[OregonSaab900s]

It's a split bushing.
It's made that way so it can be installed. The rubber bushing around it, and the shifter housing hold it in place.

I noticed the plastic one is, but how does the rubber bushing come off?

 

[Carfixer2]

Other side of shaft when you remove it where it attaches to the transmission with a coupler.

 

[OregonSaab900s]

Other side of shaft when you remove it where it attaches to the transmission with a coupler.

It will stretch over the center section?

 

[jvanabra]

It would... At least when new.

 

[Carfixer2]

Yes it went over. The job was a pain getting the rod out and getting it back in and through the grommet in the firewall and you had to remove the tapered pin at the coupler.

 

[OregonSaab900s]

Well the cheapest option is to buy a $49 shift shaft with the bushing still attached. I think I am going to pull the pieces of the bushing out from the car and try to put them back together to make a mold. (Nobody wants to part with just the bushing alone on the shaft) it’s also frustrating that I sold my turbo distributor for $100 on eBay with the intention of helping a saab owner fix their car, but the buyer (who has a shift shaft listed) just reposed it for $275. Rant over.