just getting into the tranny side of the car, noticed the chrome part of the shift lever was very loose and after very little nudging, i pulled the thing right off the shifter rod that fits into the tranny. there was a rubber bushing of some sort at the bottom of the chrome part but it looked like someone had shoved a grommet in to make it stay. what part(s) am I looking for, no idea what to call it, is it replacement bushing kit shifter?

I think I know what you are talking about. Is it the part the goes from the shaft coming out of the transmission that attaches to a joint that attaches to the shifter linkage?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2552&mospid=47140&btnr=23_0774&hg=23&fg=15

that M-Fing piece is impossible to get back on. I hate that thing, just buy a used shifted and be done with it. Or go to Ireland engineering and buy a short shift kit from them as, it is not worth the hassle of messing(for lack of a better word) with the thing.

it's the hollow chrome shifoter part that fits over the steel rod shifter. it has a rubber bushing or something like it at the open end nearest the tranny. the whole setup doesn't make any sense, why put a two piece shifter in car that appears to be built so well. I may just take the d.... thing off and weld a datsun shifter to it. the 510 may have been a poor mans 2002 but at least they got the shifter right (at least in the later models)

You might want to look into a BMW Z3 or Z4 shifter conversion (swapping many of those parts onto the 2002 or 320i tranny). Net effect is very nice -a crisper and more precise shift motion and a shorter throw, similar to a short-shift kit but way cheaper. (You can stick with bimmer components too).

I recently got the Z3 shifter mod for my Getrag 245//5 conversion - and all I can say is wow...

You might want to look into a BMW Z3 or Z4 shifter conversion (swapping many of those parts onto the 2002 or 320i tranny).

I believe the older 2002 models might have a different shift platform therefore being incompatible with the Z3 style shifters.

I believe the older 2002 models might have a different shift platform therefore being incompatible with the Z3 style shifters.

True - I can only speak from my own experience with my 320i 5-speed conversion and the 1976 2002 shifter parts that were mated/combined with it in my prior set-up. I don't have much knowledge of actual 2002 4-speed or 5-speeds.