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914World.com _ Member Vendors _ 917 style shifter knob for your Rennshifter
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Feb 23 2009, 09:26 AM
Okay, I am offering 917 style knobs as a 914 World Exclusive to see if there is demand. At the moment, I can only offer knobs for Rennshifters.
My price is $50 + $6 shipping. I'll put as many knobs in the box as you want for 1 shipping fee (so long as I have them made and can fit them and some padding in the box to protect them). PM me for details on how to pay. Paypal is preferred.
All the knobs are hand carved of Maple and Mahogany. Knobs may vary slightly in size and color. All knobs will be ~45mm in diameter and weigh between 35 and 40 grams.
Each ball is finished with at least 2 coats of tung oil. Tung oil gives a deeper color and luster to the wood, without the plastic look and feel that polyurethane would give. As the ball is used, oils from the hand will further shine the knob, giving it a very pleasing patina.
Each knob is made to screw directly on to a Rennshift shifter, no glue or crush rings required. My first knob used a 1/16th inch spacer to fit it flush on the shifter. This has been engineered out of my balls.
These knobs are cooler then aluminum in the summer, and warmer in the winter. They also weigh less then the aluminum knobs that I have been able to weigh, by as much as 1/3 less.
If there is demand for these (ie, if I sell the 3 I have on hand) I'll make more.
At the moment, I do not have a solution for stock shifters that use a crush ring. For the $75 ball on the market now it is suggested to glue it on to the shifter, as the ring will break up the wood. This is not an acceptable solution to me, and I see no reason to step into this market unless I can offer a substantial improvement over the existing design.
I'll post better pictures when I finally get my camera back from the shop. Until then, the above pic is the first unfinished ball that is now on my car.
Zach
Posted by: Phoenix 914-6GT Feb 23 2009, 10:45 AM
Very nice work 
Posted by: 70Sixter Feb 23 2009, 02:50 PM
I like them also.
Why couldn't just drill out your balls (ouch) to stock diameter and use the crush ring from Porsche. If the wood won't handle the stress you could drill it more and line the hole with copper tubing or pipe. Maybe even plastic.
Posted by: Dr Evil Feb 23 2009, 03:00 PM
I like them also.
Why couldn't just drill out your balls (ouch) to stock diameter and use the crush ring from Porsche. If the wood won't handle the stress you could drill it more and line the hole with copper tubing or pipe. Maybe even plastic.
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Feb 23 2009, 04:34 PM
I already have a plan in mind, using aluminum tube.. But I don't know the OD of the crush ring, so I don't know what the ID of the tube needs to be.
If anyone can give me either the OD of the crush ring or the ID of a stock shifter knob, I could tool up to make them easy.
The Rennshift knobs are easy though, as once I have the shaft in place I can chuck that into my drill press for shaping. And I already have the materials for them.
Once I sell the 2 remaining knobs I have, I may look into making them for stock applications. But for the moment, I don't have enough information, and very little free time to find it.
Zach
Posted by: Phoenix 914-6GT Mar 3 2009, 08:00 PM
Just got mine in the mail. The pictures don't do it justice. A very nice work of art Zach. I am happy to have one of these. Now to get my car back on the road so I can feel how this feels in my hand 
Posted by: charliew Apr 3 2009, 04:46 PM
Zach the id of a stock knob is .650+- .004 The crush ring is similar to the sleeve in the steering column shaft but much smaller that I have but it doesn't work very good. When I have a running car I will probably either use duct tape or silicon to hold the knob on.
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Apr 4 2009, 08:06 PM
Awesome. I bought some 3/4 inch aluminum tube with a .652 ID. I will use this to re-enforce where the crush ring goes.
I'll hopefully have a bunch of these at Hershey. I think I have about 10 ready to cut out, but just have not had time to make them.
I have 2 of the Rennshifter style balls left, by the way!
Zach
Posted by: 70Sixter Apr 7 2009, 02:07 PM
Zach the id of a stock knob is .650+- .004 The crush ring is similar to the sleeve in the steering column shaft but much smaller that I have but it doesn't work very good. When I have a running car I will probably either use duct tape or silicon to hold the knob on.
I have never had a crush ring problem. Maybe yours was already crushed. New one have been fine for me. I have had to use a rubber padded open ended wrench and a hammer to get them off.
On my old 912 the screw-on shift knob was never adequately replaced by after market products. They usually used a set screw that worked loose over time.
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Apr 27 2009, 01:10 PM
I only have one of these left, and don't know when I will have any time to make more.
Let me know if you want it.
Zach
Posted by: Phoenix 914-6GT Apr 27 2009, 02:50 PM
and they sure are nice. I just got mine mounted on te shaft. I'll be taking pictures soon. Awesome work Zach.
Posted by: BKLA Apr 30 2009, 12:06 PM
Really nice and a lot cooler (warmer) than the solid aluminum one.
I like the "old school" look. Here's a really *bad* phone camera shot
Very Nice Zach!!!!!
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 9 2009, 07:56 AM
Bump!
I still have one left. May be the last one ever, unless I find some spare time to make more.
Zach
Posted by: Zimms Jun 10 2009, 04:16 AM
PM Sent
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 18 2009, 02:11 PM
Last one I have for the time being is sold.
Posted by: JazonJJordan Jun 27 2009, 12:37 AM
Okay, I am offering 917 style knobs as a 914 World Exclusive to see if there is demand. At the moment, I can only offer knobs for Rennshifters.
My price is $50 + $6 shipping. I'll put as many knobs in the box as you want for 1 shipping fee (so long as I have them made and can fit them and some padding in the box to protect them). PM me for details on how to pay. Paypal is preferred.
All the knobs are hand carved of Maple and Mahogany. Knobs may vary slightly in size and color. All knobs will be ~45mm in diameter and weigh between 35 and 40 grams.
Each ball is finished with at least 2 coats of tung oil. Tung oil gives a deeper color and luster to the wood, without the plastic look and feel that polyurethane would give. As the ball is used, oils from the hand will further shine the knob, giving it a very pleasing patina.
Each knob is made to screw directly on to a Rennshift shifter, no glue or crush rings required. My first knob used a 1/16th inch spacer to fit it flush on the shifter. This has been engineered out of my balls.
These knobs are cooler then aluminum in the summer, and warmer in the winter. They also weigh less then the aluminum knobs that I have been able to weigh, by as much as 1/3 less.
If there is demand for these (ie, if I sell the 3 I have on hand) I'll make more.
At the moment, I do not have a solution for stock shifters that use a crush ring. For the $75 ball on the market now it is suggested to glue it on to the shifter, as the ring will break up the wood. This is not an acceptable solution to me, and I see no reason to step into this market unless I can offer a substantial improvement over the existing design.
I'll post better pictures when I finally get my camera back from the shop. Until then, the above pic is the first unfinished ball that is now on my car.
Zach
Nice wood Zach, tough looking balls~ I have OEM shifter but great work!
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