Trans Mount Holes Coming Up Short of Trans Crossmember Holes

[GMAD_Van Nuys]

If you are still having issues, you might consider checking out this adjustable cross member:

https://conversioncrossmembers.com/product/transmission-crossmember-f-body/

[dtep]

Swapping the mounts on the frame took care of it...mostly.  Now the bolt holes in the rubber mount are too far back by about half the bolt hole but I think I can make that work.  The new issue that I found is that the throw on the shifter is so long that it hits the front of the shifter hole plate that goes on top of the console and comes up just short of the back of the plate.  Gotta go research the best way to shorten the shifter throw.  But I'm making progress!  Thanks for all of the help!

[169INDY]

Have you used the Max Arc travel of the Hurst Comp Plus mounting bracket for tilting the shifter Aft to gain max clearance of the Handle to console and hole?
Photo attached

[dtep]

I have not tried the MaxArc travel adjustment yet.  It appears that that would also raise the shifter handle up which would help to solve the problem.  I did some really rough measurements on the clearance between the handle and the shifter plate.  In 2nd gear the handle is about 1" from the plate while 4th gear is about 3/4" from the plate.  In 1st and 3rd gears, the handle just bumps against the plate, with 1st hitting a little more than 3rd.  That might make sense given the 2nd and 4th measurements.  Reverse, however, goes past the front of the plate and will definitely need to be adjusted more than the other gears.  Unfortunately, my help for taking the trans and block out of the car was running out of time for me so everything is now out. 

[GMAD_Van Nuys]

I found a photo taken of a 1968 Camaro transmission tunnel for a 4-speed car:

https://www.camaros.net/threads/shifter-hole.457215/

Comments were also made that some owners of 1969 Camaros had tunnels that appeared to be cut with a torch on manual transmission cars.  In 1969, Hurst shifters were standard for 4-speed cars and perhaps this is why there were issues with clearance that required the use of a cutting torch at the factory.

[dtep]

Thanks for that link GMAD_Van Nuys.  The template that I used to cut the hole in my car was from the original tunnel picture in post #20.

My understanding is that Fisher Body punched out the holes in the tunnels in 67-68 and welded in the reinforcing ring while in 69, the holes were cut on the final assembly line and no reinforcing ring was used.  I have a 69 Z-28 that has a ratty hole cut in it and no reinforcing ring.  The location of the hole does not match the 68 template that I used.

[GMAD_Van Nuys]

Interesting that you could get a Hurst shifter as an option when the Firebird debuted in 1967:

https://firstgenfirebird.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/331395.html

You would have thought that GM would have designed the floor pan originally so it would not have to be modified at the assembly plant when installing the Hurst shifter.

[bcmiller]

Interesting that you could get a Hurst shifter as an option when the Firebird debuted in 1967:

https://firstgenfirebird.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/331395.html

You would have thought that GM would have designed the floor pan originally so it would not have to be modified at the assembly plant when installing the Hurst shifter.

Pontiacs always got the "better" parts. GTOs started getting Hurst shifters in 1964.