Pistol grip shifter handle removal

[Dakota]

I just looked at two slide in shifters I have and there's locking tabs on both sides of the shifter handle. In the past, I've always shoved a thin feeler gauge in on both sides of the shifter because I couldn't remember which side to put the feeler gauge in. Always had them come right out.You might try that.
TW

Same set up on mine.  My feeler gauge shims ended up being sacrificial as I went though a couple before I found once stout enough to be leaned on but thin enough to fit.  I don't remember the size - sorry.   You'll need to reverse the process if you want it to go back in. 

[340Challman]

I just looked at two slide in shifters I have and there's locking tabs on both sides of the shifter handle. In the past, I've always shoved a thin feeler gauge in on both sides of the shifter because I couldn't remember which side to put the feeler gauge in. Always had them come right out.You might try that.
TW

Same set up on mine.  My feeler gauge shims ended up being sacrificial as I went though a couple before I found once stout enough to be leaned on but thin enough to fit.  I don't remember the size - sorry.   You'll need to reverse the process if you want it to go back in.

I guess it's a crap shoot. Could be one side, could be both sides.   Oh well, guess we'll just have to do both sides just in case. 

[DeathProofCuda]

Dredging up this old post in the hope that this may help someone out.

I've been driving around with a torn shifter boot for ages now because I could never get my push-in style pistol grip removed, until today...

I happened upon a couple of great Hurst shifter rebuild videos on Youtube last night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F3nh2p4lcM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EU9wj4vgdY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNN10cxa9yg

Both guys doing these videos use a bunch of home made tools to simplify the rebuild process.  From them, I got the idea to build this $3 push-in shifter removal tool.  I used a 1.5" flexible putty knife that I trimmed down to be about 3/4" wide.  The hardware store also had a 3/4" wide flexible putty knife, but that was $7.50, so I just trimmed the $3 one with a cutoff wheel.  My shifter was so stuck that I had to use a small hammer to tap this in along the driver's side of the shifter handle.  Worked like a charm! 

My shifter handle only has a slot for the tab on the driver's side, which is consistent with the factory service manual diagram and the information presented in these videos.