Am in the final stages of body off for a frame swap on my 71 Lark and have disconnected the shifter linkage assembly but I cant seem to see where to access the shifter cable assembly on the transmission ...any suggestions greatly appreciated
A picture would help. Both are pretty easy to manage but can't make a recommendation without seeing it or a lot better description.
If it is the actual shifter cable for a console shifted car, there are possibly three things that need to be disconnected. Column arm that goes into the U-bracket bolted to the trans near the front driver's side of the trans. Pop the cotter pin and it should pull out. Note the arrangement for reassembly. The U-bracket that the column arm was previously removed from has a nut holding it on. It also has the terminal end of the shifter cable. Take the nut off and it will come off the shaft. The rear cable bracket is mounted to the pan of the transmission. You have two options, remove two pan bolts or pop the clip to remove the cable from the trans. That should completely disconnect the shifter cable from the trans/frame/chassis. If you are talking about the kick down/passing gear cable, that's on the passenger side of the trans near the dipstick tube. Also easy. There's a bolt that goes down through the cable end at the trans. Unbolt it, pull it up a bit and unclip it from the trans kick down linkage.
All you need to do with the cable is loosen the trunion bolt and pull the cable out, then unbolt the bracket from the pan, or pull the cable lock plate out and remove the cable from the bracket.
If he does it my way by removing the nut from the shifter shaft, he won't have to adjust it when it re installs, just bolt it up and it should be right where he left it. Either way gets it apart.