Shift It! Why An Upgrade Could Be Just What You Need
Each road trip, weekend cruise or quarter mile pass begins with your Corvette Shifter. Whether you have manual or automatic transmission, the choice to keep it stock or upgrade the Shifter is yours. For some, this is an easy decision. For those who are still on the fence, there are some definite benefits to upgrading your Corvette Shifter.
Keep It Stock
There are several reasons to keep your stock Shifter. The most obvious is if you want to keep your Corvette original. If you don’t plan to race your Corvette and you enjoy the drive as-is, a stock shifter is perfect for you. Stock shifters also tend to be quieter than aftermarket, as the original shifter has a rubber isolated shaft and includes the original insulating pads. However, in terms of performance and shift time, an aftermarket Short Throw Shifter definitely enhances the drive.
Short Throw Shifter – What Is It?
A Short Throw Shifter is a common upgrade for Corvette owners. It is built shorter than the original shifter to reduce the distance the stick has to travel to engage the next gear, which in turn reduces the time spent shifting. The Short Throw Shifter also provides more accurate and positive gear selection and engagement improving acceleration and deceleration times during competition.
How Does It Work?
A Short Throw Shifter modifies the geometry of the shifter by moving the pivot point higher up the shift rod, causing you to move the shifter less distance. The Short Throw Shifter removes the jerky, off track shift that comes with the stock shifter, instead providing tighter and more controlled shifting for a level of precision that longer shifters simply cannot offer. The result is better control of your Corvette for the ultimate driving experience.
Most short throw shifters include a shorter shift handle, changing the look and feel of your shifter. A variety of shifters are available to restore the original height or fit any hand.
Increased Durability
Short Throw Shifters can also offer more durability with less all around wear and tear on your Corvette’s manual transmission. By removing the tendency to miss shifts from a sloppy stock shifter, Short Throw Shifters can reduce shift fork damage. Some include positive stops to prevent the lever from traveling too far, preventing transmission problems. Overall, any Corvette owner considering an upgrade to aftermarket Shifters is on the right track to better performance.
Customize The Shift Out Of It!
Shift Knobs
Every Corvette owner has their own style. Luckily, there is a Shift Knob out there to match that style! Styles vary from OE replacements; to manual knobs with shift patterns; to round, delrin or ergonomically designed shift knobs. The Hurst Shift Knob brings back the classic Corvette Shifter look in black or white. Shift Knob finishes include chrome, leather, carbon fiber, wood grain and virtually everything in between.
Shift Boots
Whether you stick with Stock or go with a Short Throw Shifter, there are countless options for customization. Custom Shift Boots are a great way to add a splash of color to your interior. They come in a variety of colors and styles and installation is easy! Keep in mind that installation is a little different for manual vs. automatic transmission.
Accent Stitched – Shift Boot features color choices to retain the elegance of the factory interior, while complementary colored French seam stitching adds a subtle custom touch.
2 Tone – Choose the inner leather color, then the outer leather color along with accent stitched French seams.
Finish Line – Features a black and white checkered Finish Line design on one side with a single solid color leather on the other.
Hurst Shifters
When the first Hurst shifter appeared in 1959, it already had its signature curved, flat chromed lever topped by a knob that resembled a cue ball.
By the late 1960s, Hurst transmission shifters and other products became legendary in auto racing, particularly in drag racing and among custom car makers. For example, many automobile enthusiasts replaced flimsy factory shifters with Hurst shifters to obtain better control of gear selection, particularly for competitive driving. It was even said that, “If you didn’t have a Hurst shifter in your supercar, you were a mild-mannered loser.”
The units were so good that U.S. automakers were forced to offer Hurst branded gear sticks on their muscle car models, although at the time they preferred manufacturing their own parts rather than outsourcing.
