[TheBreeze]

Hey Ya'll, Is it possible that a gear shift knob is permanently attached to the gear stick??? I bought a really cool gear shift knob, now I can't get the old one off. I have used 2 sets of pliers, and it will not budge. Any suggestions? I've attached a pic of the knob/stick. Thanks, Donna

[rrmccabe]

More than likely it is. Most of those column shifts are molded to the arm.

Once you grind/break/remove it, you will find a sererated end. You wont have anything to screw the new knob to. You would have to epoxy it or something else along that line.

I am betting that will NOT unscrew.

Rich

[steve t]

sorry i cant help, but thats a cool dash

[67goat]

I Have Changed Several Shift Knobs Out For Differnet Customers, And Most Are A Permanent Fixture On The Column Shifter, I Will Take A Cutoof Wheel And Cut Right At The Very Edge, Then Put The New Shifter Knob On, Hope This Helps. Mike.

[TheBreeze]

So Mike, you're saying I can take a hacksaw, cut thru the gear arm as close to the existing knob, then just epoxy the new one on? Will a hacksaw do it . . are most gear shifters hollow or solid? Thanks, Donna

[rrmccabe]

Dont cut all the way through the arm. Think of it this way. The current knob is plastic and molded to the arm.

You just need to file/cut/remove the plastic away from the metal. So you can use a a hack to cut away at one side of the plastic until it gets to the metal. At that point you should be able to break the rest away. You want the sererated shaft to remain. I would try to cut with the hacksaw starting at the end and cut in along the shaft. Like you are fileting a fish

Another way to think of it. If the end of your shifter knob looks like an O. You want to start on the end and cut it like a D. Just cut Once yout get started you can angle the saw blade in and let it ride along the metal shaft it is molded to.

I normally use 4" grinder for stuff like this but you would have more vacumming to do.

Rich

[TheBreeze]

Rich, great idea! I like the example of 'filleting a fish.' I figured I could also use a drill to find out exactly where the metal stops and the plastic over hangs. But will all of this sawing loosen or upset the shift stick arm? Would it be best to have a buddy hold the shift stick as not to loosen it? Thanks, Donna

[hotroddr]

I used to use caddy tilt-tele's on all my rods, removed all the knobs. On the caddy a single roll pin held the arm in the column, so I'd just remove the arm to work on it. I'd slit them with a dremel-type drill and then spread the two halves apart. Bill

[rrmccabe]

Donna,

No, it will be fine. Thats a pretty stout piece. Like hotroddr says, you can remove it. GM columns had a pin that is driven out then the arm comes off.

If you dont want to mess with that your method will work withougt problems.

I like your drill idea. Actually there is no reason you can turn that thing into swiss cheese to make it easier to cut.

So have a little swiss on your fish

Rich

[horvath]

Speaking of gear-shift knobs ... and since Donna says she found such a cool one, does anyone have any links to some really cool knobs?

All I ever see, and that I think is the coolest, is the 8-ball knob ... but I'd like to have something more uniquely personal than that!

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

[Henry Highrise]

In the 60's we used to rip off the handles to Draft beer spouts and use them for gearshift knobs.

[matt167]

Originally Posted by Henry Highrise

In the 60's we used to rip off the handles to Draft beer spouts and use them for gearshift knobs.

We used to have a beer tap on our snowblower shifter, it got loose/ fell off over time.

[rrmccabe]

Originally Posted by matt167

it got loose/ fell off over time.

The operator?

[Henry Highrise]

Yep! Those 8-ball gear shift knobs used to be popular and Lokar has the now so that is coming back. I had a blue and white car one time and I used a number 2 pool ball for a shift knob because it was blue and white. The knobs on some of the older stuff was threaded. I drilled and tapped the pool ball and screwed it on. On the newer shift levers the shift lever has knurls on it and the knob is a press fit, you could just drill a hole the right size and use some J-B Weld.

[TheBreeze]

The Gear Shift Knob that I bought is a Gun bullet chamber with 6 bullets. If you look at my photo album, you will see 'Ruby's' WANTED poster, which I have in a 16x20 for car shows. Also, notice 'Johnny' the full size body guard in the enclosed rumble seat area. So I figured will all of that going on, I need the gun bullet chamber for the gear shift. I've attached a pic of it, and I got it on Ebay.