I want to keep my car all original, even if I have to sacrifice crisp shifting to do it. That doesn't mean I can't make it shift better.
When I restored the car, I bought all new shift bushings and a new ball cup. I could see daylight between the old bushings and the shafts. When I first drove the car after the restoration, I had the feeling that the linkages were held together with bungee cords and duct tape. I drive a 20 year old transport truck with a shorter throw than this car. (and that's with the new parts) The only thing I didn't change was the nylon balls in the shifting linkage. So I bought 2 new ones.

When they came in I measured them to find they were only .002" larger than the old ones, but the sockets they fit in had about .020" play. I also looked at all my new bushings, pulled out my old ones and found about the same thing. The shafts are worn some and the sockets are worn and all the new parts I installed won't make anything better. Can I find new shafts? No. So time to rebuild these ones. So here is what I did.
Rear shaft - welded spot welds on the small ball and flat wear areas that connect to tranny linkage. Filed them to fit snuggly.
Removed new rear bushing and wrapped 1/4" wide by .006" brass shim stock two complete wraps on the outside of the bushing in the recessed area and pressed it back into the tranny bracket. (trial and error until I had a nice fit) This worked so well in snugging up that bushing and shaft that I did the same thing to the bushing in the firewall. This was much more difficult to get into place and took several attempts but the result was a nice snug sliding fit for the forward shaft. The new bushings are soft enough to be compressed.
Next problem was to reduce the size of the 2 ball sockets on the rear shaft or make the balls bigger. A brass bushing would be ideal but it would be so thin that it couldn't be cut on a lathe. After hours of thought I came up with this.
Since the two new balls were the same size as my old ones, I used them to rebuild the sockets. Trial and error again. I determined that my .006" shim stock would again be just the right size for the task. I cut my brass shim stock to form a cylinder that would fit into the sockets. I then took my 2 new balls and put a screw into the holes so that they could be inserted and removed from the sockets insuring and good fit. A .006"shim cylinder would reduce the size of my holes by .012" and using brass provides a good wear surface. I then removed the brass and cleaned everything with brake cleaner. I put extra strength locktight (green) into the sockets (on walls) and onto the outside of the brass. I put the brass into the sockets and then inserted the new balls for the locktight to set. During the 10 minute set period I moved the balls up and down to insure they would remain free and the brass was pushed tighly to the socket walls. After 24 hours I removed the balls and cleaned up the bore, (some locktight leaked in) and then tried it on the car.
The result was great. It shifts like I would have hoped a new one would and brings a smile to my face every shift.
I don't know how long the fixes will last but for the miliage I put on in one year it should last several a least.

Now the only problem I have is getting into second gear without the occasional grind. I'm not sure if I am nicking reverse or the synco is gone for second, but that will be another post.

Nice Doug. Did you happen to take any pictures along the way?

I wish I had, but I didn't. that's why I was so long winded in trying to explain how I did it.
I could take a picture of the bushing with a shim wrap if that would help.

Yes please. Thanks. Is the brass shim stock readily available? Specialty item?

I use it at work - sizes from .0005" to .030", and buy it from industrial suppliers like Granger or Acklands/Granger as it is called in Canada. I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them here.

I suspected as much (Granger that is). My wife is a ME and orders from Granger all the time.

Thanks Doug.

I would suspect you are grinding reverse. When my coupling was going out this is what was happening to me. The back section of rod was not getting rotated completely and never reaching the second gear gate. If you went all the way to 4-5 gate and back then it would get second. then finally it all went to crap. Shifts great now but instictually whince at 1-2 shifts. never nicks or grinds. Seems like I need to drive it more. C-YA

Thanks Joe. I have had several cars where it was necessary to go to the 4-5 gate and back to find 2nd. Guess I better pay more attention to the coupling. I always stop after replacing bushings.

Tomorrow I am going to have to try that. Yes I do whince every time I shift from 1-2 even if it doesn't grind. If that's all it takes you've saved me alot of time and money.

Doug,

Did you take the shifter apart as well? There are 2 bushings and a spring in the shifter and they are usually worn out.

As far as the shafts are concerned, I've been using lead pipe solder/brass brazing with success, since the bushings are still softer and these are easier to work with than welding. I suspect that the shafts get worn in the bushings from dirt getting in the grease, since lots of people leave the covers off and many are NLA.

James

Did anyone price new shift rods ?



B

I need to go through all these parts on my car...the shifter moves all over the place when it's in gear.

-Britain

Mittelmotor claims 150 Euros for new.

I forgot about the bushing in the shifter. It's a new cup but the bushing could be made better by shimming it too.
Thanks, I'm going to take it apart tonight to make it even better.

Darn, I got my hopes up for nuthin. I took my shifter apart only to find the original nylon bushing in it and it is in great shape. No room for improvment there.
Thanks anyway James