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Manual Hurst Pistol grip shift handle (OEM) installed into HURST assembly

33K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  OttoPilot 
#1 · (Edited)
This is cross posted from my site where I post and document the upgrades to my car.

Picked up a used Hurst Pistol grip shifter from the Challengertalk.com forums for a great price last week and it came in today. I’ll be mating this with an already upgraded shifter assembly from HURST.



It should be noted that this was the version from pistolgrip727.com, that fits stock 6-Speed shifter assemblies, which I’m installing on the full Hurst sort throw assembly. However with a few very minor modifications I was able to install and buttoned this mod up in about 20 minutes, which included a test drive.

After pulling your old shifter handle, which bolts to the passenger side. The new shifter bolts into the back of the shifter knuckle. Just like the factory handle attaches to the factory knuckle.


The modifications are very easy to perform. As show above, what looks like the factory slot has rounded edges. You will need to round off the base to make it fit. By using a grinder or Dremil tool simply round the square edges down.

You will have to reuse the old bolts that came with your stock shifter as you’re bolting threw the knuckle and into the handle itself


Factory assemble and the bolts that will be reused​

Once everything is test fitted you will then have to use a plastic tie wrap to secure the leather shifter boot to the base of the handle.





I also used a bit of thread lock to ensure the bolts would not loosen up. After everything is bolted back together it looks like this

 
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#2 ·
Thank you for this write up. I recently upgraded my shifter and my Hurst Pistol Grip would not fit. I thought it odd that a Hurst handle would not fit the shifter but now I know that it's normal and how to fix it.
 
#4 ·
Same thing with the OEM 'modern' pistol grip...major FAIL on Hurst's behalf that a bolt-in part will not fit the rod from the stock shifter handle (without modifying), despite what the instructions/ ad materials claim.

I had to shave down the rod and then it would fit. Glad I tried it out before trying to put everything back together...
 
#3 ·
#5 ·
Nice write-up and pictures.

That shifter looks great in our Challengers and provides better feel and control of the shifts.

As an option, you can drill a mounting hole above the two existing and use this to shorten the throw and put the handle in a better position to grab.

The shifter, as shipped, comes with a plastic collar to attach the leather boot to. I'm thinking your seller didn't forward that to you. You can see it around the shaft of the shifter in the picture below. It is only a cosmetic thing; it doesn't affect the shifter one way or the other.
 

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#9 ·
Do you have any measurements etc on where to drill the extra hole or did you just use equal distance? I like the shortened up shifter that came with the short throw shifter but I like the aesthetics of the pistol grip better.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the comments and other info everyone!!
 
#7 ·
---Quote (Originally by jaelliott)--- Thank you for this write up. I recently upgraded my shifter and my Hurst Pistol Grip would not fit. I thought it odd that a Hurst handle would not fit the shifter but now I know that it's normal and how to fix it. ---End Quote---

Hurst Short Throw Linkage kits from earlier production had the OEM shifter hole broached undersize. Later production fixed this. It was a Chinese production enhancement.
 
#8 ·
I guess I shouldn't be surprised but aside from the shorter throw I wanted a Hurst shifter because it was classic musclecar Americana. But to know that it is now made in China seriously detracts from that. I guess in some ways ignorance is bliss.

Is there an avenue to get Hurst to supply one of the newer linkages to replace the one I have that does not fit the shifter I have?
 
#12 ·
Is there an avenue to get Hurst to supply one of the newer linkages to replace the one I have that does not fit the shifter I have?
I'm not aware of this option, but I would call Hurst and explain to see if they will replace your linkage.

When my stock shifter handle didn't fit, I bought a pistol grip from Hurst with the traditional flat, corrugated mounting, that way I avoided using the undersized mounting hole.
 

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#11 ·
I also agree, as this was already cut (shortened) and feels great!
 
#14 ·
Thanks CB! A machinist friend and I talked this over; he concluded that an end mill at 45° should reproduce the grooves perfectly--and it did. He drilled the 3rd hole and put in the grooves.
Others have used a third hole without grooves and it does hold OK over time, but I thought full grooves would be the best.
 
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