Yet Another Loose Shifter Question

["Tammy" <tammy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hiya all

The current thread about loose shifting brought a few questions to mind
about my camper (1968 Bay).

I recently had the rear shift bushing replaced to try and eliminate the
excess play I was getting on the gearstick.  There is still a fair amount (a
couple of inches) of slack in the stick, but it has improved.  I am pretty
sure that replacing the front bushings will eliminate this eventually, but
time and money are holding me back on having the work done.

The problem I am having is this....

When I select reverse, I no longer have to depress the gearstick, I can just
move it into reverse.  It is only really a problem when changing from 3rd to
2nd as I occasionally hit reverse.

When I questioned this, I was told I should be grateful I can find reverse
at all, since a lot of owners have trouble finding reverse altogether after
changing the shift bushing.  Is this true? Is it something I will just have
to learn to live with?

The other problem I am experiencing is that 1st is really tough to locate
since the work was done.  I know it's there, but it takes a lot of pushing
and shoving to find !!!
Apart from holding up traffic while I try to pull off in 3rd by mistake,
this is also something I am learning to live with :-)  but do I need to? or
is it something that can be easilly put right?

All in all, I am beginning to regret having the work done.  Okay the gears
were sloppy before, but at least I could find them :-(

Any advice will be appreciated

Tammy