Standard Transmission & Shifter?

["Christian Mulherin" <jazzreef@xxxxxxxxx>]

My 1979 528i has always been somewhat difficult to slide into gear.
Since it's my first Bimmer, I wasn't sure if this was normal.

Suddenly it's become abnormally hard to shift in and out of gears,
very nearly freezing, especially for gear positions 2nd and 4th,
which are also exceedingly difficult to find in the lower shaft positions,
since there is virtually no slack left on the "lower" side,
Of course, Reverse is also difficult to get out of.
It's as if the whole shifter assembly has simply skewed south,
but it definitely feels more mechanical.  There is a definite loss
of play w/in the Neutral area, which now feels like a tightly restricted
band,
as difficult to move into as out of (i.e., into gear).

Unsure whether this could be related or in any case been a source of
mechanical stress leading to the current dire condition, but once in a great
while
I must reach down with the edge of my foot to pull up the
clutch pedal.  Afterwards it works fine for the remainder
of the trip.  It's as if there might be air in the fluid line,
but I don't notice anything peculiar about the brakes which share the same
fluid.
Are their hydraulic systems nevertheless separate?  In every other way,
the clutch works fine at engaging/disengaging.  It only loses some disengaging
control
when the pedal appears to lose range of movement in the way I described.

For now I'm most concerned about the restricted shifter movement.
Worried about the transmission of course, but unsure about the actual
problem.
Am barely able to drive as it is, and afraid to exacerbate the problem
further
and find myself stranded.  Can someone please offer their diagnosis or a
qualified resource in San Francisco at a very *reasonable* cost?

Thanks in advance.

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