Ok, I'm pulling about my shift assembly to swap in a B&M short shift (in an '04 Cavalier). I have the both cables removed from the assembly and the assmbly detached and out of the car. I took off the plastic retainer ring that sits on top of the shifter's pivot ball.

My question is to the small piece that comes off the side of the shifter and into the large white plastic piece that attaches to the selector cable (cirlced in red in the picture)...HOW does that come out of the white plastic piece?!?! The shifter "ball pivot" won't lift all the way out unless that is detached, and it seems that won't come out with the "ball pivot" in the way? Am I missing something here? I tried just yanking it out and its pretty secure, and also tried popping it with a flathead screwdriver but it seems like that is just going to damage it. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

The job is a ton easier if you take out the WHOLE shifter assembly. Detach the cable up front, and take the shifter and mounting box out as one unit, and do this on a work bench.

I did..the entire assembly is sitting on my table as we speak...I just can't get that "peg" with the plastic end out of that white plastic piece that swngs up and down...can't seem to remove that piece from the rest of the housing either

mine was already assemebled, but when i took it all apart to clean it up and regrease it, it all came apart very very easy..so i dunno what to tell you.