I FINALLY GOT MY **** OFF!!
My wife offered to help me get it off...she even offered to have her friend come by to help me get it off. Alas, after many attempts, I had to get my **** off all by myself.

Thanks for advice everyone. So here is what I did and it worked! ...FYI...I have not seen this advice anywhere else....

I gently pryed off the little cap on the top of the **** and inside the shift **** was two tiny star screws. (see link below) I removed these screws and pulled the **** apart which exposes the silicon housing that encases and holds the tension on the metal shift stick. Then I took a hair dryer and heated up the silicon (so it becomes softer and more pliable).

Now remember, I had removed the entire center console and shifter as one entire unit (see pic in post #8).....so there in my bathroom I stood on the bottom plate of the shifter and pulled the **** up really hard......with the silicon softened I wouldnt say it came off easily but it slid off nicely with a strong effort. Then....NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS.... I danced around the whole house yelling "I GOT MY **** OFF!, I GOT MY **** OFF!" (needless to say my wife was thrilled cuz now she was off the hook )

Now all the pieces came apart the way they should have at the very begining and I was fully installed in 45 minutes and off for a test drive.

One caveat was that I had to remove the leather side console on the passenger side in order to plug the wire bundle back in - that was kind of an unexpected PITA but I learned how to do it (see link below) AND one more thing..... DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A LIGHTER OUTLET ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FOOTWELL??!?!? Perfect for plugging in cell phone charger, etc....

The following are useful links to for this DIY install:
- DEAR SITE ADMIN - CONSIDER ADDING THIS THREAD TO DIY SECTION!!!
- To the rest of you P-Nuts...REP POINTS APPRECIATED...(to what end I am not sure....but it makes me happy)

#1 Best Link: B&M SSK Installation Instructions for Porsche
(but it leaves out some small but frustrating details that can be filled in with other links below)
http://bmracing.com/wp-bnmcont/uploads/45135.pdf

Dismantling your **** for blowing with hair dryer :
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...t-removal.html

Removing leather side panel for access to wire bundle plug:
SEE ONLY STEPS 9-12 (the rest was not very useful)
http://www.macarbon.com/install_guid...structions.pdf

Pulling REALLY REALLY REALLY Hard - B&M instructions failed to mention this!!
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...not-tiptronic/

OTHER SUPPORT:
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...removal-3.html

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...installed.html