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Check the adjustment first. 1-2 and 3-4 have to be in neutral or the trans won't go into reverse. Might have to work the clutch a little to get it to go, or roll the vehicle slightly while trying to go into reverse. If you do not have the proper tool to lock the shifter in neutral you can make one from 1/4" round stock bent in the shape of an allen key.





....also you might just try to disconnect the reverse rod from the shifter end, and see if the shifter can detent into the reverse position,....I once purchased a complete E body 4spd set-up from it's owner who removed it thinking the tranny was bad,...he swapped over to an automatic he was so distraught trying to solve the reverse engagement problem he was trying to troubleshoot,....turns out the thin shim plates located between each shifter lever, that allow the shifter plates to slide on each other was loose and bound it self up between the 1st/2nd and reverse shifter plate not allowing the reverse shifter lever to slide independant of the other shifter levers,...basically binding just the reverse shift position