1st Gear Synchro questions

["Obie Fayth" <bibendum59@domain.elided>]

Hello All,
     I am in the middle of rebuilding a Milano transaxle and I have a 
dilemma. The synchronizer for 1st gear is a little different than the other 
gears and different from the Alfetta transaxles I have taken apart. On the 
Milano 1st gear there is a small spring which I am assuming is used to 
cushion the little C-shaped limit strips hidden behind the synchro ring.
     On each gear there is a second gear with fine teeth. I don't know the 
technical name so I'll just call them B-gears to differentiate. My dilemma 
is that the cast tab that the spring presses against on the 1st gear's 
b-gear is broken. I have a spare alfetta transaxle full of mostly good 
b-gears, but of course they do not have the notched section needed to 
accommodate the spring for 1st gear. So my questions are:

Why does 1st gear need the spring?

Should I alter one of the spare b-gears so I can use it with the spring or 
leave it as-is making it identical to the synchros used in the other 4 
gears?

And finally, the synchro design for the alfetta's 1st gear has an 
interesting little extra wedge shaped piece that exerts additional force on 
the inside of the synchro ring. Has anyone ever modified 2nd gear to 
accommodate these too? It seems like it would make the synchro more 
effective.

-Obie
Tacoma, Wa.
assorted alfas w/ assorted gears meticulously strewn about




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