Just Replaced the Shift Lever on my '84 318i

[Andrew Pridham <apridham@xxxxxxxx>]

Forget aftermarket Short Shift kits!  I used the Z3 1.9 lever (PN 25 11 1 
434 148 - $50 US), and other OEM shifter parts (selector shaft joint, 
spherical cups, shims etc) and am delighted.  Total cost - less than $100 
US.  Shifter throw is reduced from 5" to 3.5" (3rd to 4th gear) or about 
30%.  Shifter height was reduced about 1/2" which is an improvement. 
 Sideways shift lever movement when in gear (shifter "slop") is back to new 
car levels.  Turned my own shift knob from Black Walnut Crotchwood - 
beautiful.  The only hitch in this project was that for cars with the 
sheetmetal shifter plate ('84-'86?), the top spherical cup will not slide 
over the one piece Z3 shift lever (the stock lever for this car is two 
piece).  I simply snapped the cup open on one side with side cutters and 
slid the now expandable cup over the ball at the bottom of the lever. 
 Since no material was removed, and the cup is completely enclosed in the 
shifter plate I don't foresee any problems.  Time will tell.  Beauty of 
this setup is that all parts are OEM and will always be available, the 
shift throw and shifter height reductions are just right, and it costs 
about half of an aftermarket solution.

------------------------------