[JP Noonan]

Try a stiffer wire, maybe a 1/8" dia steel rod. Pound it into the tube from the engine side, make sure the rod is long enough so if it gets jammed you can get "Vise-grips" on it to pull it out.

More than likely you have some of the old plastic sheathing from the throttle cable stuck in the tube. Or the way the tube rests on the floor of the car it could be rusted. Removing the shifter can give more clearance but be sure to mark how the shifter is attached to the rod or you will have trouble shifting when you bolt it back together. There are splines on the shifter rod that match up to the shifter. Use a dental mirror to look into the tube from the shifter hole, maybe the plastic will be poking out and you can pull it out from there. BTW if the tube is rusted the cable would probably have rust on it too.

hope that helps

Cheers.

About cutting the tunnel. There are PLASTIC FUEL LINES running through the tunnel, also the BRAKE LINES are in there too. So be very careful.

[This message has been edited by JP Noonan (edited 04-30-2000).]