shifter problems

[madvette74]

i have a 74 4-speed it says hurst on the shifter, when i put it into 1st gear i have to push real hard where it hits my shifter plate and acuallaly i need to push hard enough so my console moves a bit, it always hit but now it finaly got worse, can i adjust the linkage under the car to fix this..( my console lines up with the gauge panel and everything else that connects to it, so i believe thats not the problem, it does not hit when i put it in third)

 

[Paul Borowski]

Your shifter rods are threaded just for adjustments as you described. They can also be set-up for a "shorter throw" so your shifter arm travel is quite less and will not "hit" your console. Sounds like the rod for first gear is not adjusted "long enough", resulting in you having to use your shifter to "make up" the difference. On Hurst shifter too, there are "travel limiters", that when adjusted properly won't let the shifter arm over travel, but you'll have to have the shifter adjusted properly for engagement of the gears before these "limiters" can be set.