Finding Reverse

You probably need to adjust either the base of the shifter or the lock plate under it.  It took me some time to get my shifter adjusted properly.

Do a search on shifter adjustment and try some of the things you find.

I agree with Michael, it is an adjustment issue. You should be able to get it figured out. Contact Greg to see what he says.

Welcome to the madness. X 2 on contacting Greg.

but if you want to give it a shot yourself...

sounds like you may have to adjust the shifter and/or plate.  Attached for your information are the Vintage speed instructions ( which include adjustment & torque settings for the two bolts you will need to loosen to make adjustments), and some hints on how to move the plate/shifter based on your particular shifting issue.  Adjustments are very slight.

If you are having problems with:

1st gear - Adjust the shifter back

1st and 2nd - Adjust the shifter to the right

2nd gear - Adjust the shifter forward

1st and 3rd - Adjust the shifter back

2nd and 4th - Adjust to the front

3rd - Adjust back

3rd and 4th - Adjust left

4th - Adjust forward

Reverse: adjust the shifter right or front; but just a little.

congratulations and happy driving!!!

Are you sure you're supposed to pull UP on the shift lever to get over to reverse?

I think a lot of shifters similar to the original VW style need to be pushed down in neutral, then over left and back for reverse.  Try that to see if it works - yah never know.  If not, try Luis' instructions above.

@Michael John Arnett Post a picture of your shift lever. Does it have a lever or ring that you can pull up on? If it doesn't have a lever or ring it will have to be pushed down as you bring it to the left then down to get in reverse as Gordon said. If that doesn't work the plate will have to be adjusted in the manner posted above.

I assumed it was a Vintage Speed based on the pull up comment. ( VS uses the pull up reverse lock out system on their classic line, and pull-up finger ring lock output system on their other models). All their models have the reverse  pull up type system... which I really like.

@Michael John Arnett a picture would help confirm what you may have.

I have a Vintage Speed classic shifter in my Speedster and in the Puma and reverse is found by pulling up on the shifter and moving left and down. I installed the one in my Puma and haven't had any issues with it or the one Special Edition installed in my Speedster.  The shifters have no ring or trigger. The shift knob has a broken line symbol to specify pulling up on the shifter.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Are you sure you're supposed to pull UP on the shift lever to get over to reverse?

I think a lot of shifters similar to the original VW style need to be pushed down in neutral, then over left and back for reverse.  Try that to see if it works - yah never know.  If not, try Luis' instructions above.

The only way to describe a VW Reverse selection for me,  is to Push down and draw a C with the Stick from the top down going left.  Anyway, it works for me.  

Just goes to show that it helps to know precisely what kind of shifter you’re dealing with before offering helpful comments. 

Sorry if I led anyone astray....  🥴

I know nothing Gordon, so don't feel bad, I was just recalling my old 1969 vw beetle.  

My EMPI quick shifter had a trigger my Subie has none and reverse is dogleg to the right and low. 

nothing to pull up on but the shifter

That looks like a Vintage a Speed classic.  The base is a dead give away.  I have one.  https://store.vintagespeed.com...er-shifter-c33996772

The instructions I posted above should do the trick to help you adjust it. (If you want to give it a shot).

if not, and you are close to Greg, stop by his shop.  Adjustments should take no more than 5-10 minutes.

Yeah, the VS shifter is a pull up and a nice short shifter.  Unfortunately, it killed my shoulder to pull up and I had to lean in a little for first and third.  Mine should have been bent more I guess.  I sold it to a guy with a bug and it was perfect for him, sitting more upright.  My old trigger shifter works for me and I never worry about bouncing off reverse when shifting to second.

I ran into the same problem a couple of years ago when we were over at San Luis Obispo and I had to drive an IM with a Vintage Speed shifter.  I've had more than 70 of these and never encountered one with a VS shifter and had no idea what the problem was.  The owner finally explained it to me.

We installed a VS shifter in the wife's Thing (pull up model) but the concept is the same regardless of the action. 

Loosen the allens slightly and use a flathead and lightly tap to position. More to the passenger side if you can't get reverse, more to the drivers if can go into reverse without pulling up on the lever. 

I'll add that I didn't really crank down on the allens when installed and I think my wife is hammering the short shifter into gear. It loosened over about a month and I had to go back and adjust again. 

To respectfully expand on what Chris is suggesting,  use the screwdriver to move the lockout plate under the shifter base.

My shifter came with adjustment instructions.  Maybe they can be downloaded.

My shifter is one from CSP.  It was a little tedious to adjust at first but I haven't touched it in years. I have the directions I an send you if yours is a CSP.  I have heard nice compliments about the shifter made in Taiwan too.

That's a Vintage Speed Classic. I have one and absolutely love it. Super easy to adjust if you have the attached instructions. 

@Michael McKelvey posted:

To respectfully expand on what Chris is suggesting,  use the screwdriver to move the lockout plate under the shifter base.

My shifter came with adjustment instructions.  Maybe they can be downloaded.

Yes, that

I had to readjust mine a month or two after I got it. On hard acceleration, third gear would sometimes disappear temporarily, and I ended up replacing the allen head screws with proper hex nuts and washers. When that "didn't work" to keep it in adjustment I tightened my engine and trans mounts. That was five years ago; haven't touched it since.

Really nice piece of equipment. Much better than the mechanic who installed it...

Thanks very much for the help and information. I tried the recommended fix and I think its corrected now.  Have to wait another day to test run it, as the weather is bad and "Priscilla" doesn't get wet!!!!

It can take a few tries to get it right, and you won't know until you drive it. You may also find that things change a little once the transmission warms up.

As you probably noticed when you loosened the screws, everything  is free to move at once - the shifter body and the silver 'stop plate' underneath it.

The stop plate is the key.

It's the relationship of the stop plate to the shifter body that determines how far left or right the shift lever is free to move. Making fine, final adjustments is usually a case of keeping the shifter body from moving while you nudge the stop plate left or right, a very small amount.

Another confusing thing is that the stop plate is BELOW the ball while the end of the shift lever you move is (obviously) above the ball. So, to get the lever to move just a bit more to the left (for example), you need to slide the stop plate just a tad to the right (while keeping the shifter body from moving at all).

Hang in there, and you'll find the 'magic' spot eventually.

I know this may sound strange... but years back I printed and laminated the attached (4x4 photo from Corey).   I keep it in my car.   When I drop it off at the shop, or valet park at one of the local hotels/ restaurants (typically car is left up front but they always want the keys just in case they have to move it) — I hang it from the whipper  button... to avoid the “ I could not move your car because I could not get it into reverse” comment.  And most importantly avoid a damaged knob. Yeap...one of the wood woodcraft was cracked in a mechanics efforts to find reverse. ( my knobs don’t have the gear pattern on them).

 I was using the tradition M10 356 knob until I installed one of the woodcraft knobs,