85 GTV-6 Shift Linkage

[Otto Schug <schugof@xxxxxxxxx>]

Alfisti,
 
I have a 1985 Alfa GTV-6 2.5L car.  Last year I loaned the car to a friend who burnt the clutch plate to the point I had to flatbed the car home.
 
Last week, I put in a new clutch plate and throw-out bearing and shimmed the rear "donut".  The drive shaft and clutch are fine, after learning to put the clutch yoke in at a 10 AM-4PM angle to lock the yoke with the fulcrum, slave cylinder rod and throw-out bearing.  I reconnected the shift linkage at the clutch cover.
 
However, shifting into first, and more particularly into second, is a difficult task.  I have to force the shift lever hard to the left and stay hard to the left to go into second.  If not, the car will start in third gear or I will move from first gear to fourth gear.  I did not remove the long shift rod under the car from the shifter in the cab of the car; just reconnected it to the shift linkage.  I have another shift linkage available from a Milano parts car, same shift linkage device.
 
Please advise as to the error I committed and how to correct same.  There was no shifting problems when I loaned the car or when I attempted to drive the car home, feathering the clutch, before I flatbedded the car the remaining distance.  I did replace the roll pins with metric bolts and made sure there was tight fit and no bellhousing or clutch cover interference.
 
Please e-mail me at schugof@domain.elided or post in the digest with a copy to my e-mail address.
 
Respectfully,
 
Otto F. Schug
(Chip and I have 10 Alfas, including several parts cars.)
Columbus, Indiana
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