Series II gearbox shifter in Series III

[TJR]

Link to pics relative to this question
http://picasaweb.google.com/88seriesiii/SeriesLandRoverGearboxShifter#

I have a 1973 Ser III. I'm in the process of cleaning up the gear box and have a few questions regarding the shift lever. Years ago when the truck was drivable.. there was alway lots of play in the original SerIII shifter

I was given a Ser II shifter years ago hoping it could possibly solve the "wear" problem I thought I had. After closer examinination, it's clear that the Ser III shifter end is much smaller. It's as though the end is missing all together.
The RN cactlog shows an o-ring that is supposed to be in the metal ball end. Only the Ser II shifter seems to have the correct end to rec'v an O-ring. What' missing here?

also Notice the shifter lever bends. The Ser III shifer (round shifter knob)is bent further back. Is that so it will clear the lower dask pad on the Ser III.? If I use the Ser II shifter.. will it hit the lower dash pad?

Thanks for any insight ... Talbot, Southern Maine

[SafeAirOne]

Don't know if this'll be any help, but a few years ago, when the shift lever on my SIII snapped in 2 pieces, I ordered a new one from our hosts. I expected to get one similar to the old one, with a groove for an o-ring, but instead got one with a plastic or teflon ring that was about the same size as the ball it replaced.

Your SIII shifter's metal ring looks to be about the same shape as that plastic bit on my replacement shifter. Is it possible that your SIII shifter originally had a plastic or teflon outer surface that has since chipped/broken off leaving only the metal core?

[TJR]

It would make sense that there was something else there since there is a lot of play with it the way it is now. Also the metal to metal contact isn't desireable.

I've got another SerIII trany assy I could take apart and have a peak. It's tucked away in the shed, I'll try to find some time to poke at it..

Thanks... Talbot

[rbonnett]

I jsut saw this yesterday while looking for something else:

http://www.lrfaq.org/Series/Drivetrain.ShiftLeverBushing.html

Don't know if it will help, but reading this leads me to think using the SII shifter is worth a try. I eyeballed the shifters on my SIIA and SIII, and it looks to me like the SII might clear the dash.

[sven]

My 73 SIII came with a S2 shifter already installed. It does clear the dash but the throw is kinda weird. After driving my friends SIII with the correct shifter, I bought a S3 shifter. Its much closer to the driver.

[TJR]

RBonnett -- Thanks for the link.. Yes it seems as though the plastic end is no where to be found.

SafeAirOne.. How did you snap the shifter?

Sven.. I will look again at the side to side bend to see if they are different in that plane as well..

Thanks all...

[SafeAirOne]

SafeAirOne.. How did you snap the shifter?

It was just vibration that caused a stress crack in the shift lever about an inch above the pivot ball. Installing a diesel probably helped it along. It's by no means common to have the shifter break off in your hand, but I'm certainly not only one who has had this happen, from what I've read.