5 Speed Gearbox in a Mk1 Polo - linkage swappage/removal

Thanks for the info... I got a few pics while changing mine over so hopefully someone will find this useful.

So I was swapping from a Mk3 5 speed box to the Mk1.

Although welding is an option, it seemed extreme and as I was removing and refitting the shift rods anyway, I couldnt really see the benefit of the welding. Someone might be able to confirm but my box now feels fine will all 6 gears. Reverse is a bit of a squeeze but its all fine.

First job: Remove the gear linkage from the gearbox on both Mk1 and Mk3

Remove the nuts in the Mk3 housing, under the gear gator. 2 10mms covered in shite.

Next underneath to remove the 4 nuts from the lower housing

With some firm persuasion the whole box will drop out

Leaving you with a total Mk3 unit (VW really learnt well, it the Mk3 and 1 box were the same this would be a 10 minute job! Unfortunately the early one is a little trickier!

On to the Mk1 which has the same two 10mms covered with yet more shite!

Then you can lift out the shifter and shifter ball from the shaft housing. This is a little tricky and need to have a go from a few different angles. The below worked best for me,

For consistency, I used the Mk3 shifter with the shifter rod. Not sure how this affects things but I thought keeping it the same would help.

Cheeky picture out of a famous manual that I wont name for copyright reasons!

Refitting the reversal of removal.

You may have found that the bush at the front of the Mk1 body has pushed out. This is shit! lol

Its a two piece guide that I separated but could not get back in properly. I belive that the correct method is to push the rubber side from inside out and then push the plastic in from the other side. Using a bolt and washers I fitted it fine. Problem is that whenever I fitted the shifter rod it pushed the whole 2 piece unit out again. Frustrating!

After some head scratching I rememberd the Mk3 shifter box and the fact that there was a bush in there.

After looking it turned out that not only was it a 1 piece unit but also that the lip of the rubber was waay bigger than the mk1. Put it into the Mk1, put the shifter through and jobs a goodun. Got someone to hold the gear stick in neutral and tightened the linkage. Tested the gears and it is a case of trial and error till they are all available.

Hope this helps someone somehow!