Early versus late shifter style? Anyone compared back to back?

[alistairolsen]

I have an early ('85) E30 coupe which was an auto, into which I have installed a 2.8 Z3 gearbox.


I have the Z3 shifter parts which I had intended to shorten, which would leave me needing to then refresh it with new bushes etc and buy a shift arm bearing (Z3 one is different and the E30 never had one).


Ive read various recommendations for the tunnel mounted early shifter, which does away with the shift arm (which I'd need to modify) and the bearing (which I'd need to buy) and according to some gives a better shift? Has anyone compared them back to back?



I assume from looking at them that with the early shifter, engine movement causes the stick to move more (rotation around the pivot) and the later one the entire stick and housing moved back and forth?


Does anyone have any pictures of the early shifter carrier plate?


Thanks

[the_eskimo_wonder]

My old car was an early style that I fabbed up super solid and was pretty tight but still had some slop. That car ended up totaled but I pulled parts off.

New car is a manual swap with a late style shifter arm and all new bushings. Garagistic DSSR on both, same short shifter arm.

Both cars seem to have the same amount of slop. I think I’ve narrowed it down to the bronze bushing in the shift lever being worn. Two different transmissions with different amounts of internal slop also make it hard to give an apples to apples comparison.

Basically what I’m saying in all this text is I have no idea. Hope it helped...