Ordered all new shift linkage bushings. The bushings for the coupling near firewall have me stumped. Does the rod need to be pressed out to install the bushings? Or...do I remove the old bushing and slip the new ones in from the outside?

The rod has to come out.

If it is a tail shift, I believe the rod can be pulled out the rear.
If it is a side shift, the bar cannot be removed completely with the engine bar in the way.

FOr that disconnect the bar on both ends and push it forward into the tunnel while you replace the bushing.

Some have luck heating the bushing in bioling water and popping it in.

That didnt work for me for whhatever reason so I used a carriage bolt and some large washers and sandwiched the bushing in place.

That way you just tighten a nut and it pushed the bushing right in.

Firewall bushing ... remove rod, remove old one from engine side, heat bushing in hot water to soften, grease it and hit it with a rubber mallet from the engine side.

Thanks for the reply. The shift rod is out of the car. I am referring to the bushings in the coupling, looks like a U joint. Does the pin holding the coupling together need to be pressed out to install the 2 bushings in the coupling?

Yes.

The Cap'n

No danger of bending the welded block that retaind the pin? It will be unsupported.

Use a piece of pipe or tubing that will fit over the pin and set it in a vise. Using a drift sized slightly smaller than the pin, press the pin through. Be VERY sure that the vise jaws are on the pipe tubing AND the drift (I used a bolt slightly smaller than the pin) and NOT on the coupler itself. The vise jaws press the bolt into the pin, pushing it out through the hole in the pipe tube. I reversed the process with a few modifications to press in the pin with the new bushing. Here's a pic of my removal setup:

Click to view attachment

Thank you very much taking the time to send this!
Jack

That sounds good. I did the hot water thing, but it was not ideal. I like your idea better.