Starter bolt help

Im trying to remove the starter in my 2000 Golf. The top bolt unscrewed from the block and then I could pull it half way out until it caught, seems the threads on the bolt are too big to pass through the transmission boss and the bolt cannot be remove making the starter impossible to remove unless I cut the bolt. I looked at the hole in the trans where the bolt should slide out and it looks to be the same size as the bolt shaft, the threads are much bigger. What am I overlooking here?
Thanks.

Auto tranny? When the guy pull my tranny the long bolt that passes thru the tranny gets coroded. He sees this a lot. I would spray it up go and work it in and out.

Just keep screwing it out. It will come out. I've had a million of 'em off.

A million? C'mon. 900,000 I'd believe, but a million is just a little too far.