Re: shift tower won't go back on!
Each of those 3 vertical bumps cast on the front of the shift tower hold a spring loaded ball bearing that drop into a notch in the sliding shafts when a shift is made. This setup holds the shaft and and its fork in whatever gear is engaged until another shift is made. It sounds like the ball bearings may be stuck to the shafts with dry grease or rust. The first step would be to soak them with Kroil, PB Blaster or some other rust attacking compound. There are threads on here that discuss the best way to deal with this condition. The second step would be to secure the tower in a bench vise and patiently attempt to break the shafts loose by moving the shifter. When all else fails you will have to remove the bolts holding the forks to the shaft and drive the shafts out with a drift. If you have to go that route take care that you catch the ball bearings and springs. Also scribe or mark the shaft in some way (I used a small file) to insure that the forks were put back in the same location. Pay attention to the orientation of each fork on the shaft.
The forks should fit into the slot in the gears without the tower tipping side to side. Regarding the fit of the tower to trans I would recommend you contact Mac Van Pelt who is very knowledgeable about these transmissions and can help you in more detail. If your shifter doesn’t have the lever and rod that allows the tip of the shifter to fit into the notch on the outboard shaft which is the reverse lockout you may have a mismatched condition (later tower) or ? Between Mac and the other 4 speed trans owners here on the Barn we should be able to get your rig on the road. Also photos of what you have would be helpful.
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