Hi folks -- the extra springs are in, and the shifter has been repaired! The car now shifts the way it should, and while I need to get it on the road, there is no question that reverse is not going to be easily mistaken for second, and nicking will be much harder to accomplish.
OK, there are many horror stories about this installation and kit, and rightly so. First, after pin punching the spots to drill .5 in inside existing spring shafts, use a pilot drill before you use the special hardened steel drill bit that comes with the kit. Second, be careful as the drill hits the inner lockout plate -- you are drilling through two pieces of steel on one side of the shifter, and you can easily catch the drill bit and thus break it.
Now that the holes are drilled the real fun begins. Honestly, three people helped to get my springs in, tow of which are skilled mechanics (one of the two installed three of these kits in the past!). One person is in charge of holding the shaft in with a metal block on the outside of the shaft; another (me), used a flat screwdriver to keep the spring from coiling in a "U" while the thrid guy used a pare of pliers to compress the end of the spring and move it into position. Then "me" no longer needs to hold the screwdriver, but used a hammer on the metal block outside the shifter and shaft to drive the shaft home on the other side through the far hole.
Whew! But it is worth it.
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