Changing "Silent Bloc" on my 1985 308 QV

I have a 1985 euro 308 GTS QV, I've recently had gear change issues. I've posted on here and read many threads about the subject. In my last posting I had a reply relating to a probable cause of the "silent bloc" bush in the gear change linkage wearing.

I followed that up by getting the car on a car lift and having my wife to sit in the car and operate the clutch and change gear. I observed from below and sure enough I could see that the action of the gearchange that my wife was making was not being fully transferred into the gearbox. The linkage shaft from the gear lever was clearly moving prior to the gearbox input shaft catching up as it were. The silent bloc bush connecting the gearlinkage shaft to the gearbox input shaft was demonstrating wear by giving a small amount of play- so time to change it.

I thought while I was at it I would change both the outboard silent bloc (the one probably causing the problem) and also the inboard shaft located near the bottom of the gear lever in the centre console. Also I'd re-grease the whole gearlever assembly while I was at it.

I priced up the silent bloc from my local Ferrari dealer and they priced at £47 each, Superformance had a non genuine part for £6. Yes, you're right I went with the £6 part and ordered two.

This last weekend I stript everything out and started with replacing the "inboard" silent bloc bush next to the gear lever. Once I found the correct size blank to press it through it came out easily and re-installation of the new bush was just as easy. There my good furtune has ended, which leads me on to the reason for my posting.

Has anyone changed the "outboard" silent bloc bush? I am currently trying to change the bush with the input shaft still in situe, i.e. working underneath the car with quite restricted access. I did the inboard bush first so to have a dummy run before tackling the awkward one. I had hoped it would push out just the same, and I'm sure it probably will, its just that after about 2 hours of trying and a bashed nuckle later it still won't budge.

Has anyone been successful in changing the bush and how did you do it?

Any help advise would be much appreciated.