Trans Will Not Go into 1st or 2nd Gear

[texashd]

In the middle of an engine rebuild so engine and trans were pulled from car. Engine is fresh and regasketed trans but nothing more. Reinstalled in car. The trans is a 5 speed in a 78 Spider.

The trans shifts into 3-4 and 5-R fine but will not go into 1-2. I figure the problem must be the selector in the top cover and the dogs in the fork shaft. I dropped the bottom cover and everything looks like it should be lined up. All forks and sleeves are centered between gears and prop shaft turns freely. It just won’t engage 1-2.

Any ideas or tricks I don’t know about?

[Nanonevol]

I believe this can often be due to wear on the shift forks and adjacent parts.