Having trouble with my 4-5 shift, real tight, It's always something simple Options

[cary]

Haven't spent much time with my 73 2.0L. But I needed to take a look at the 4-5 shift. Shifting down from 5-4 it wants to go into 2nd. Not good ...............
I did the Chris bungee and twist the shift rod clockwise procedure. No help ..........
Shifter in and out 3 or 4 times and I finally figured it out. It took a mirror and a mini flashlight.
I should preface. Oilite bushing at the transmission. Tangerine bushing at the firewall. Refurbished shifter. Clutch tube reattached ahead of the shifter.

What I found was that the bottom half of the primary tunnel tube support let go.
Which allows the clutch tube to to rise up and drag on the shift rod. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

This is a shot of my rustoration project

I guess the floor pan will be up for some surgery ............. With Mark's car opened up I'll be able figure how I can open it up and do the needed work with the smallest hole.

[cary]

I start with removing the broken upper portion. Drilled out the one spot from the drivers seat and it fell to the floor.

I thought I'd add that shot for everyone's orientation.

Then measured and created my new Bionic center support.


In she went ...............




Here's shot of the abrasion on the shift rod.
Cleaned it up with my mini belt sander.


Beings that every car that I've tore down this far has a worn thru support. I decided that I'd shim up the shifter with some welded on washers.


I'd like say every thing ended happy ever after. NOT.
After aligning the shifter I took her for a spirited test drive. Left the shop everything was fine. By the time I got back I could barely make the 4-5 shift again. I traded out shifter, no change. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
Tomorrow I'll start with pulling the shift rods and polishing the portions that go thru the bushings be. The best way to describe the feeling of the shift is binding resistance.
But only the 4-5.