Toploader Question

I have the transmission out of the car and just hooked-up the Hurst shifter. After installing new metal bushings and adjusting the linkage I notice there seems to be twice as much play before shifting in to 3rd or 4th over shifting into 1st or 2nd from neutral. Any ideas what might be worn?

Hopefully this is not too vague, but I don’t know toploaders very well.

I try to explain this better:

Background - the linkage is mounted on the transmission and will shift through all gears smoothly. The transmission is out of the car.

With the transmission in the neutral position I can pull shifter to the left to engage the 1st and 2nd gear linkage, but before going into 1st or 2nd gear there is some play in the transmission linkage (which I think is normal). When I do this with 3rd and 4th gear there is about twice as much play, before I actually go into either gear. What can wear out in the transmission linkage to cause this excess play?