"You have to do a straight h pattern"? Don't know what that means but you have to do an H pattern that's for sure. SOoooooo what's the problem? Are you trying to do a X pattern? Does the fact you used lower case h telling us something? Does it mean you are going from 1st to 3rd? (am I slow?) I assume all old column shifts have loose pivot points, bushings and etc. They ain't no speed shifters.
Also can you explain "locks" between gears. I was trained to take problems slow and easy and find out exactly what the complaint and manifestations are before moving into tear apart. I'm not tryimg to be a pain in the butt, but slow down here boys. Let's get some freakin info before he spends all his beer money and has a pile of little greasy parts.
Gman: If you do a nice easy H shift, is everything OK?

Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn