These are not heat treated. They only need to move a shifter, linkages, forks and synchro hubs against the strength of the transmission's detent. This is a piece of mild steel and it will bend like a pretzel cold, with enough force, but not nearly as uniform, as easily or as controlled as with heat. Have you ever seen what a strut rod does in a collision? If Chrysler were going to spend the dough on heat treating anything, it would have been those.
I bend metal like this all day, at work to make things for street rods.
If you want to salvage the chrome and bend it low, do this;
Set the flat end in a vise with two pieces of sheet metal or even some washers on the flat sides, so the knurling of the vise doesn't chew the shifter mount, get a soaking wet rag and wrap the handle, about 2" above the bend in the rag, keep a quart of water nearby and wet the rag as you use a torch to heat the bend at the base. the bigger the rag, the better to hold more water.
Put the bend where you want it and continue cooling the handle area that is covered by the rag with fresh water. Let the bend air cool until you can handle it and test fit.
The chrome will come off at the point of heat, but if you use a wet rag as a heat soak, it should keep the temp controlled and will keep the chrome you have looking good, where it is visible.
Ask me how I know. ;)