Something must be wrong with you guy's shifters... I've tried out most of the shifters....I really like my Hurst one the best. Notchy? I bought mine because it wasn't like that...
About the inner shift boot. I cut it, so that it fit around the base of the shifter (below the stops.) You wont have any problems with it anymore.
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88' Texas Highway Patrol. 5-Speed Conversion (FINALLY!)
97 Cobra Wheels, 3.73's, 2.5 H-Pipe (no cats), Spintech Pro Street Mufflers, 5 Lug Conversion (Moser 28 spline axles, FMS rotors), Hurst Billet Shifter and a Dirty K@N.
13.7@99.3