there's what I have....

The Hurst Competition Plus used in '68 and up was very widely used, OEM and aftermarket. OEM has two fat bolts to adjust stops, and no screws attaching handle to body, and handle offset from center of shifter body.

'68 Firebird service manual, NOT the definitive resource, does not show a Hurst imprint. I have two that do...but they are 40 years from the factory.



Compare to Tempest and GTO illustration, which clearly shows two different levers for bench and bucket, and both with "Hurst" imprint.


And '67 is flat, and not highly regarded, not Hurst.

Don't know if this helps any, but my 3 speed, which I still have on a shelf, has Hurst linkage with a round handle and "Hurst" stamped on the side. It fit the console perfect.
My car was built in Oct 67.

Here's an original 68 shifter;

Yes Jim, That is 100% correct on the handle...I might be wrong,BUT I think that shifter is a 3 speed...Is it not?

Yep. That's a three speed. Good eye John.

OK I hope I can clear this up,...From the change of 1967 to 1968 GM used a munzi shifter in 1967 and introduced the Hurst shifter on all 1968 firebirds....This (of course) changed not only the shifter handle BUT the shifter as well...The thoughts of GM using left over 1967 handles is not possible....I have a 10/1967 FGF that has the Hurst shifter and handle in it and that car is 100% correct...Pics attached...NOW the handle on the 1968 AND 1969 FGF did NOT have and bolt holes in it for it to attach to the shifter, They actually just pushed in and locked in place...To remove the handle you must use a feeler gauge and slide it down into the shifter to unlock the handle for removel... I just took these pics and I hope they will help....BTW, The original handles have numbers stamed on them I beleive they were 5325..I do know Banshee knows the numbers as well....If noone has them I can look thru my pile of FGF parts and find one as I have several original shifters and handles I bought over the years...ALSO the ORIGINAL GM Hurst shifters did NOT have a bolt to lock out the reverse as the aftermarket did.....I hope this helps.....LAST thing, be careful when buying these as most people know what they have AND it was the SAME shifter used on 1969 CAmaro's and most people advertise them as for Camaro's whereas they bring SOO)O much more $ from the Camaro people!...

Original shifter and handle in my 10/1967 built Ram Air car

Original shifter and handle in my 10/1967 built Ram Air car

Original shifter and handle in my 10/1967 built Ram Air car

here is an original shifter and handle I bought at a flea market several years ago, Notice the shifter has NO holes in it for the handle to bolt onto....ALSO< some one cut the handle and welded it for shorter shifting!!!.

John,
If you have an extra 67 handle I would be happy to buy it.... Or a picture of one would be good too.

Jim, I possibly do have one OR know where to get one....My pics are on disc's and I will post a correct picture when I can ...Hopefully today.

Is this one correct for 67?

It SURE does look like it ...any better pics?...BTW, The 1967 shifters were terrible!...They looked and shifted like some one hammered a flat stock of metal down and taped on threads for a shifter ball.......BUT if you want correct, I will look in the parts I have.....AND the 1967 did not have writting on them.

I do not want 100% correct for my 67. I want something that looks correct(or close) and works good. I might try to adapt a handle to fit the newer style shifter assembly.

I see......Good luck..Let us know how you make out...I looked thru some disc and only found some pics of the 1967 400 car that I have pics of BUT no interior shots..(I have them some where)..BUT the picture you posted sure looks correct to me.

I'll show before and after pics. Right now I would be happy to just drive the car! Maybe in a week or two.

Sad news last week....My DR. stated that She was going to report me to the RMV and to take my license as I have health issues and she and other Dr.'s of mine feel I should not drive any longer!...I am trying to get re-certified by the RMV as the Dr.'s want NO liability on them!...WOW some culture we live in!

Sorry to hear that John. My nephew had the same thing happen because he has seizures. He got his license back when he could prove a certain time between seizures. I guess you have to be seizure free for a year?

Yes you are correct...I have had seizures for 25+ years now and I lost my lic then....I have not had any seizures in 15-20 years now But the reason they want to pull my lic is that I have 2 issues, one..I have a mast in the brain that can not be removed and it is pushing on my right eye and I have no vision in the right eye...AND second..I had back surgery and can not feel my right leg or foot and it has been this way for 1 year and 4 months now and the Dr's say I will not get any better and will never feel the leg or foot again...They call it MMI...Maximum Medical Improvement...So with both issues they want to pull my lic...In some ways I feel they are right, In some ways I do not....I am hoping on having the RMV make the final decision.

Jim, depending on which Hurst body you have (aftermarket Competition Plus or stock) you may be able to select a different handle.

Hurst has a catalog with an extensive selection of shifter handles that will fit the bolt on style aftermarket bodies. However, the original shift knobs do not always fit the new handles.

