I have read a good deal about my options for a shifter in my 11 GT and I initially decided to wait on the Hurst Billet Plus 2 because I've had good luck with them in the past. Now, several of my friends are trying to persuade me to go with the Barton setup. I drove my buddy's v6 that has the Barton and I must admit, I loved it (although I'd love to drive a 5.0 equipped with it.) Should I just go with the Barton and forget the Hurst or go ahead and wait for it? Thanks for any help, advice, personal experience...

 

What would it hurt to wait and see some reviews from others before you pull the trigger? That's what I would do, especially since it sounds like you're still on the fence.

 

Wait for the MGW. It is going to be a direct replacement as it will replace the stock shift links, shift box, and shifter.

 

I met the guys who make the Barton shifter at a car show today. They let me sit in their whippled 5.0 and try out the shifter, its worlds better than the Hurst.

 

Barton....no question. I have had many shifters in many cars and this is the best one.

 

Another you may want to consider is the Steeda Tri-Ax shifter. I have one along with the Barton brace and I'm quite satisfied.

 

have barton shifter and bracket as I've said on several boards, I love it. That said, Steeda, Hurst and others make great products. I love my choice, but don't doubt for a second that others might be a better fit for some folks.

 

I'd like to get a Barton shifter as well but waiting to see what Ford will do with this MT82 tranny-shifter linkage issue.

 

I wasn't aware there was a shifter linkage issue although I have stated many times that I thought that was what many peoples issues were from, not the tranny. Did they officially come out n say there was an issue?

 

Barton for me. Can't speak to the others, but Barton stands behind their product 100%, even if they aren't responsible for the damage...that I may have done myself...

 

I know the other shifters are good, but one thing the Hurst has that none of the others have is that classic appearance. I've had a Hurst short-throw shifter in my '05 GT for over 5 years now, and I love it each time I shift with it and look at it. There's nothing else that looks like it.

So it depends what you want - if you want the slickest, best performing shifter, the choice seems to be Barton. But I can't imagine that the Hurst will be a bad product (has there ever been a bad Hurst shifter?), and for my money, nothing looks better or more classic than a Hurst cue ball sitting atop the engraved chrome blade.