Gearbox remote housing / bushes

[The Hatter]

I have a couple of extra washers on one of the top bushing bolts on the 350i, I was assuming that they'd been placed there by a bodger at some point:



I was going to just take them out and fit new bushes, then I remembered the SEAC had a similar thing going on, and I don't think that car had been touched since leaving the factory:



So... are they supposed to be there? Has anyone else seen this? I guess it would have the effect of moving the gearstick sideways towards the driver; not a bad thing!