914-6 tail-shifter rear shift rod end - trouble?, Shouldn't this come apart somehow? Options

[smj]

I got my tail-shifter shift linkage bushings from Pelican on Friday; today I happily jacked up my 914-6 to try to put them in. I knew there were differences between the linkage for the -6 and the -4, but I'm not clear how much of what I'm seeing is factory and how much is Mickey...

I did start off following this thread: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=109708 But things diverged pretty quickly. For example, there's a U joint at the firewall end instead of the pair of pivots:



Well maybe that's the way it should be. Looks like somebody replaced the one nut not too long ago... Moving on, here's the sad state of affairs at the far end after I unbolted the support bracket:



Bushing is toast, of course - looks to be rubber, not plastic. The firewall end of the rear shift rod has flanges for the U joint. Wait a minute... How the heck do I get the bracket off?!? I looked for a set screw at the back end of the rear shift rod, but it looks like a rivet:



What the... I poked around at what I think should be a set screw, but it isn't hex shaped inside - and I can pass a 2mm Allen wrench all the way through, it's completely hollow. Here's the best I can do for a close up of both sides:



So... Is this some Mickey Mouse "improvement" somebody's made along the way, or is there a trick to getting that end/bracket off of the rear shift rod? The clear sign of welding about six inches in from the end does not comfort me any...

Thanks! I'm gonna go get some coffee and pray somebody's got a tip for me while I work at the shifter end of things...

[smj]

Well thanks a million for the quick feedback! There's no detectable play with the pinned end of the rod, so that's something. For the moment I'm inclined to try cutting a bushing and working it around the rod and into the bracket, just to keep the rod off the bracket until I figure out something better and/or long-term.

At the cabin end I found new bushings and fresh grease. But the rod support bracket bushing is rubber, which seems wrong to me. Debating getting the correct plastic one in there now.

That will leave the bushing at the firewall - it's clearly old, the outer edge is missing but it seems not to be moving and still keeps the rod off the metal. I guess I'll go for it since everything's already apart - assuming there isn't another surprise waiting...

Oh, the U joint bushing aft of the firewall -- anybody know if those are still available? This one may be fine, I'm just wondering in general if this is an NLA part or not.

Again, thanks a bunch!