Mk1 Gearbox

[Preen59]

Sounds like it needs adjusting. The gearstick has a collar on it that prevents it from being able to select reverse without pushing the stick down. When you push the stick down it can then fit in a kind of "slot" and you can push it futher to the left to select reverse. If it's been bent or something is out of adjustment in that direction you probably have to push it down so that it moves across that little bit further partially into the slot so you can select first and possibly second. All the other gears will be fine because they have nothing constraining their movement.

Pull the boot off and have a look from the top then get underneath and take a look. There's a pad that the bottom of the gear lever past the pivot point rubs on from first to second. If you bend that over a touch to the right it will allow you to move the lever a bit further to the left on top and select first and second properly..

Hope that helps.

Having said that, i'd wait to see what Andrew says aswell.

[gtimk5]

I am not too sure what your mechanic did mate. It certainly sounded like the circlip had detached itself from what you described. That would have been a 2 minute job to fix.
If it needs adjusting now as it seems, then your mechanic might have moved something there.The adjustment is on the rod leading from the base of the lever towards the front of the car.just near the steering rack. Loosen the bolt and make very minor adjustment in the splines until you get it right.
You can loosen the 10m/m bolts holding the gearleverassembly in place and maybe try moving that first?

[DubSteve]

Cheers Andrew and Chris will try it out tonight or tomorrow morning