sdibbers
Well-Known Member
I don’t blame you. It is possible to remove and replace the selector rod from under the car without pulling the prop shaft (it’s a bit of a pain, but doable with longer extensions and 7/16” spanner’s and sockets).
Undo the two nuts and bolts securing the metalastic bushing to the lower frame under the gear lever (again remember this is the series one shifter not the series two with a better assembly). Move the selector finger to the 3 & 4th gear selector slot, push the reverse selector into the gearbox and then rotate the selector rod and finger to the left of the car to disengage. You can then pull the rod back and drop it out.
I turned a brass tip for the selector finger that’s a nice sliding fit into the slots of the selector forks. Filled it with epoxy and then fitted to the finger. The fingers originally had a small nylon tip, which disintegrates over the years leaving things a little sloppy. See video on my link for how it should sound/feel when fixed. I’ve attached a photo of my highly accurate technical drawing.
Reassembly, as the Haynes book of lies says, is a reversal of disassembly. Just make sure the two steel parts capture the bush as per my photos, I’ve see. Them assembled incorrectly giving a lot of slop.
