Shifter Rod

I also installed the shifter rod today. I got a variety of bits-n-pieces from Pelican Parts to refurbish it, while I was at it:


Due to extreme laziness on my part, I did not end up using the Shift Coupler Bushings (replacing the old ones involves driving a pin out of the rear shifter rod). Here are the original parts from the car:

First order of business was to remove the old firewall shifter bushing and install the new one. It was not as hard as I expected - popped right in given the proper leverage with a screwdriver. Next is to install the front shifter rod. I found, to my dismay, that you absolutely cannot install the front shifter rod with the engine mounting bar in place. The hole in the bar is offset enough so that pushing the front rod through it causes it to hang up on various things inside the tunnel, and you certainly cannot insert it from the front, or above or below the bar. So, I lowered the engine an inch or two and inserted the bar, then put the engine back in.

Once you get the rod in, make sure it is properly oriented. There is a dimple on the rod that the cone set screw will match up with -this dimple has to be pointing directly down for the rear shift rod to mate properly with it:


Once you have this in place, and the rear rod nicely attached with the cone set screw, you can insert the front rod into the shift lever. Tighten down the set screw, or it will just fall out again:

Finally, put the transmission in neutral - this is what that looks like. You will know if it is actually in neutral if, when you spin one rear wheel, the other wheel stays still. If instead the other wheel spins the opposite direction, you know it's not really in neutral:


I popped on the new ball cup shift bushing and the new rear shift rod bushing, and inserted the rear rod and tightened the cone set screw. Note the rear cover dangling from the rear rod - don't forget this, or you will have to disassemble it all again to get the cover on:


Last step was to attach the boot to the firewall. I found it was easiest to attach it at the bottom first (near where the emergency brake cable is), and then tug it on over the rest of the ring:


Just for fun, here are the old bushings I removed:


Next up: the clutch and throttle cables, and wiring for the new electronic speedometer - and then I'm done with the engine compartment!