I'm not familiar with the Spider but am with the Coupe ,very similar mechanically.If you remove the centre console trim unit,there is a metal plate painted black held down by 4 sheet metal screws, if this is removed you might have enough room to remove the transmission without removing the gearlever.
If this is insufficient remove the gearlever as follows :- using 2 small electrical screwdrivers or similar , prise down the plastic locking collar which is inside the gearlever at the bottom of the tube ( the fingers of this collar engage with the swaged ring 1/4 inch or so from the gearlever end - use a small mirror to look up the base of the gearlever to see it, it has iirc 5 or 6 notches which you insert the screwdrivers into and prise downwards). Then you just pull up the gearlever, might need to twist/wiggle it a bit. Inside the gearlever there are some rubber bushes and a plastic spacer which iirc should remain behind on the short gearlever stub coming out of the transmission.
BTW When removing the trans. it helps if you jack up the front of the engine to get more of a tilt or alternatively remove one or both engine mountings, also I think it helps if as you pull back the trans. you rotate it slightly 1/8 turn ,( can't remember clockwise or anticlockwise) to allow the starter motor bulge on the bellhousing to clear the trans. tunnel.
Hope this is of some use (haven't worked on one of these for 30 years!!).
Al.
