E24 - Electric Gremlins?

[Thomas Stork <tomstork@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Have had a strange--but harmless--thing recur since a couple days ago with my '85 E24, and just had a truly annoying thing today with the same car.  I wonder if 
they might be related, and what they might be.  Here's the deal:
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- - A few days ago, noticed that the speedo starts going haywire sometimes at highway speeds, bouncing between maybe 40 and 75 when I'm actually doing 60 - 65.  
It kills cruise control, so I assume that it isn't just the speedo, but something is screwing up the electronic signal that both the cruise and the speedometer instrument 
are receiving.
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- - Today, after a hard 25-mile run in 1000 heat (almost August in Washington!), I parked for about an hour, and then came back outside to start the car.  No solenoid 
click at all--as though it were out of park (yes, it's an automatic--I don't like them either!).  Jiggling/resetting the gear selector, the key, etc., don't do anything, the 
battery connection is fine, the ground is fine, and the stereo and all the electric accessories work just fine.  In another hour, it starts right up.
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Coincidence?  Possible culprits?  Theories?  I got none of my own.  Thanks for any guidance/suggestions!
- - Tom
BMW CCA #131072
'85 635CSi
'86 325es

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