Shift rod trouble

I'm in the process of removing the transmission out of my 95' GSR 5 speed. But I'm having alot of trouble getting the spring pin out of the rod on the end that conects to the transmission. Chiltons says to tap it out but there isn't a whole lot of room and besides the end of the pin is mushroomed over. I tried using a chisle and even a tap. My friend who works on american cars suggested drilling the pin out so I even tried that but broke two bits and didn't even get it out. Please somebody help.

use a punch but use a flat head punch because if you use a pointed one you will just push open the pin and it will not come out.

and what do you mean mushroomed over, its a cylinder metal pin, how can it mushroom. do you really need to take it out too. i pulled my d series tranny out without removing hte rod

try grinding off the "mushroomed" part with a dremal tool or something and tap it out like civickiller said but tapping it out is the only way ive ever heard or done but i used a small flat head

i couldnt get mine by tapping it with a punch so i used a gear puller and pushed it out. broke my gear puller but i got hte pin out but i couldnt pull the rod off because it was rusted on there so i ended up just taking the rod out with the tranny. broke my gear puller for nothing