I've rehooked up the shift linkage many times, and have read many of the threads from a search, and am still having issues with my '71.

It's been updated to a side shifter (with a rennshift) and the transaxle was just rebuilt so everything is pretty tight.

Put it all together like I've done many times and with first test drive only had 2nd and third. In trying to readjust I can't even get it to back and forth to 2/3 or 4/5, let alone find first.

Now I'm not even sure what gear it is in having removed all the rods.

How do I know I'm in neutral trying to pull or push on the little rod coming out the bottom the transaxle? Can't get much leverage!

Embarassed! Help!

I first did this when I was 17 on my newly purchased early tail shift car. I find the easiest way was to get on an empty road and make small adjustments until it’s right. It doesn’t sound like that will be possible for you at this point. I would reattach the linkage to find neutral. I believe dr evil has instructions on his signature on how to adjust. Big picture is usually putting both the shifter and the trans into second or third gear, tighten down the clamp and then make micro adjustments from there.

I also was having issues after having my tranny fixed by Dr.Evil. I read a millions posts with some great suggestions, thought I had it, but it would grind. I almost got to the point that I was about to purchase that adjuster from Tangerine. I spent a ton of time going back and forth and almost giving up and taking it to the very expensive mechanic that works on fancy cars.

My successful adjustment was doing what was suggested and then adjusting the clutch cable (which I thought was tight enough but tightened even more since that was the only thing I didn't adjust). The technique was the successful was putting a vice grip on the shift rod using the access panel in the cabin (between the seats) and rotating it one way and the stick shift the other and tightening it up to see how it worked. Search and you will find the specific instructions with a lot of other successful methods.

But I felt really dumb afterwards messing around with the adjustment of the rod when it was probably fine and I just needed to tighten up the clutch cable more.

The car had a SBC so I was worried about overadjusting the clutch and having it slip since it was too engaged without touching the clutch pedal.

I"m still a noob with the 914 so take this post with that grain of salt

Is the shifter in tip top shape?

When trying to adjust at the coupler I found out the bushings were shot so I took off the rod and will now replace the coupler bushings (after doing a search that looks like a major PITA) and then try everything again.
But I may be getting that adjuster mod Chris sells- looks like it makes that left to right adjustment a LOT easier.