I have used the kit Don posted before on a remote to a rod change build and it worked perfect.

Converting to rod change is made a little easier with this Kit:

https://www.minimania.com/22G2026MM_Rod_Change_Shifter_Conversion_Bracket_928

Procedures

1. Align the holes in the red wooden locating blocks with the holes in the bracket and tape or glue the blocks to the bracket.
2. Attach bracket, with locating blocks attached, to the gear lever housing and raise the housing until the locators touch the tunnel. Drill two 5/16” diameter holes through the tunnel at the spots marked, using the bracket and locating blocks as guides.
3. Mark the location of the gear lever on the tunnel.
4. Lower the housing and remove the locating blocks from the bracket.
5. If you are converting from a “magic-wand” transmission, you will have to cut a hole of appropriate size in your tunnel to accomodate the gear lever. Care should be taken to carefully cover and seal the existing hole.
6. If you are converting from a “Remote-shift” transmission, you may use the existing hole in the tunnel.
7. Enlarge the 5/16” holes drilled in step 3 above to 3/8” diameter to facilitate installation of the mounts .
8. Install the mounts with the fasteners as shown in Figure 1.

Parts List

I looked saturday morning and I have 5 housings rebushed and I not sure how many shift eyes I bushed. I set up the shift eye in the lathe bore it out, then machine a bushing out of 6061 and press it in place with a shoulder to keep it in place. If I have the stick I hone the eye to fit the ball. I need to order some cold roll as the long rod is sometimes already been flipped or rust has gotten to the other end as well as wear at the housing end. I recently did one for Mighty Mouse and I was real pleased with the result. Sometimes I get a nice email when they arrive sometimes just the pay pal. 

I think S Racer makes a rod change to round tunnel mount. Getting the holes drilled in the right place in the floor pan is important. Also there are two different lengths of rods and steady rods. And as Alex mentioned there are reverse gears that the bushings drift out and mess things up. Can you roll under the car and bench shift the tranny? I have a Snap On radiator hose tool ( looks like a HD ice pick with a roughly 90 degree bend, I can hook the pin coming out the tranny and push and pull the gears by rotating the pin to correct position. It will be a little harder with out the leverage but a good push and pull should snap it in and out of gear. I do gear boxes also. I have three gear sets with all new parts required and A+ gear set prepped and ready boxed, till a good DAM 5626 case comes along. An issue with late trannys seems to be with the double main shaft bearing breaking up and damaging the case. If left long enough it can wreck the whole tranny and all the parts there in. I have had two such gear boxes I was even afraid to use the hardware. Threw everything away, once they break off the speedo drive and shuck the teeth off the CWP it's over. Steve (CTR)

Cooper tune Steve Gibbs on the board here re builds these with new bushings etc you may want to contact him if you have lots of wear on yours.

Okay. I removed the entire assembly. I figured, I might as well address the smaller parts and clean everything.





I removed the base plate, and saw the arc mentioned. Inspected and no obvious damage. I then shifted the gears. Not being attached to the linkage, lifting the lever was a lot easier - huge didference. Also, I noticed that the reverse switch had a good amount of wear. I wonder if the switch was installed too far and was sticking out a bit.





I suppose the way the reverse works is to lift, then bottom of lever to 'ride' on the arc.

What I experienced is the lack of movement to the right. It felt very stiff, almost stuck and lifting was very minimal even with two hands, it was a bit of a struggle.

Thanks again.

look to see if your hole in the rod is oval'd from an improper fit also. Maybe have to make up a bushing to tighten that up.

Take the plate off the bottom of the rod change housing. The plate has an arc welded to it which the gear stick follows and prevents you going into the reverse gate when trying to engage 3rd this may be damaged.
Make a note of which way the plate is installed and be careful when removing the screws out of the plate they may be pozi drive (UK) not phillip's head, sometimes they are rusty and may need to be loosened with vice grips first and then replaced with suitable bolts.
When the plate is removed you can inspect it for damage and look at the shifter housing from the underside with someone in the car moving the gear stick.
In the picture it looks like your tension pin is starting to come out of the coupling. If it is loose buy a new one if not put some safety wire through it as it is the one thing that will stop all the gears working and ruin your day.
FWIW it is a good idea to use safety wire on both of those tension pins.

Okay. After closer look, I found that the rubber bracket mount has split causing to housing to move side to side.



I replaced the brackets, same - I'm having a hard time finding that sweet spot where the lever goes to the right then I pull up and back to engage Reverse.

I pulled out the lever and inspected. I'm not quite sure what to look for exactly. I didn't see any obvious damage.







I then looked at the opposite end and noticed that there's also play on the steady rod - it looks like it's not the correct steady bolt. It's a hex with a 3/8 nut.







I'm completely lost at this time as it shifts good 1st-4th, just can't get it to reverse.

Thanks for the input.

The rod change shifter mounting bracket has been crudely 'adjusted' to fit a round tunnel so its not a MkIII plus body and the car could still be a Cooper S with a transplant transmission or an entire motor.

I have the service manual, but I don't think the bracket (specific parts, mounting) was mentioned.

1st-2nd is smooth. 2nd-3rd, i have to take the lever far right to engage. 3rd-4th is smooth.

reverse, really hard.

thanks

Could be the bush wrigging out of reverse if it's the silly split bush type.
Is it difficult to get the lever across the gate from 2-3 yet ?

post some pix of your car please. Engine/ dash/ rear of car/ windows.  Seems your tranny was changed or something else.

Yes. I've been lifting to get to Reverse.
when I took off the boot and shifted, I got it to go on Reverse a couple of times then that's it.

thanks for the input.

Maybe something simple. Rod change requires one to lift the shift lever before shipping into reverse. Are you doing that?

So the question is.  Is the mini an S ?

That's not an S shift mechanism....  rather a later rod change.

If your car is an S then your shifter mounts are non standard/factory (Ss never had rod change boxes).  

Thi means that you'll have to examine whatever system the PO used to mount the shift and either renew the existing system or try to improve it.

Cheers, Ian

Good day. Need some guidance.

Car is a 69 Cooper S MK II

Been having a hard time engaging Reverse. 1st - 4th are good. Runs without noticable gear issues.

Most times I can't get the Reverse. I took the lever boot off and noticed that there's a play on the housing when shifting.

There are two bushings used to mount the bracket to the body. The play seems to occur here.

Here are a couple of pictures that show the amount of play on the housing. There's even more play when trying to get Reverse.

Thanks as always.