Shifter Knobs

When you search, remember "shift" has an "f" in it.

Thanks Sper,

I made that mistake while searching shifter karts and got this....

The little black spheres on 60's Ferrari's and Fiat's fit my hand perfectly. Ideally on the end of a skinny chrome shaft. no larger diameter than 3/8"

Don't know why but that is just what feels best

Momo Leather in a ball style is my favorite. But then their walnut ball with a walnut emergency brake handle make a sweet pair. A nice contrast to the Momo "leather" steering wheel.

I note that many/most people tend to shift with their hand on top[ of the shifter. I 'came up' from British sports cars, not American cars, and they all tended to have slim upright shift knobs. I don't mind the somewhat fatter style like the Momo etc. but T shifters and giant 8 balls just seem so bizarre to me because the first thing a shift knob has to do it fit your hand comfortably and they don't do it for me. Different strokes, I guess.

MGA:

Even my old Lamborghini has this style, although it adds some cut outs for your fingers:

I cant count all the different types of shift knobs I've had.... The SCJ Mach 1 came with a Hurst T, my 64 Volvo 1800s had a slim black shifter, the GTI had the oversize golf ball thingy....

I've made(been involved in making) myself 2 shift knobs so far.... the first one was made from Grecian Bryarwood (typically used to make hand crafted smoking pipes) It fit my hand/paw perfectly

More recently I had a friend assembly some Brazillian Cherry wood(to match my custom dash inlay), which I shaped, and then layered with 15 coats of urethane

Honda always had nice oem shift knobs. The best one I ever had was out of a mid 90s Integra. The one in my Mazda 5 is very comfortable too. I don't like metal knobs. The Fit I recently traded in came with an aluminum knob and it would get very cold in the winter and blazing hot when it was warmer out.

slantvaliant wrote: Just don't do this:

Ok, now I have to find the cheapest non-op pistol I can get my hands on. Probly an owl head.....

Damn, All these cool ideas and I have a column shift. :/

Longacre has some aluminum knobs tthhatt fit my hand perfectly. I. Prefeer an aluminum knob.

And there are no ways I can think of not too giggle and think like a highschooler when I type knob.

Check my duster build thread for the best knob I've ever hadd in a stick.

Heheheheh

I loved the factory shift knob in my '95 Miata, but I also love the Skunk2 currently in my Accord. If there was a shorter shifter that I could throw in there, I'd be gravy.

These are handles supremely comfortable in wood or aluminum.

Soften the upper edge, rim the bottom a bit to remove the foot, drill and tap and done !

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Faithfull-Rear-Handle-For-5-6-10-Plane-Plane-Spare-/350835490761?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item51af6cbfc9

It's like they HAVE to be comfortable considering the wear and tear that they COULD do to your hands if they weren't.

bmw88rider wrote: Damn, All these cool ideas and I have a column shift. :/

And? Are we talking column gearbox shift or slushbox hope lever? I've seen some pretty nice shifter knobs on 3 or 4 on the tree shifts.

Anything not made of metal.

I gave myself a burn on my hand grabbing one of those in the summertime.

I'm a one-note guy when it comes to shift knobs. The Miatas, the MG and the Mini run a 2" polished aluminum ball. The Locost wears one as well but it's made of titanium. We have them on most FM shop cars too.

A shot I took about 20 years ago.

I am partial to the classic white (actually a buddy gave me one that was a bit off white with patina) Hurt shifter ball in the Shelby Mustang. In the British cars I like the leather wrapped shift knobs.

TeamEvil wrote: These are handles supremely comfortable in wood or aluminum. Soften the upper edge, rim the bottom a bit to remove the foot, drill and tap and done ! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Faithfull-Rear-Handle-For-5-6-10-Plane-Plane-Spare-/350835490761?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item51af6cbfc9 It's like they HAVE to be comfortable considering the wear and tear that they COULD do to your hands if they weren't.

Yes and no. While obviously designed to be ergonomic, it's only in certain body-hand positions. It would depend on the car. I could see it working in a car where the forearm is fairly flat when shifting (my GT6, for example), if you have to reach down (Mini, TDI, etc) I'm not sure it would work as well.

Brett_Murphy wrote: Anything not made of metal. I gave myself a burn on my hand grabbing one of those in the summertime.

And they're too cold in the winter.

"While obviously designed to be ergonomic, it's only in certain body-hand positions."

Right . . . since the only have standard transmission cars I have/had are all sports cars, I never considered what the plane handle shifter would feel like in another, raised and more up-right, seating position.

Good point.

I have this in my MR2 and it's my favorite.

After sitting in a parking lot on a sunny day, THAT's where I want to wrap my hand.

Keith Tanner wrote: A shot I took about 20 years ago.

In reply to fast_eddie_72:

Had one in a Tercel years ago and still miss them both!

914Driver wrote: After sitting in a parking lot on a sunny day, THAT's where I want to wrap my hand.

Keith Tanner wrote: A shot I took about 20 years ago.

The polished ones don't heat up as much as a black one would. It's not as bad as you'd think, and resting your hand on the shift knob is bad form anyhow! We've got some pretty intense sun here, I'm not giving them up.

pretty much just a knob, I want thetorks it duz

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: ....my dad put a "T" handle shifter in my Corvair.

I actually really like the stock Corvair ball. It's pretty small, but it fits very nicely into the palm of your had.