87 floor shifter won't go into 1st gear

[Jim S]

The shifter cable went out on my 87 convertible.  I bought a new cable for the Monte Carlo and it fits.  However mine had the now discontinued steel barrel on the transmission end.  The new one does not and is not a perfect fit.  I can select Park, R, N, Drive, and 2.  But it won't go as far as "1".  The old cable did not as well.  There just does not seem to be enough travel.  I looked up images for the 86-88 Monte Carlos floor shifter and they do not resemble mine at all.  And there's no place to mount the indicator light as well.  Perhaps I have a different  shifter in Mine?  Nothing would surprise me with this car!