At 09:56 AM 4/9/2009, John Rodgers wrote:
>end of the shift rod works. I can see a funky little tang on the end of
>the rod, and a funny little shelf  in the housing, shown in  pictures,

Basically the shift lever pivots on a ball-shaped plastic bearing at
floor level.  Forward and rearward motion moves the linkage likewise,
which rotates the shift rod in the transmission.  Sideways motion
rotates the linkage, which moves the shift rod in and out.

The little tang comes up against the shelf in the housing to form the
1-2 gate.  Shoving the lever down lets the tang clear the shelf and
pass into the reverse gate.  There's another stop bolted into the
left side of the housing to form the 3-4 gate.

Someone else may have more detail, but that's what I get from 34.6-7.

  --
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Po' White Star "Scamp"