Those who came on the Spa trip this year will know that I was suffering from some gear selection issues, namely between 2nd and 1st and slotting reverse instead of 1st without having to pull up the reverse lock. Took a while before I got the chance to investigate so today, out with the centre console to take a look. Turns out it was a simple issue. The reverse lock that you pull up with your fingers under the gear knob is a 15cm or so long tube that rurns to the bottom of the gear stick under the cloth bellows thing. On one edge there is a step which is what stops you selecting reveres as it catches on the bracket if the tube is not lifted from above. Somehow* this tube had got twisted 45 degrees so the step was not in its correct position to stop selecting reverse and was fouling when selecting 1st or second. Pulled the tube off and re fitted it and all is well again. Whats more, could have done this by only removing gear knob had I known.
* actually I do know how this got twisted, and why this issue will only show up if you also have a Renault Spider, as on that car you do need to twist the gear knob (which looks identical to a vee one) to select reverse and I think someone..... may just of done that accidently.....
* actually I do know how this got twisted, and why this issue will only show up if you also have a Renault Spider, as on that car you do need to twist the gear knob (which looks identical to a vee one) to select reverse and I think someone..... may just of done that accidently.....