MG Car Repair: 1978 MG Midget, shift lever, mg midget

Question
Hi,

I recently bought a 1978 Midget with 64k original miles, and it drove great for awhile.  Suddenly, the gearshifter seems to be stuck in third gear, and when I try to shift, the stick wants to "swirl" in a circle rather than lodge into gear.  Any ideas?

Thanks!!!

Answer
Hi Colby,
You need to remove the small tower cover and look at the shift lever collar to see if the set screws in the sides are still in. They fit into a groove in the side of the ball hub of the shift lever to stop it from rotating. These have either come out or worn away.
Howard