Bill,

What you are proposing to do, I have just completed on my 1987 535is. The most difficult part about the conversion was getting the parts together. My wife and I called just about every advertiser (wrecking yard) in the Roundel to find a transmission. Finally found one at Bavarian Auto Recycling in California.

Here is what you will need:

1. 5 - Speed transmission from 1986 and on. Getrag 260/6 (It is recognizable by the cooling fins on the bottom of the transmission. Earlier cars had Getrag 265's or 260/5 transmissions.
2. Driveshaft for your car. The automatic one is different. I bought a rebuilt one and have had no problems with vibration.
3. Pedal Assembly from a car that has a manual transmission
4. Clutch Hydraulic Parts. Master, Slave, tubing, flex hose (this part is about $50)
5. Throttle position switch
6. Shift assembly, including mounting, rod, shift lever, boot, etc.
7. Flywheel, pressure plate, clutch, throwout bearing
8. Exhaust hangar assembly that is supported from transmission
9. Various nuts and bolts for the driveshaft and transmission
10. Rubber disc (between transmission and driveshaft)
11. Transmission support cross member

This represents the major parts, the rest was little hardware pieces.

You will need to do some wiring:
The new throttle position switch need to wired to the Motronic unit. Wire in the back-up light switch
Install cruise control switch for clutch - The wiring harness connector was already installed in my car.
Jumper the relay for the starter lock-out. Note: I had a BMW ETM Wiring manual to help me out. (Very useful)

Cap off the cooling lines to the radiator for the automatic transmission fluid.

My total cost for the conversion was about $2400 (all parts were used except for the clutch hydraulic parts, clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, driveshaft, rubber disc)

Labor to do the job was about 80 man-hours

Purchase a BMW clutch alignment tool. It is worth the money!

The majority of the job is quite straight forward. I spent a lot of time getting little things configured.

Georg Taht
georg.i.taht_at_boeing.com
1987 535is