Lotsa folks on several boards, including this one, have spoken highly of your work. Thanks for spending landline time answering my questions. Trying now to work out the logistics of getting tranny out and ready for shipping.
All the gory details of my adventure are here and three updates that follow for y'alls amusement:

My Surprise Tranny problem...

Thank you to my E38 cousins.Live long, drive well and prosper!

BimmerShifter since 1969; currently
'82 733i 5-spd, 317k miles
<img src="http://www.roadfly.org/bmw/gallery/photos/photos-10-2003/25-2560840.jpg" height=122 width=200>
'93 850CiA, 134k miles
<img src="http://www.roadfly.org/bmw/gallery/photos/photos-10-2003/25-1767127.jpg" height=122 width=200>