quote Garry in Tampa:
In that case I will use a quarter inch bolt to fasten the stripped end of the connector to the shift rod. Then install the lower unit and pray the other screw is OK. They usually became damaged when the hole is not precisely aligned with the groove in the shift rod. Precision is a must.
As always, great idea Garry. I’ll go with that. Maybe use a socket head screw to ensure I have clearance of the bolt hole.
The threads in the other hole look as good as the day they were machined.