My ‘78 Brat with a 4 speed is difficult if not impossible to get into reverse most of the time. All other gears go in just fine. Is this a clutch adjustment issue or something deeper?

Hard to say without more info. Usually, when clutch is going, or cable is bad, the reverse goes first. Is it grinding? Or just slippinh a lot?does it occasionally just pop out?

No grinding, slipping or popping out. Just difficult to get it into reverse. Have to really slam the shifter a few times before it engages into the reverse position.

Are you confident that otherwise the clutch pedal action is sufficient ?

 

I’d start there having had several with occasional similar issues. If you haven’t experienced pedal box failure you likely soon will. Check the pedal box at the clutch side. You may find a crack which has the thin sheet metal flexing and causing just enough disturbance to just show up with reverse , for now. If that’s the case it’ll get worse. And you can buy cable after cable.

So, is it grinding if you try and shift slowly?

 

If so, it is a clutch disengagement issue.

 

If it is not, then it has likely had the teeth of the reverse gear ground down from abuse, or poor clutch adjustment. This makes it difficult to engage, because the flattened edges of the gears catch on each other.

 

These cars were never super easy going into reverse, and some people get frustrated and abusive with them.

 

Hold pressure on the shifter while slowly letting the clutch out, and it will align the gears and drop in.

These cars were never super easy going into reverse, and some people get frustrated and abusive with them.

 

Hold pressure on the shifter while slowly letting the clutch out, and it will align the gears and drop in.

 

- all very true

Check the bolt that links the shifter to the transmission input shaft, I have had the same problem, the bolt was half way worn out, replaced good to go.