keithb7 Posted June 20, 2023 Report Share Posted June 20, 2023 My ‘38 Chrysler’s original transmission shift knob is crumbling apart. I think its made from bake lite? Anyway, chunks are falling from it near the threads. I removed it to stow it away safely. My dear friend who has machining tools agreed to spin me up a new shifter knob from aluminum. He has some 3” round stock. The original knob is 2” diameter. I said lets try 2.5” diameter for my big mitts. He made me a wonderful polished aluminum knob. It fits my hand great and feels so extremely nice. Its so comfy and smooth. Like butter in my hand. He must have used 2000 + grit jewellers rouge or something. It’s so shiny and smooth. It’s not stock but I think I can overlook that. To say I’m pleased is an understatement. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 Looks great I like it ..... seems odd though with so many threads left under it looking at the picture. Trim the shifter down a bit to remove the extra threads? Drill & tap the knob deeper to use them up? Add a lock nut under it so it actually looks like the threads are needed? Either way I love it, it looks better then mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 That is a wonderful knob that must feel good in the hand grip. This ivory 8 ball is from my grandfathers bar he had way back when. I want to drill and tap this for my truck. You are inspiring me to get going with that. Ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 I got the set of 4 matching valve stem caps.....lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 make a 28 minutes ago, Los_Control said: Looks great I like it ..... seems odd though with so many threads left under it looking at the picture. Trim the shifter down a bit to remove the extra threads? Drill & tap the knob deeper to use them up? Add a lock nut under it so it actually looks like the threads are needed? Either way I love it, it looks better then mine. turn a matching aluminum cone, drilled and tapped so that it will be a matching jamb nut, kill two birds one stone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 Just now, Plymouthy Adams said: make a turn a matching aluminum cone, drilled and tapped so that it will be a matching jamb nut, kill two birds one stone. I like that, dress that sexy polished knob up with a extension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 1 hour ago, Los_Control said: Looks great I like it ..... seems odd though with so many threads left under it looking at the picture. Trim the shifter down a bit to remove the extra threads? Drill & tap the knob deeper to use them up? Add a lock nut under it so it actually looks like the threads are needed? Either way I love it, it looks better then mine. That looks like a trombone mouthpiece, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 32 minutes ago, Sniper said: That looks like a trombone mouthpiece, lol ??? ..... exactly what it is .... or from some sort of horn. Just a solid heavy brass trinket I had lying in a junk drawer. I needed to cut the tail off to length, the inside diameter was just right to run a tap through for threads ..... took 15 minutes to make & better then nothing which is what I had. I,m not entirely sold on it though. Couple weeks ago I bought a black plastic shift knob for a 50's chebby truck for $2 from Holley memorial day clearance sale. So when I start installing the seats & working on the interior I will have a choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyd Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 This white knob was I think a door knob that I had lying around, the one that was on the car when purchased was a spindly grey thing......the white knob matched the white/cream steering wheel...........still miss that car after 10 yrs...........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 The one that got away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 (edited) When my '38 Dodge pickup came into our family forty some years ago, it had a old brass doorknob for a shift knob that's shaped much like Keith's aluminum one. It's been on there ever since. It's just part of that truck. Pete Edited June 21, 2023 by Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintage6t Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 1 hour ago, Pete said: When my '38 Dodge pickup came into our family forty some years ago, it had a old brass doorknob for a shift knob that's shaped much like Keith's aluminum one. It's been on there ever since. It's just part of that truck. Pete Funny, I used an aluminum door knob off of a commercial entry door as replacement shift knob for my Ford 8N tractor. Also pretty much the same shape as Keith's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 When my cousin got a newer car he gave me his 51 Plymouth for a lot car, it was equipped with one of these on the shift lever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 looks like he may have been guilty of drinking and wrenching, let hope not drinking and driving. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam H P15 D30 Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 Vintage door knob... Why not? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 Nothing that sinister, his summer job was delivering beer, cleaning and changing draft systems. These were spoils as tap designs or brands came into the mix. I had about 20 different one screwed to a length of 2x4. Can't remember what became of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 21, 2023 Report Share Posted June 21, 2023 funny the things folks will collect over time and not even be aware of the why later.....I am guilty for a few of these follies myself.....I had a heck of a logo golf ball collection going and saw that this my never end so I quit that one soon enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hiebert Posted June 23, 2023 Report Share Posted June 23, 2023 Who remembers this ad line? "Only her hair dresser knows for sure." With a lot of these neat shift knobs the only person who knows they aren't original may be the owner. (Some are obviously not.) The average Joe or Jane Citizen may only think that's a nice shifter thingy the car company put in there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50 coupe Posted June 29, 2023 Report Share Posted June 29, 2023 On 6/22/2023 at 8:28 PM, Dan Hiebert said: Who remembers this ad line? "Only her hair dresser knows for sure." With a lot of these neat shift knobs the only person who knows they aren't original may be the owner. (Some are obviously not.) The average Joe or Jane Citizen may only think that's a nice shifter thingy the car company put in there. OMG I do remember that add! That is another one 'that would never be allowed today'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug&Deb Posted June 30, 2023 Report Share Posted June 30, 2023 Shiny things are always good Keith! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 As a teenager in the 60s, my Dad had a 1960 Valiant with a 3-speed on the floor. The shifter knob was a plain off-white pale blue knob. When my brother and I started to drive we quickly changed that knob to a more personised one. That was always something a person would do to personalize their car on a budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bones44 Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 This is my shift lever in my 37 D5 Dodge coupe which I have owned since 1962. It is a intake valve out of a Cummins "L" series stationary engine that I have for years and finely found a good use for it after all these years. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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