E38 gearshift retrofit

[boone.msi]

Look what i just won!!!

Clicky
I sniped the highest bidder with 4 seconds left Buddy probally has no idea what happened. Anyways, my shifter is ghetto/broken and old, time to fit my e34 with a more modern e38 shifter with leather boot, that is until i get my manual swap parts in.

Il update later with pics of the install, etc.






fuck i just realized i put "colum shift" whatever, i meant "gear shift"

[WolfStrong]

OMGZOR!
$26! What a steal!

I think it will be interesting to see how this fits in the e34

[HE53]

Look what i just won!!!

Clicky
I sniped the highest bidder with 4 seconds left Buddy probally has no idea what happened. Anyways, im shifter is ghetto/broken and old, time to fit my e34 with a more modern e38 shifter with leather boot, that is until i get my manual swap parts in.

Il update later with pics of the install, etc.

Awesome, I was wanting to do this with my auto before I decided to sell it.

[robmpulse]

nice, how difficult is it to retrofit?

[atl530i]

eBay Sniper FTW Nice steal. Sounds like something I would have done.

[boone.msi]

Yea its a steal, took me 4 months to find this on ebay, junkyard wants $100 for a dirty shitty one.

Heres the write-up i plan on following, dosent seem too hard.

Write-up

Shifter

Shoguns original thread B.Ic

I think this project is going to alot easier once i have everything in front of me. The threads and pictures don't give much detail, but it shouldn't be too hard. When i do mine, il have a thorough explanation of each step i took.

[Analog]

Wow, that will look great. Let me know how difficult it is to install, I'm pretty interested in this.

[robmpulse]

Nice pics, but it doesn't really explain what all is involved.

Are you basically just replacing the base plate and putting the new handle on the stock shifter? If so, how does the button work?

[boone.msi]

Forgot to link the other threads, check post #6 i edited it.

[robmpulse]

Forgot to link the other threads, check post #6 i edited it.

cool. I will stand by for your personal update with your retrofit. I kinda get the idea, but if you could do a write up, EVERYONE would love you forever!!!

[4500 RPM]

Figure out how to do this...if it's not too hard I might find one of those or an X5 one.

[attack eagle]

very nice...

[boone.msi]

Parts are in, time to go get a dremel...

[E34N]

very nice bro.. keep us updated.

[boone.msi]

Ok, put about 2 hours into the project today. I got everything done except for the lights

What shoguns thread Did not tell you, is how to conect the electrical, since the plugs are completely different...

Heres some pics, and a video of it "somewhat finished"


Started cutting with a dremel and a metal cutting wheel


Heres the plate cut to size, took forever to cut...


Here she is in place, tight but perfect fit.


Heres another angle


Here it is fit to the metal plate


Heres the bottom half platic piece cut to fit. My plate came apart in two pieces But i think it actually made it easier to work with being apart.


This stuff works great if your comes apart, took about 5 minutes to dry.


heres where i started running into problems, this is a pic of the stock plug and A/M switch



That bottom middle plug with the inline pins is the A/M switch for the e38. The switch is also a different size, so i cant swap it. Im gonna have to figure out a way to rewire it.


The e34 gearshift lights are a POS, it uses one small lightbulb to light up the gearshift selector. The e38 aparently has a 12v plug, another thing im gonna have to figure out how to wire.


Finished product, it got dark so il take a couple more pics tomorrow.

[atl530i]

Nice. I'm impressed. I may end up doing that in my car

[JohnBMW]

so how did you end up wiring the A/M switch?

[boone.msi]

so how did you end up wiring the A/M switch?

havent gotten around to doing it yet, been wiring new amber led's everywhere. I hope to get at it sometime Sunday.

[Alpine535i]

Very cool, this looks really nice, let us know when you get the A/M switch hooked up.

[attack eagle]

ever any further work done on finishing this?

[E34DIYer]

Anyone else replaced the E34's dull automatic shifter? I was thinking about attempting the E38 retrofit, but I'd love to hear second opinions. Boone, if you're still around, I work in downtown Atlanta and would love to hear additional comments on this project.

[quick93]

I'm going for one of these myself......

[loffa]

A friend of mine did that mod quite a long time ago. Instead of rewiring the A/M switch, just pop it out and use your old one. And yes, it Can be done: you'll need to file the hole a bit larger, but eventually it will fit and look just fine.

[Tristan8712]

Epic old thread bump, guys... Seriously, start checking dates.

[ShapeShifter]

I like this!
Seems like a worth wile upgrade that could be done
in an afternoon for under $100.