Would be easier to talk you through it via phone.. but ill try here.
You'll need to remove the lower bearing lock plate (spring clip) and slide the bearing out. Depending on how far you have it disassembled now, it sounds like all you need to do is push the shift tube out of the shift bowl. This takes some finese and a soft mallet. Tap the tube out of the shiftbowl as far as you can get it (flush) then finish it off by tapping on the lower shift lever at the base of the column. Careful though, when the tube comes out you will have a Bowl,wave washer,spacer ring and main column housing to catch.
O be sure to remove the bolt plate if you havnt already ( the part where the tilt bracket bolts to with 4 bolts.
Its a jigsaw puzzle but dont worry, there are plenty of ppl here that have done this, including myself, that can work through it with ya.
TIP: Dont forget to install the column dash grommet and the firewall gromment BEFORE putting the shift tube back in.
EDIT: I just noticed your from MO.. what part? Maybe you can run by KCK sometime and I'll help ya rebuild it. Always good to meet board members
