Got it to fit. Took a big rubber mallet and covered the knob in foam and hoped it wouldn't mare the finish. There was no way it was going together without a BFH.

The piece that the silver-painted trim piece (with embossed shift pattern) pushes into is basically hard'ish molded rubber. This hard rubber piece does separate from the leather and comes out, if you peel back the leather around where it's tucked in, around the slots. You can use a razor to trim away any rubber casting flash that's in the way of the slots. Those plastic tangs basically are just friction-fit into the slots. It can be harder to get it going if you install it "cocked". For best results you'll want it pressed straight in. I'm glad to hear you got it sorted out. I think I was able to press mine together with my fingers/hands, but I do remember it not cooperating when I started it "cocked", and also I feel trimming away some of the casting flash from the slots helped.

Instead of painting, i thought I'd give a try to wrapping the shift knob end.
See before-after pic.
I should have given it a primer coat of gray or an initial silver before wrapping (or just kept sanding all the paint off) as you can see the shadow between the black and silver. Still a huge improvement!
Before:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CWHsu4R0uCQYiXYs2

After:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Xw5xg6y7J4xElWjN2

Not bad for $5.00 worth of vinyl wrap. I MAY do my side arm rests, as they are pretty scuffed up.