You don't remove the shift rod in one piece. The locking screw is positioned just in front of where the shift rod enters the chassis and shift tube.
Remove the gearstick, undo the locking screw and the front part of the shift comes away out over the beam, and the rear part of the shift rod then can be pulled through the shift tube and out through the engine compartment.
You do need to remove the engine and gearbox to be able to access the rear shift rod.