difficulity in replacing gear change lever

[otiller]

I have a 64 356c i am working on. the seal on the front of the transmission was leaking,so thought i would replace it. a closer look shows that the gear change lever is damaged causing the seal to fail. wondering if it could be changed by just removing the front of the trans. just read a good article on replaceing the seal.
thanks

[356RS]

Yes you can. Get yourself another nose cover gasket and new seal and repair or replace the hockey stick that is damaging the seal. Drain the transmission fluid and stand the trans on its bellhousing (be carefull of the mainshaft) and remove the nose cone.

[otiller]

thanks, so the transmission has to be removed to replace it, i have the engine out right now.
thinking about just lowering the transmission to get to it,but you would recommend removing it all the way.

[356RS]

Yes....... the transmission must be removed from the car. Remember you have a damaged hockey stick (selector rod) and you will have to clean off all the burrs and nicks from the selector rod before you slide it out of the nose cone so you won't damage the selector rod bore in the nose cone. Once you have the transmission out and nose cone nuts removed, then use a plastic hammer to help free the nose cone ( there are a few exposed area's on the nose cone for that use), slowly lift the cover off a few inches while rotating the selector rod CW (so to get free of the selector rod forks) and the assembly will lift free from the transaxle intermediate plate and main case. Now you can use a file to clean up the selector rod and then slide it out of the nose cone. Replace the seal, clean up the cover gasket surfaces, replace the cover gasket, lube the selector rod, reverse idler shaft and reinstall the rod into the nose cone just part way in. As you slowly reinstall the nose cone, make sure the selector rod slides back into the selector rod forks, and moves left & right freely along with the reverse idler shaft going back into the reverse gear bore. Gently tap nose cone back on making sure selector rod moves freely left & right. Tighten up the nut to 15 ft. lb. and then make sure the thing shifts into all gears.
Simple right?

[otiller]

thanks again, and thanks for taking the time to explain the process.