I had originally done the same thing except a little different. I cut my shifter the same way but then went to murrays and bought a "die" set. These sets are used for threading medal. When I got back home I tried the diffrent dies on the old thread till I got the one that screwed right on, then used that die to rethread my now shortened shifter, thus being able to use the stock shift nob. I then returned the die set and was on my way.
Six months later I bought the B&M. It is a world of difference, took a lot of the slop out of the shifter.
John
