Default shifting transmission out of park without battery?

[pstrbrc]

Yeah, just what it sez. '99 Contour SE, atx. Car's been sitting for a couple of years. My wife overheated it, blew a head gasket. While I have the head off, I have a fresh short-block to put in (the car has 200k on it) and it looks like when you're down to the shortblock it is possible to lift the block straight out. But I need to unbolt the torque converter, which requires the trans to be in neutral. Since much of the underhood wiring is undone, I really don't feel like putting a battery in and turning on the ignition, you know? So, I seem to remember that there's a way to mechanically release the brake-to-shift-out-of-park solenoid. I've found a notch at the lower edge passenger side of the console in line with the shifter. But probing in there with a thin screwdriver, I can't find anything that releases the shifter. Help!