Just picked up a 1970 top loader 4 speed and it came with a interesting looking shifter.I did a search on ebay and found one just like it.It is a Hurst Vertigate shifter or a "Ram rod shifter"as they called it. It has the T handle for putting it in first gear and another shifter for putting it in reverse.What year did these shifters come out and were they any good?
We are putting one in the "In-Bomber" '57 Chevy. They came out in either 1969 or 1970 as I recall just as Mr. Gasket came out with the V-Gate. For some reason it never really caught on like Mr. gasket's version and it was only made for a few years. Pull the lever up and shift forward into 1st, pull back into 2nd and let go of the lever, then forward into 3rd and back again into 4th. Personally I think these are cooler than the V-Gate since it's Hurst and they weren't made for long. -Dean
I had one in my big block Nova back in 70. They were an excellent shifter. I think the reason they didn't sell was the Mr. Gasket version was a great deal cheaper in cost. Tho not even close to the Hurst quality. The average car thief will never be able to steal your car!
Seems like these shifters were a chevy thing.I notice that the mount on mine is homemade,after all mine is on a Ford toploader. Did they make them for Fords?
I have one on my Liberty prepped Toploader crashbox. Sorry for the bad picture. The previous owner made shift rods out of tubing for the forward gears. Must have had some deflection.
To answer the OP, they work great! Pull up the T for first, shifting fast into second does not require holding it up. So a true straight line shifter while racing.
Hurst, Mr. Gasket, same quality. I like the Mr. Gasket for what I assume most others liked back then. Mr. Gasket has an aluminum brass knuckle type pull handle and the Hurst has a T type pull handle. The Mr. Gasket just had a more aggressive look. I have three of them and they are my favorite of any shifter.
About 1971/72 a friend of mine put a Mr. Gasket version in his 66 hemi Belvedere sedan S/S drag car, I recall it being a little tempermental to get adjusted at first.
Driving on the street, the reverse disengagement feature helps. Without having to touch the reverse stick, pull the trigger and it pops into neutral. Then simply push forward for first.
The ramrod and the mr gasket version are different animals. I prefer the ramrod over the Mr gasket. Same in line principle though. Iv had this same shifter on a T10...a saginaw..and now this A833. Same shifter for all makes other than the mounting bracket and rods. .and hey we should all be able to make those. Even if I didn't have any more 4 speeds..this would be hanging up in the shop. Love these shifters. Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
A friend had a Hurst Ram Rod in his F'lane, FBB and Top Loader trans...I used to drive it occasionally and even on the street with easy driving it worked great...
Had Mr.gasket in my 66 GTO on a m22 Muncie, from what I remember it was hard on synchronizers, seems I could shift faster than the trans was ready for...
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