Some sort of factory documentation for Muncie shift lever
 

Yesterday we showed our recently restored 1969 Malibu 350/300 4 speed at the AACA Hersey Fall Nationals. I ordered the car new, and it is done to perfection, all correct.
A judge however questioned the "Muncie" engraving (factory of course) on my bench seat 4 speed shift handle.
AACA requires judges to ask the owner for documentation if they are unsure of an item.
My original window sticker only shows M20 4 speed, no mention of "Muncie", likewise, all my other documentation. Now, we all know Muncie was GM's transmission arm, but these judges didn't.
Try as I might, I cannot find a Chevroletr factory photo of the shifter, and I've been scouring GM Parts Wiki but can't find anything that shows a link to Muncie for a shift lever.

Is there anyone out there with better searching skills that can point me to something I can use if this comes up again ? (BTW, they did give me the benefit of the doubt and didn't deduct.....this time). Happily, we got our Senior award.

Viz

Maybe the AACA should have judges that know what they are doing.

I suppose. They do sort of advocate however that judges, in most cases, should not be "experts" on the cars they are judging as they might tend to be overly critical. They're not supposed to "nitpick", rather, evaluate how close does the car appear to be as it would have been delivered by the dealer.

Viz

Judge
 

If a car show judge is going judge a car then he should know how to judge a car. Not your fault he doesn’t know how to do the task.

Richard

A few years ago Chuck Hanson told me of getting a call from someone who was at an AACA show and having a judge dispute his '70 Chevelle SS 396 having chrome valve covers. Yet I have seen cars with AACA's highest awards with many glaring authenticity issues.

This car would be a hit at MCACN, would love to see pix!!

Bill W

A judge that doesn't know a Muncie shifter was standard with a Muncie transmission ??? Yes, they had their name stamped in the handle, just like Hurst has. Maybe the judge has only seen all the Hurst replacement shifters, since the Muncie shifter wasn't the best for rapid gear changes and usually got replaced early on.

Do you mean pix of my car or the SS you were referring to?

I meant to say, YOUR car would be a hit at MCACN (especially being an original owner car!) and would love to see pix of it!!

Car Show Judges....
 

We had the 6cyl Hugger Orange 1970 Nova at the Rhinebeck spring car show a number of years ago. When the judges came by to 'look her over' one of them asked me who painted the car?? I told him Chevrolet...he said he meant to ask "who repainted it?" I tried to explain it was not repainted and was original factory lacquer paint.

After some back and forth one of the 'gentlemen' finally figured it out and they went on their way. They ended up giving me an award just as I was ready to go home.

My sense is they were judging more on cosmetics and less on originality...that was my last visit to their show field.

-wilma

totally agree! would love to see pix! definitely a sure fit at the MCACN.

I was at Hershey on Saturday & I did see this car, if I remember correctly, it is Black. As Charley would say "This post is useless without pics". I also saw a 71 Chevelle Malibu Convt. 350 4-speed, bucket seats A/C, positraction, sandalwood w/saddle interior.

The judge may not have been too incorrect, but he probably didn't know it. M20 through various years could also refer to the Saginaw 4 speed trans, particularly after 1974 when Muncie stopped making transmissions. Basically, M20 referred to a wide ratio, 4 speed transmission.

Viz, perhaps this will help. I came across this 1969 photo while restoring our 69 Yenko Chevelle with an M21. You can clearly see the Muncie stamped shifter handle in the photo. Hope this helps.
Rick

Here's a link to the GM Heritage Center sales brochure for a 69 Chevelle:

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...t-Chevelle.pdf

on the second to last page is a shot of the interior with the Muncie shifter, although the Muncie is hard to see. Someone may have a higher rez photo. The shape of the shifter is correct for a Muncie.

Thanks Rick!!! You helped me with answers to several questions during the restoration. Appreciate it!

Yes, the black one is mine. Is it OK to post pictures in this thread? Wouldn’t really be a highjack?
Viz

https://i.postimg.cc/pTJMn3gx/0a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Vv7yKnfV/0.jpg

https://www.hollywoodmotorsusa.com/v...hevelle-malibu

Thank you all for the pictures and links, I think we're in good shape now. Sincerely appreciate it !
I don't know if it's OK to post pictures here, and I will move them if requested, so here are a few of the car. I ordered it new, it brought each of my newborn sons home from the hospital in the 70's, was stored away in 1981 with 170,000+ miles and the original clutch and entire drivetrain which it still retains, as well as all of the original dated mechanical components. Restoration started in 2017, completed this Spring.

Beautiful!:biggthumpup:

Beautiful, indeed....and priceless! Kudos to you for hanging on to it all these years and giving it a proper restoration after it served you faithfully for many years and miles :worship:

It's YOUR thread, you can post, almost, anything you want in it...:grin:
Super nice car.
I didn't catch that it was a Malibu. That may have been what the inspector was referring to, that it may have a Saginaw trans and why did it have a Muncie shifter. The Saginaw was never put behind a 350 engine to start with and they never had their own shifter. As far as I know, and I could be wrong, even the cars with a Sag got a Muncie shifter. Whether the handle was stamped in that application, I have no knowledge. William, or someone, may have that answer, as the Saginaw's were installed behind 327's in the early Camaros.
Either way, with a Muncie trans, the handle is correct.

Here's some more info on shifter handles: http://www.camaros.org/shifters.shtml#sag

shift lever
 

If you got a Saginaw transmission 3 or 4 speed, it came with a Muncie shifter, but the handle or lever didn't get stamped. But if you got a Muncie transmission your handle was stamped.

AACA judges are generally clueless. if they wanted to dock you they could have got you for the white Hurst ball... yet they go after the shifter itself. Your car is spectacular btw.

Thank you! It was a long labor of love. (No white Hurst ball on mine, still have the original black one on it

BB chevelle trans,shifter,linkage
 

i got this out of car. but, my shifter is not gradual curve. it comes up, and back like a 90 towards seat. but says muncie, with silver knob.

Welcome. It sounds like your shifter lever is for a bench seat.

Too Many Projects
 

it did have bench seat. was going put in my car originally. but things changed. Car is still in cow field, last seen, had trees growing thru. see people said, should have white knob, mine is silver(changed?) .

Too Many Projects
 

it did have bench seat. was going put in my car originally. but things changed. Car is still in cow field, last seen, had trees growing thru. see people said, should have white knob, mine is silver(changed?) . I suck at computers.

Hard to say without more info. What did the shifter come out of ? 3 or 4 speed, console, etc. Any background would help.