My 1968 Beetle Convertible autostick has been reassembled after a body off restoration. It will not shift into gear. I get a lot of grinding, so the clutch is obviously not engaging. I have verified all electrical and also all vacuum. The vacuum actuator is operating properly, based on visual inspection when the solenoid circuit is grounded. This afternoon I disassembled the vacuum actuator and have access to the clutch lever attached to the selector shaft. With the car not running, the lever can easily be moved through approximately 15-20 degrees without any resistance. Is this normal, or has the lever become disengaged from the clutch during the engine removal and reinstallation somehow? I really don't want to pull the engine again, but will just get on with it if that is the problem. Prior to this body-off, I had removed and replaced the engine once with no shifting issues. During that previous engine removal and reinstallation I also replaced the trans input shaft seal. Thank you for any guidance you can provide. I am anxious to get this autostick back on the road with her newly refreshed paint and trim.
I found today that the lever on the input shaft needed to be removed, rotated and reinstalled. After doing that, everything functions as it should. Thank you.
I experienced this same problem. Glad you fixed it.