Hello Jerry, Sounds like you have put the right amount of thought into your Brownie shifter. My memory and age must be about the same as yours. I actually liked the spring loaded aspect of the Hurst shifter as it helped my shifting not get tangled up which would require a trip under the car and on my back to line things back up again. I had less trouble with the Hurst shifter than even the factory OEM shifter on a 1962 Corvette I drove back then.
I also have a 1946 Seagrave canopy cab, that is lined up to have a Cummins repower and will be a 5th wheel tractor also (no fire equipment) and used for car/tractor and hay hauling. Do you have a picture of your '61 GMC pug?
Alan