Is that a sign of abuse or damage to the drive train...?

 

Gonna have to define crazy. The shifter does shake a bit when all things are working proper. The way the shifter is hooked to the trannny doesn't seem like it would allow much odd wobblage unless the whole tranny was shaking.

 

it vibrates side to side and front to back.... not to the point where the car shakes...but just the shifter...

 

Thats probably normal then. If everything drives okay, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

normal, I would call it shaking but vibrating is a better term. J's racing engine torque dampener will dampen the engine vibrations.