One fix done and off the list, on to the next.

Thanks all.  Once I took the shifter back out I could see where the groove in the shifter ball lines up with the holes in the side of the housing.  I had put screws in to hold the retainer on.  From the picture it looks like it originally would have had just pins.  Anyway, a longer screw solved the problem.  I did put a wire loop through the shift rod to transmission pin to keep it from working itself out.  So the shifter seems to work properly now.  

I was referring to the shifter problem with the clamp the part shown in Willie_B's post. Use some safety wire through the roll pin on the shifter rod to gearbox connection that way if it does loosen up you won't loose it driving down the road.

This is the pin in the shift housing to look at.

Thanks everyone.  The pin for the rod to transmission is a new one so I may have a slightly worn hole in the rod itself.  The idea of a clamp to keep it in place sounds solid and easy to do.  I'll have to look for the set screw for the shifter housing.  Hopefully I can find it or a replacement.

The pin holding the rod in place should fit very snug. Even then I usually safety-tie them in place. Sounds like you need a new one.

Regarding the shift lever, the slot pin issue, as already mentioned, is most likely, but I have seen the slot on the ball of the shift lever so badly worn that the locating pin doesn't do any good.

The ones i have seen have a pin in the side which locates in the slot on the side of the ball and prevents it spinning. It backs out over time but you can just tap it back in usually or a quick fix until you decide to repair it correctly is to put a hose clamp around it to stop it backing out.

there is a set screw on the side of the housing, and it keys into a slot in the ball on the side of the shift lever. It must be missing or not screwed in enough.

Ok folks, I've got a Mini project that has been ongoing for quite awhile.  In the put it back together process I've made it to installing the gear shift.  I've put in a new shifter (old style not quick shift type), connected the rods up and everything and have two big questions.  The car has a rod style shifter.
1) The pin that holds the shifter rod to the transmission seems to not be a real tight fit.  Like it could wiggle itself out after awhile.  Is this normal?  I didn't take the old one apart so I'm not sure how tight the old one was.  Is it ok to be a loose fit or is there something to do to make it tighter?
2) The gear shift seems to work fine with one big exception.  It spins around in a circle.  It goes back and forth between 1st and 2nd fine, but 3rd is tough to hit because the shifter just spins toward the front.  There doesn't seem to be anything to stop this but it doesn't seem normal.  I do not have the gaiter on, but I don't see how that would stop the spinning if I put it on.  Any suggestions or thoughts?
Thanks.