[larphred]

Hi guys. Newbie on this forum. I’m doing some mods on my ‘59 ‘Vette. we built a strong SBC w/Super T-10. Then attached and adjusted Vertical Gate shifter. I haven’t started the engine yet, so the tranny gears haven’t turned very much. The shifter works smoothly but finding neutral is a problem. There is no positive “signal” indicating neutral. There is a loose range in which neutral exists. So shifting into reverse involves moving the shift lever while searching for the “magic notch“ to allow the shifter to enter reverse.
Since we carefully adjusted the shifter I’m guessing the detent ball springs on the tranny side plate might need to be replaced.
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Larry

 

[ericnova72]

If this is a street ride, you are going to find out that Vertical Gate is a real PITA, that's about all I can tell you.

It is made to go violently up through the gears but nothing else, downshifting, finding nuetral, and reverse all take careful fiddling with the thing.
it's not a cruiser friendly thing.

I've heard of guys having to put stronger springs on the Muncie scissors style internal detent system in the side cover, but I don't know about the spring and ball detent style.
Could be a help to you to put stiffer springs under the balls (That's what she said!...)

 

[AutoGear]

Eric is correct on the Muncie; and theres a Syracuse made 20-pound spring for it.
With the ST-10, the ball, spring, possible shim setup really needs to be carefully managed.

Eric @ Crash Enterprises in Wisconsin builds a wide variety of 4 speeds, AND restores vintage Hurst shifters (In fact I got the silver-cad plated linkage rods for my dads early Hurst shifter from Eric). Hes a class act and understands both systems. Give him a call and tell him Nathan @ AG sent you.

 

[larphred]

Thanks guys. I’m running fully forged sbc with wet nitrous. Aluminum flywheel & Centerforce clutch and Ford 9” with Detroit locker. I know I’m not building a cruiser, I’m just tired of rice rockets, although I used to build them and drove one.
(plus, it’s an anti-theft device.)

 

[S10xGN]

Thanks guys. I’m running fully forged sbc with wet nitrous. Aluminum flywheel & Centerforce clutch and Ford 9” with Detroit locker. I know I’m not building a cruiser, I’m just tired of rice rockets, although I used to build them and drove one.
(plus, it’s an anti-theft device.)

Sooo many funny not-funny vids out there of potential car-jackers bumfoozled by a stick-shift...

Russ

 

[kso]

Before we graduated high school in the mid-late '70s I was helping a buddy build a 350 V8 Vega w/ rr frame and narrowed 12-bolt w/ tucked M-50-14s, he insisted on and somehow paid for a V-gate shifter, cheaper than, well, a Lenco while still looking super-tough in there... Man, did it do one thing well; burnouts through the first three gears, yee-haw. It took a while before I could downshift back any gear and particularly into first without peering down and looking at it. Engaging reverse was a ritual, I don't think anybody even tried to think it could be made any easier. I got more proficient with it but the car was quickly wrecked by the idiot owner. That shifter is probably still in a box somewhere.

Anyhow, you'll feel about where neutral is after a while.

 

[big gear head]

I've never had a V Gate, but my RamRod goes into neutral pretty easy, and reverse isn't a problem either.

 

[larphred]

Before we graduated high school in the mid-late '70s I was helping a buddy build a 350 V8 Vega w/ rr frame and narrowed 12-bolt w/ tucked M-50-14s, he insisted on and somehow paid for a V-gate shifter, cheaper than, well, a Lenco while still looking super-tough in there... Man, did it do one thing well; burnouts through the first three gears, yee-haw. It took a while before I could downshift back any gear and particularly into first without peering down and looking at it. Engaging reverse was a ritual, I don't think anybody even tried to think it could be made any easier. I got more proficient with it but the car was quickly wrecked by the idiot owner. That shifter is probably still in a box somewhere.

Anyhow, you'll feel about where neutral is after a while.

Thanks for the info. It’s the confidence builder. I need it now. 😁😁