Date:         Sat, 16 Feb 2008 22:14:43 +0000
Reply-To:     dlwilhite@COMCAST.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Wilhite <dlwilhite@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Was Shifter - Lower Ball Destroyed - Now Resolved

Thanks to those who responded about what to do.  Thanks to Michael for the diagrams and thanks to Kenneth for letting me know where I can get some parts.

The parts I needed were the Ball socket for gear shift lever and the hemisphere.

Since I had to have the parts today, I ended up going down to the local Pull-a-Part and wouldn't you know it, the Vanagon was stripped clean.  Not wanting to give up, I pulled the pieces out of a rabbit and out of a fox (that sounds weird).  I realized that these were for 12 mm shafts and the Vanagon has a 14 mm shaft, but I took a chance anyways.  Getting the pieces home, I dremeled and drilled until I got the ball socket piece to fit.  The hemisphere part was identical.  So now I've got it back together and it's working satisfactorily.

Certainly, a bit unorthodox, but at least it has me going for now.

David Wilhite
84' Westy
Middle TN