"either the linkage is wearing out, at the riveted L-bracket on one end, or the bushings in the linkage arms at each end are shot. A good used linkage might be $10 at a junkyard- nwe bushings are a couple bucks each at the dealer or FCP GRoton."

The bushing where the rod attaches to the trans lever is gone. However, woudn't i still be able to find reverse by slowly moving the shifter through its normal movement. somewhere between park and neutral. Also, why would neutral act like first gear. One more interesting piece of the puzzle found today. When slowly moving the shifter from park to rev., the car drives forward and you can hear and, feel in the shifter, the sound of what i would describe as, a gear turning and something rubbing lightly against the teeth. Sadly, I do not have much knowledge of the inner workings of transmissions.


Park - acts normal

Reverse- acts like park. the first day of problems, reverse tried to creep forward until you stepped on the brake then acted like park

Neutral - runs as if in first gear

Drive - normal

3rd - normal

2nd - normal

1st - normal