MG Car Repair: gear stick in the way, nosed pliers, set screws

Question
hi, I am trying to lift out the gear box and engine and the gear stick appears to be in the way. Can I remove it from the gear box before lifting the engine and box out of the car? Its a 3 syncro with overdrive box.

Answer
Hi Chris
Yes, you must remove the gear lever before you can extract the engine & gearbox & overdrive from the car.  

There is a chrome ring holding the rubber gaiter around the gear lever.  This is held by 4 chromed set screws.  Remove them all.  Now you can see the base of the gear lever, which is held in place by a spring clip around a cup.  A pair of fine-nosed pliers will remove the clip, and then the cup will spring up because there is a tapered spring underneath it.  The gear lever can now be eased upwards.  Be careful that you don't lose the split nylon anti-rattle bush at the base of the lever.    

When you are putting everything back together, you will find that replacing the spring clip is very a very fiddly operation.  It can be done, but you have to press the cup down whilst holding the clip down and operating the pliers.  Ideally, it needs 3 hands.