I found the front removable part of the tunnel has to be unscrewed and put to one side in order to slide the mechanism out; I'll get it freed tomorrow. I found the same part which applies to the late 126 available on eBay and the best reference image is attached. I'm hoping that I can copy that to an extent and then weld tabs of steel on as appropriate and attach the anti-rattle spring to them.

I removed the mechanism from the car and it was interesting to see that it is the type with the cast balljoint end and detachable control rod. Unlike the various diagrams of the mechanism in the Autobooks and the Haynes 500 and 126 manual, I neither have the anti-rattle spring nor the lugs on the side-casing and the balljoint yoke where a spring would attach.

I previously obtained a spring kit, but I have doubts that the item in one of the images is the correct one because the other spring in the kit;, (the one at the base of the gearstick) is clearly too long. I had planned to modify my components and to fit the spring but I don't want to risk damaging the hardened-steel yoke by try to weld to it and I don't think it would achieve my objective in any case. So I will simply be regreasing the assembly and refitting as I found it.

This maintenance should be good for the next 50 years as I find all of these items, including the cleverly designed resilient bushes, are in excellent condition.

I don’t know why but even in my vast picture library I took whilst doing the refurb I only have two pictures of the gear stick and neither show much detail. I have this image in the back of my head though that I had a spring and for some reason I thought that there was a white bush, which I bought a new one but it was a pig to change so left it as it was.

Oh ok just seen your referenced image above that you found. That’s what mine looks like.

I wonder if mine somehow ended up with one off a 126 over the years, it originally had a 126 distributor on the 500 engine so I suppose it’s possible.

Vitesse said:

. I have this image in the back of my head though that I had a spring and for some reason I thought that there was a white bush, which I bought a new one but it was a pig to change so left it as it was.

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Yes, there are two springs on the 126 version...the simple compression spring which gives the slight tension to the gear lever and resists when you push down for reverse, and a small, hooked spring which is quite finely balanced and steadies the gearstick when in gear...particularly in fourth. That's the one I wanted to fit.

If yours is the 126 style I assume that its operation will be less prone to rattles. They obviously combined improvements in function with economies in manufacture....hence the nylon rather than steel balljoint and the pressed steel rather than cast yoke component; this also enabled them to make the gear-rod and yoke in one piece.

Last year I replaced the equivalent mechanism in my Picasso and it's amazing how much more complex the modern one is, presumably in order to have more refinement in operation, (they wish!). . I found there is an upgraded gearshift mechanism for the 500. It's been re-engineered so that it's easily adapted for different gearbox upgrades and costs the thick end of £200....I'm definitely not so bothered that I would pay that, but I've not yet given up with ideas to sort this out.

Yes looking at that image you posted of the 126 gear shift that is definitely the one I have with the additional spring.

When you say it rattles. Do you mean it does it when you’re driving along, constantly rattles. Mine definitely doesn’t do that if that is the case.

There is a 126 gear change linkage assembly on eBay at the moment for £35 of a 126 EL. It has the white bush and additional spring but I don’t know if the gear stick looks shorter, it could be an optical illusion as it has a massive knob!!!!

That gearshift is being sold by Lucasz at LP Garage---sensible guy to deal with

Still got this spare one and maybe a couple more in the garage

Vitesse said:

When you say it rattles. Do you mean it does it when you’re driving along, constantly rattles.

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It's only at certain times when I'm scooting along the sorts of long, smooth, fast, USA-style roads that we have in the middle of The Highlands. When everything in the car is nicely warmed-up and smooth, the one little niggle I get is a very slight rattle of the gearstick. It shouldn't bother me but it's ;ike when you wake up hearing a random creak somewhere and can't put it out of your mind even though really, it's nothing.

Toshi 975 said:

Still got this spare one and maybe a couple more in the garage

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...I'm not tempted. The gearchange is so smooth and well-adjusted that I'm loathe to risk upsetting that for the sake of my pedantry. So it's going back in all nicely cleaned and degreased.

Yeah I noticed the one on eBay has a cracked bush anyway. Probably be like rocking horse poo to find another. Plus it looks a little odd

With all the other noises in a 500 I’m sure you could just forget about it but once you hear it for the first time it won’t go away. My modern is the same if it’s cold the plastic bit on the ‘B’ post creaks where the seatbelt anchors. It drives me potty but goes away once it’s warm inside. I could try and fix it but would probably end up making it a thousand times worse.