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can't find reverse???

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nfegenbush

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I've been looking at a 1968 spitfire that i really like and seems to be a good car. I've taken several local "experts" with me to look at it and they all approve. However, none of us can make the car go in reverse. In fact, none of us can find a gear in the shift pattern that seems to be reverse. Any ideas how the heck this car might go into a rear moving gear???
 
From neutral, push the shifter 'DOWN' (towards the floor) to clear the reverse inhibitor, then move it all the way to the left, and forward. (I just went out and double checked on mine.)
Jeff
 
I'm not sure if we tried that direction or not. By Left do you mean toward the driver in a left hand drive vehicle? As an addendum, were there any stock transmissions that had five forward gear positions? I appreciate the help, we've been stumped on this one.

[ 03-07-2004: Message edited by: nfegenbush ]</p>
 
First, let me qualify this...I have a 78 Spitfire so I have no idea if yours is the same. But...if what Bugeye said doesn't work, try where my reverse is: While in nutral, go to the right until you hit the stop, then, lift UP and continue past the stop, then, while still lifting, go right and forward (towards the dash).

Basil
 
Yes, left is towards the driver in a left hand drive vehicle.
No, there wwere no stock five speeds ever offered, darn it!
Basil, I think you have the single rail transmission in your '78. I never drove one, so have no idea where reverse is in it. I'm pretty sure the trans in my race car is out of a '68, though, and that's where I found reverse awhile ago. Of course, it's always possible that I have some wierd, oddall tranny. I haven't driven the Spit in a couple of years, but I seem to remember that that is where I found reverse! But, that's one gear I tried to avoid having to use on the track!

UPDATE! I had an idea, scary though that may be. I looked in my GT6 owners manual, as it has the same shift pattern as the earlier Spits. And I quote.
"Reverse-Press the lever downwards, move it to the extreme left and forward Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is stationary."
Jeff

[ 03-07-2004: Message edited by: Bugeye58 ]</p>
 
Thanks for all the help, this is a strange transmission in this car, and none of the four of us could figure it out. The car is stationary due to a recent deluge of rain and it being stuck in the mud, but we noted five forward gears but couldn't find reverse. the shift pattern looked something like follows:
///
//
If you get the idea, with each of those spinning the tires in a forward direction. Since it was so wet we couldn't jack the car up to see the tranny, but I'm guessing maybe it's out of a dotson or something. I'll try the reverse thing the next time I get to go look at the car.

[ 03-07-2004: Message edited by: nfegenbush ]</p>
 
Well, if it's like my Spit, with the "Super Vague-o-Magic" shifter, it may look like it's in five or six different gears, but still really only has four!
Sometimes first looks like reverse. Try the pushing down thing and see if you can get that puppy to spin the tires in the other direction.
Jeff
smile.gif
 
Seems to me that the MK11 had a plastic collar on the shifter end where it engaged the shift forks. If this thing goes bad(a lousy 36 years latter) you wont be able to shift it for beans.
I say buy it and save it from the mud!!!!
MD(mad dog)
 
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