It is very similar to a factory type electrical connector removal from a OEM plastic plug. The shifter pocket has two spring steel flat blades that lock into pockets on each side of the shifter stick blade.
You need to take two pieces of shim stock, about .010" thick x 3/4" wide by 1-1/2" long and slip them down into the pocket beside each side of the stick, this will release the spring steel reverse direction barb and allow you to pull the stick out.
Is there a way to modify the shifter to install a modern stick with the two holes for bolts? Can I just drill out the areas that look like rivets and slide bolts thru?
You may need something stronger, like a couple of narrow putty knives. Part of the problem is the whole thing is mounted in rubber, which has now gone old and dry so it is very hard. Sometimes you may have to push down on the stick to get the bottom of the barb to release from the bottom of the pocket in the stick. You may also find it helpful to heat the tower to get the rubber to soften also.
Last one of these I dealt with was 25 years ago, so your rubber is even worse.
I drilled through those indents on the tower and through the stick, and bolted things up tight....but I have no idea if those spots match the spacing for the bolt-on sticks. I didn't change sticks, just wanted the one I had to be solid.
I do know the whole tower is built different for the bolt-on stick, one side of the tower is removable and has a knurl pattern on the inside face to match up to the knurl pattern pressed into the stick.
The holes in the new shifter do line up with the indentions. If i drilled out the indentions with the old shifter still in there, would that release the old shifter and make it easy to remove?
Does the new stick have the bolt threads in it ?? If not, you will be challenged to shim the stick tight enough in the tower to prevent it moving around. The towers for the bolted sticks aren't solid on both sides. Some towers use the stick threads and others have a plate on the right side with the threads and pinches the stick. In erics case, maybe the sides collapse enough to pinch it..
Finally got it out. Sliding a .017 feeler guage with some persuasion from a hammer down the drivers side of the stick did the job. I then slid the new shifter in leaving the clips and rubber in place, and drilled out the divits. it lined up perfectly with the holes in the shifter. It actually turned out to fit more snug than the original, with very little play in it.
Thank everyone for the advice! You were a great help!
That's right, around here it's....no pics, no proof...:thumbup:
Welcome to the forum. Stick around, usually someone has done what you are trying to do, screwed it up and then figures out how to do it right, so you get the benefit of the correct procedure...
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