stock clutch is rubbish. even with the aftermarket clutch it doesnt help with the shifting into 1st thing. i have it quite often too and i just learnt to live with it. c64 transmission is a bitch sometimes. 1st to 2nd lift? push rod needs adjusting. with reverse i always put it into any other gear before selecting reverse, mainly so it doesnt crunch being reverse a different cut to the main forward gears.