't flex. Never had a problem with it again. Wow! I haven't thought about that experience for 45+ years. Thanks, Pop. :roll:
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popscomet
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by popscomet »

JIM they had 2 fenton conversion shifters,not saying it because it was mine but I had the good one,it had a wide flat chrome handle with FENTON imbossed on both sides,and the mounting hardware was stout,,,,the trick to them was getting them adjusted correct.....the very 1st time I installed it ,I didn't flip the levers and the shift pattern was backwards......pop
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Jims65cyclone
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by Jims65cyclone »

Either I had the cheap one, or it wasn't a Fenton at all. I don't remember. I do recall that it had a wide flat chrome handle with a black knob.
Jim
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popscomet
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by popscomet »

Mine was chrome and was heavy..........that reminds me when I was a kid,I had a Cushman eagel motor scooter(couple),I walked into a pool hall to ask if they would sell me a Q ball,,instead the owner threw me out,to young to be in there and wouldn't stop yelling and cussin at me plus shoving me to the door,I never got the chance to ask about a Q ball,,that pissed me off to the top of my piss-tivity that I got on my hands and knees and crawled in the open back door and the 1st table I came to I reached up blindely and felt for and grabed the 1st ball I felt.....and got out of there,fast ......had left my scooter idlein ,stradled that thing like ROY ROGERS DID OLE TRIGGER,and hauled booty...took the ball out of my jacket pocket and LOW AND BEHOLD it was the 8 ball !! took it to shop and drilled and tapped and made me the coolest shifter ball in school and of my buddies..... 8) 8) 8) 8) :lol: :lol: HAD told that story before to my son,,,,so when he and grd son built my race car,,son bought a 8ball shifter knob for it and it's still on there....pop...I love memories :D :D
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poboyjo65
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by poboyjo65 »

So that's how the 8 ball shifter knob craze got started. small world! 8) you're a regular Forest Gump! :D :)

I have one smaller than regulation on my comet that came from a toy pooltable.
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Johno

popscomet
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by popscomet »

To be honest,that regulation pool ball was almost to heavy,the viberations would cause it to slip out of gear sometimes,the shift pattern was forward for high and straight back for 1st,,,just a 2spd.....(chevy copied it for their powerglide) :? :wink: pop
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comethead
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Re: Hurst Indy 3 speed shifter

Post by comethead »

I've rebuilt the 4 speed shifters. It's not too hard. Even if you don't replace anything at least you can lube the guts.
I take pics of the disassembly as I go so the shims go back right.
Good luck
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
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