Short Shift - M10 Engines

[joe14]

I'm considering fitting a short shift kit while the box etc is out.
A few have done this but i'll be using the 5 speed box that came with my M10, so I'm interested to hear if anyone has any experience particularly with this?

I've read that a lot of people seem to use Z3 shifters, (different models came with different lengths, see the E30 zone write up here http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... conversion)

In short:
- Anyone installed a short shifter on their M10?
- What did you use, the installation process?
- Happy with the results?

[petroscf]

Schmiedmann used to sell a short shifter for E21 I am not sure if they still do, I ordered this one. They said that it was height adjustable, but I never asked my mechanic who fitted it if it really was. I had it fitted on my ECO gearbox (M10 engine) and now it continues living on the sport (dogleg) which is from M20 into M10 bell housing.
I don't have any issues, or at least I did not have any when it was fitted on the OD g/box. Now the car is producing some more vibrations than before when idling cold, and I get some tickling noises from the gear stick (?I think so) which go better (reduce) when things warm up.

[joe14]

I had a look on their site and I can't see any.
Could you post a link or a part number etc perhaps?

[petroscf]

Quoting from my order back in 2012

Invoice no.: 120343

Amount -- Product titel -- Product no.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 -- INSPECTIONBOOK HOLDER IMITATION LEATHER ORIGINAL BMW -- 01492603653BMW
2 -- PEDAL RUBBER CLUTCH PEDAL -- 35211108634
1 -- SCHMIEDMANN SHORTSHIFT MULTI-ADJUSTABLE -- SCMSHIFT
5 -- KLAMP -- 07129904221BMW
5 -- NUT/METAL CLAMP -- 07129904220BMW
5 -- SCREW ST4,8X16-ZNS3 -- 07119901299
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

they do not seem to have a numbered code on this one
Maybe they do not have the product any more, but however I would email them

[petroscf]

On the pdf of the order, they write some more things, which resemble to codes, but I am not realy sure if these are for this item, or for the next one (a clamp)

ER-GE 354 JUSTERBART I BEGGE

This is what is written, if you give me an email address, I can also forward the pdf of the order to you

[Wilmo]

Justerbart i begge is Norwegian or Danish, it means: Adjustable in both... (Probable something follows here?).

[petroscf]

No there wasn't anything else written.
Probably they mean in Norwegian "Multi -Adjustable?"

[Jeroen]

Since the last E21's used the same shifter as the E30, with as added value you have the click on knob that doesn't rotate all the time, that means the Z3 examples should fit as well. Then it's just the regular story, choose what version suits your short shift wishes best. Please note, the shorter you make it, the more precise your gear changes will have to be so shortest practically is not the easiest to operate.

[petroscf]

Since the last E21's used the same shifter as the E30, with as added value you have the click on knob that doesn't rotate all the time, that means the Z3 examples should fit as well. Then it's just the regular story, choose what version suits your short shift wishes best. Please note, the shorter you make it, the more precise your gear changes will have to be so shortest practically is not the easiest to operate.

Oh yes I forgot to mention that this one I fitted (from schmiedmann), accepts click-on knobs, not the old rotating style, so both knobs I have fitted were from E30
So, combining the above input with what Jeroen, wrote, maybe you should look into E30 or Z3 categories in schmiedmann site(if you want this one) and they might have the same short shifter under these categories?
After all, I remember my mechanic telling me that he had to do some (grinding?? not sure) work, in order to make it fit, it was not plug-and-play, so this could mean that the shifter wasn't exactly for E21
Anyway I do not have any issues with it-it works fine

[Mikelead]

I wanted a shorter lever on my 320, and bought a short lever for the e30, only £15 delivered from our oriental friends via eBay, but, upon removal of the lever, found it wouldn't fit.
So, seeing that the lever is solid aluminium at the top, I sawed around 50 mm off, drilled and tapped the top with an M6 thread, and, using my woodturning skills, made a new nob from a nice bit of Zebrano, which matches the brown interior.

The nob is a tight fit on the shortened lever, and is retained by a countersunk 6 mm screw, and the existing lever top was let in and fixed with double sided tape.
Much nicer to drive now, see the link below to the pic.
N.b.
It would be easy to do this in situ, ie without removing the lever.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kgd2m3xk27v6v ... 7.jpg?dl=0

[joe14]

Having had a look at the lever off the car,
I might just extend the piece under the ball which would turn it into a short shift like the z3 versions available.

I know a stainless steel fabricator I'll enquire with.

[Jeroen]

Interested to find out why that one didn't fit. Perhaps BMW fitted a different mounting plate on the late E21's?

Funny thing is that I have an OEM shifter lock which fits many models including E21 and E30 and it was no issue to fit it on my 81.

[joe14]

I've had my shifter extended about 10mm, I haven't fitted it yet so we shall see.

[Jeroen]

Keep us posted!

[petroscf]

https://old.schmiedmann.com/3_series/E2 ... e9.htm#183

This is the schmiedmann one, they seem to have it in stock now