Did Muncie built all C1 and C2 shifters? I noticed that was the brand shifter on my 67 SS350 Camaro many years ago. I had to put a Hurst shifter in because it kept jaming between gears on power shifts. Just wondering if Corvettes had the same supplier.
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Re: Muncie Shifters
"Muncie" refers to the GM plant in Muncie, Indiana that built four-speed manual transmissions beginning circa 1963. Earlier and later beginning in the seventies Borg-Warner built four-speeds for GM.
Linkages were generally designed by the car divisions for the various models, but most were based on the same basic design. I'm not sure where the various linkage parts were manufactured.
"Power shifting" is absolutely the most abusive operational procedure you can practice on any car and is sure to eventually result in clutch and driveline problems. To me, it's just plain stupid.
I always found the OE linkage on my SWC to be light and precise, and never understood the fascination with Hurst shifters, but I wasn't a wild-eyed crazy drag racer.
The OE linkage worked just fine for road driving and hot-lapping race tracks. My only complaint was the annoying buzz that these early transmission-mounted shift linkages generated.
Duke -
Re: Muncie Shifters
I have to agree with Duke. I've found the Muncie shifter to last longer as a good shifter. The Hurst is tighter and with age I feel shifts louise. Both do suffer the same wear on the shifter shaft tongue and the square cut out in the gate sliders. The Muncie seems to stand up better with the wear as far as functioning well.Comment
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Re: Muncie Shifters
Duke,
You have a point about the drive line but GM was BIG on wild eyed drag racing. My car came stock with a 4:11 posi. That was not a road gear and it was complimented as you know with the trans mission ratio to accommodate the drag racing which was the thing till the smog engines came out. Had very good memories of those days and the time of my life, along with a few tickets, blown gears, and looking at over 4k on the tach while keeping up with traffic.
Vettes were good in a straight line but not so good around curves as you must have experianced. Mine would swap ends if I tried to road race.
DomComment
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Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
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Re: Muncie Shifters
Agreed 100%. All my cars that don't see NCRS anymore are in short throw. A lot more fun to drive with short arm movement even with a bit more effort. Anyone with a belly can't get under the car to see during flight judging..........Muncies are fine, but I have to say that it is necessary to shorten the shift throws by using the short throw adjustment. My '67 has been adjusted and is great, my '64, well I have to keep it for PV and is not as much fun, the term "rowing through the gears" comes to mind…...
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Re: Muncie Shifters
"My only complaint was the annoying buzz that these early transmission-mounted shift linkages generated." Duke, that's just your car talking to you
Leif
'67 Coupe L79, M21, C60, N14, N40, J50, A31, U69, A01, QB1
Top Flight 2017 Lone Star RegionalComment
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Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
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Re: Muncie Shifters
Gene-----
My experience has been that once the blade on the bottom of the shifter shaft wears to a significant degree, the shifter will no longer perform satisfactorily. The shafts are available in reproduction now but the way I look at it, if the shaft is worn, it's just not worth trying to rebuild the shifter with a new shaft because the other parts of the shifter are likely worn, too, to one degree or another. So, I'd say it's time then for a new shifter assembly.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: Muncie Shifters
Yes your point is good. But the Muncie seems to work better/longer with some wear vs the Hurst. Both will eventually jamb between gears. But I had Muncie with well over 70K miles still operating fine. Hurst on the other hand was trash way before that. Repair is less than desirable. Your suggestion to get a new shifter is the way to go.
A way to stop the Muncie noise is to put the main case of the shifter in a press and squeeze it .010"-.018" to get rid of the side to side slop. Then reassemble, use a Belleville washer if necessary. The sleeve thru the middle gets wear causing a lot of slop and noise. It is terminal if the sleeve is worn as is all that fits it.Comment
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Vice-Chairman (West), Michigan Chapter NCRS
71 "deer modified" coupe
72 5-Star Bowtie / Duntov coupe. https://www.flickr.com/photos/124695...57649252735124
2008 coupe
Available stickers: Engine suffix code, exhaust tips & mufflers, shocks, AIR diverter valve broadcast code.Comment
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Re: Muncie Shifters
Joe,
Agree good choice made. We have chevy products and had Muncie. The Fords and Mopars were not as good shifter till later gone to Hurst.Comment
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Re: Muncie Shifters
I disagree. C2s "handle" very well - basically neutral with good steering response, but grip wasn't that great because they were built with what were basically passenger car tires. Back then there was no such thing as a "high performance tire" - at least one made in the USA. You had to look toward Europe to find decent tires, which I did. First Michelin in '64 and then Pirelli in '68.
C2s are also twitchy at the limit, especially with low grip tires, but this can be mitigated by installing hard bushings in the front anti-roll bars links to eliminate the compliance that transfers roll stiffness to the rear with increasing roll.
The early steel belted Michelins tended to break away suddenly and I spun the SWC twice on them. Once on a wet road dicing with a Diamler SP 250 when I was 17 and about a year later when I was wet at age 18. That was the last time I ever lost control of a car on either public roads or race tracks. Those sudden to break away Michelins and touchy J-65 brakes took a lot of skill to maintain control at the edge of the envelope, which I learned through experience.
In 1968 the Michelins were about worn out with 47K miles, and I replaced them with 205HR-15 Pirelli Cinturatos. Those tires had fabric rather than steel belts and Pirelli claimed they had more gradual breakaway characterics, which I found to be true, but they didn't work well on the OE 5.5" wheels. It was not until I remounted them on a set of '68 Corvette 7" wheel that they really shined.
Probably the best dice I ever had was on a trip from Seattle to Southern California in February 1971. It was a beautiful winter day southbound on Highway 1 south of Big Sur. The road was nearly deserted until I came up on a Porsche 911S. He picked up the pace, so I hung with him. There weren't enough straight sections to pass safely, so I just teased him by dropping back and then coming right back up on him exiting turns.
This went on for about 10-15 miles until we got far enough south were the road opens up with some decent straight sections. At the first available opportunity for a safe pass I blew past him, and he didn't attempt to keep up after that. Maybe it was those fat wheels/tires with the wheel cover spinners sticking out beyond the edge of the body that told him it was no ordinary Corvette.
DukeComment
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Re: Muncie Shifters
Duke,
The Porshe story was great. Back in the early 80's I was flying with a United pilot that was furloughed and he had a 280Z and a bragging turbo Porche friend. They argued every time the talked about how fast their cars were. He knew I have always had a shop so he asked me how to cream the Porshe. I told him he needed a small block 327. He ended up warping the head on his Datson 280 and said he wanted the engine built to beat the Porshe. I talked him into the small block. Scarab had a kit but we built our own and made the crossmember just as the vette's where the exhaust went thru it.
We decided to use the later Borge Warner cast iron 4 speed and modified the linkage location. The stock 280 had a 4:10 rear end and overdrive so the 4:10 was what we ended up with.
The car was way to much for my friend and he never raced the Porshe as his friend was recalled by United and moved. The car sat for years as he was also recalled so he sold it to me where I found those Porshes on the 5 freeway on my way to Burbank airport.
At 65 MPH it would eat them alive, never having to down shift. The 280 with the built 327 was a blast to drive and the 327 was within a few pounds weight as the Datsun engine. Not being a road racer I never knew how it would handle against other cars.
On the tire note: I found tires made of butel (not sure about spelling) rubber that really gripped the road and never made a squealing noise.
Their life span was not so good.
DomComment
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