Ken, guess what? I have a box right here!

The connection of the shifter to the front horizontal rod contains two small
plastic spacers. Part number is 171 711 166 HBZ. (Pretty sure that's what it
is--now I am starting to understand the need for bifocals). There is a bolt
that runs though both of these spacers and holds the shift rod to the
horizontal rod. The two plastic spacers are the bearing surface as the shift
lever moves forward and backward.

On the left side of the "box" assume mounted in van) is a cast aluminum
looking piece, bolted in, part number 251 711 176. It appears that it allows
the shifter to go over to 3rd/4th, but as the shifter movers
forward/backward it acts as a "retainer" so the shifter can't be moved back
to center while the gear is engaged. Sort of redundant to what the
transmission is doing. This part is screwed into the box with two bolts
(looks like 10mm head, probably 6x1 threads).

On the right side of the "box" is a sort of "bar" that acts (I assume) as
the lock out for reverse and low. Once the shift rod is pushed down, it can
go under this part. It is spot welded to the box.

If the bushing is what you are after, a good machine shop should be able to
make bronze ones for a reasonable fee. I am not a good machinist, but I
would guess that I could do it in 30 minutes or so. That is all that I can
find, this shifter came supposedly complete (by me) off a wrecked van. Let
me know if you need more

Myron Lind
81 Westy
82 Diesel getting a mechanical TDI--and I have discovered that Syncro
shifter is not the same as five speed shifter because of the lockout in low
for the Syncro. Oh well.

Of KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sent: Friday, March 15, 2002 10:34 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Need Help with Syncro 5-speed Shifter Bushings

I had a guy call me this morning.  He is working on a 5-speed syncro and
some
of the plastic bushings in the shifter box (the metal box right below the