So, with the gearlever in place it was time to think about how things would get from the lever to the gearbox. A bit of a play with some bar seemed to indicate a rod shift was just possible.

Albeit mightily tight

So I made up a bracket with a bush and welded it to the chassis

Now, I just needed to work out how to get it the rod here (the pointy ended one) link through to the other side of the gearbox.

That can wait until the gearbox is back in however.