lol that depends on how long your arms are.
I never used the SSIII shift rods. I just use the stock shift rods and I never found the stock shift rods to be any less shiftable than the SSIII shift rods.
IMHO, those SSIII shifters are the best H pattern shifter out there. I still prefer a Hurst Ram Rod but those things are pretty rare and damned expensive.
I never liked reaching for the shifter. Especially third gear. I've driven cars that were so uncomfortable I could barely power shift them. It was no wonder the car owners couldn't shift them. Driver comfort is number one.
I like my handle longer with a nice bend backwards. I've never found that the length of the shift handle or its various contortions and bends ever made a slower shift than a short, straight handle. Speed comes from repetition and its not in your right hand. It's the left leg that makes a fast shift.