Since day one my 87 has shifted pretty hard. Whatever was done to it was by a previous owner. I picked it up in 95 from a small used car lot, car was owned by the guy's friend but he didn't know what was done either. Car shifts really hard 1st to 2nd, chirping tires, and if you're into it, even a little it'll spin the tires going sideways!! Which I thought was pretty damn cool until I finally dropped the trans pan. On a road trip the trans wasn't going into the next gear unless I let up then stepped back on the gas. Called my mechanic and he said it was probably the spring that popped out, which it was, no biggie, put everything back together and I was looking in the trans pan(aftermarket deep pan)there was pieces of clutch material, some large pieces!! Car still shifts AMAZING and drives great, still! What could be done so it shifts normally? The mechanic says it's bad for the car and the trans to shift that hard, that the trans will eventually self destruct itself!! As evidenced by the pieces in the pan. Thx for any help.