John, you knew you were on borrowed driving time and you made good use of it with your fine collection of cars and Harley new and old...good luck to you. I had a friend who was blind in one eye from birth and it did not stop him from getting a license, but seizures, that's a different story. And as for the neuropathy, there are a lot of people with diabetes and other conditions that have sensation issues, in fact I do as well having severed all the nerves in the fingers of my left hand when I was 18, it is something you learn to work around, and who is a doctor to say what you "can" or "cannot" do based only on a diagnosis?

Vikki...The Dr's feel that since I have been diagnosed with the nerve damage to my leg (because of the back injury and surgery) That any laywer could hold them responsible as they knew of my condition...I am now having my laywer involved and he thinks that if the RMV re-tests me and OK's me to drive that the Dr's are no longer liable.

John,. ....sorry to hear it...the eye should not be a problem , my buddy even had a CDL with one eye (one lost due to Diabetes), but the leg might be a different story.....
I really feel for you...I dont know how I would feel if I couldnt drive....

Thanks Bjorn...the leg is the problem...I have a new 2008 car and I bought it in September and it only has 850 miles on it (Yes Vikki I traded the convertible for a brand new one)I was and am hoping for the weather to get nice enough to drive it! ..Lets hope I still can...My son did say he would take this car if I could not drive! ...So nice of him huh?....I will keep you informed.

John,
Don't give up on improvement. I've had two back surgeries and I still see some improvement even after almost ten years. Keep up the stretches and exercise.

My mom has neuropathy from autoimmune diseases, pain was so bad she went to the Mayo Clinic and they stripped the nerves out of her legs. So she has no sensation either...dropped foot and all...her docs there have no issues with her driving, at least not yet which is good as she just got a Mercedes roadster.

Sounds like yet another very cool toy, John! Drive on! Nothing wrong with your driving when I was there, and I suppose nothing much has changed since then.

thanks Vikki and Jim....I still have hope that I will retain my lic But you never know..My Dr. does care for me and likes me But as she stated it is in the best interest of everyone if I do not drive ....I have her convinced that I will get retested at the RMV and if they say fine, I see no no problems...Yes Vikki I can still handle a Very powerful car

That is the same as my 67.
Big ugly bracket with a stabilizer rod that runs back to a brkt mntd to the tail shaft.
Atually worked pretty decent after adjusting it.
Not as good as a Hurst though.

John,

You've lived a good life, and now deserve to be driven around in your Firebird!

So what you are saying is that my flat bolt on shifter arm is indeed incorrect for my 10/07 built 68??? The car was so original when I got it and stripped it I would be surprised it was changed out at some point...

By the way, I'LL drive ya around...can I spin the tires huh? Can I can I

Dave,
Your original would have looked exactly like the one in the picture I posted of the 68.

I have a couple of pics on my phone, can't upload until I get home...both round bar with HURST in recessed panel. Different numbers on the bodies, will take a closer look tonight including codes on bars.

I think John would have a hard time finding someone to drive his cars like he does, at least with him in it...

Well, looks like I will b e searching for one then....if anyone has one I will graciously take it off their hands for a hamburger..

OK, a small fee...

I assume these have the clip in connection? D'ya think they can be modified for my shifter, with the 2 holes?

Still is weird tho, I checked the dates on the tranny too and they fit with the production dates...perhaps the hurst shifter was replaced??

Well...my very early built '68 also has a different arm. Let's compare pics. I'll try to get to the storage unit this weekend. Meanwhile, I am trying to get my PC to read my phone card...

These are probably the worst pics I have ever taken...I'll retake with a real camera over the weekend.

Now as for the shift knobs, what IS correct? I've seen 3 speeds in black, most 4 speeds in white, but parts book does not list white for Firebird.

These are both OEM GM, round handle with Hurst. 2 different shifters shown.

Hey Vikki, have you seen any 4 spd knobs matching interior color?
Need to find mine cause i remember it being blue.
Course the last time i saw it was back in 93...maybe black, but not white.
Really need to go thru and reorganize everything.

I'm sorry but I couldn't pass this up... They say that's a sign of having a beer belly... LOL

All I've seen is white, black, walnut and Hurst aftermarket T handles

On column shift manuals there were trim colored knobs, I think.

I wish I did know what was correct for '68 4 speed, I don't have a lot of pics to see if it changed during the year.

From what I have seen and researched over 30= years...The only correct color shift knob for FGF is black.

I have a black knob on now, it originally had the t handle...but it had looked like a rottweiler chewed on it!

Don't suppose you want to part with one of those round ones Vikki ??

the one that is to be correct is a black one and it would have a ring around the center of it as to look like it was 2 half circles put together to make a ball.....And to be correct, there should be no lock nut on the handle to the ball..Except for the optional wood grain shift knob, it DID have a lock nut.

Remember mine being a two piece.
Have to find it when get home.

Wonder how many beers it will take Fbody69...

Until I can't see my 'shifter'? Never!