at a dead stop tranny doesnt want to slide into first or reverse sometimes, have the hurst short throw shifter base. swapped back to stock and its fine, any idea what the problem is? should I get a new shifter? stay with stock?
That doesn't add up. No matter what shifter you use, it's usually bad syncros or an improperly adjusted clutch cable that makes it hard to put into gear. You say it only does it with the Hurst shifter though... so check the shifter stops or possibly something is bent at the base or the bushing is worn or gone.
difficulty getting into gears tells me the clutch is not disengaging all the way...If it's not an adjustment issue, it's more than likely a clutch issue...not a trans issue.
check your trans fluid level then, that would be my first suggestion...
pads on the clutch forks could be worn/broken....reverse and first have two different clutch forks, and the syncro's and 5th gear and slider almost never wear, so that's why my first suspicion was not a trans problem. If it's still pretty stiff just in those gears though with the engine off, then it may need to be cracked open