Date:         Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:37:26 -0800
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: What's the perfect shape for a Vanagon shift knob?
Comments: To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAFnDXk3MKtwORHK2Z2vbfA_w+q=bR9R9PA1NLurQeZmA_LmvAg@mail.gmail.com>
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I too had a British sports car (MGB) and have three now.  All had and have
aftermarket knobs and steering wheels, usually Italian leather.  It's just
the right thing to do.

On my '84 Westy I had the Gene Berg extension and short shift kit and loved
it!  Van Café sells their version:
http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_110  It puts the knob at a more
comfortable height and makes it a bit tighter on the throw. Still sloppy
though compared to an MGB. ;-)

Put the knob of your choice on top and you've got a very nice and functional
customization.  The older you get the bigger the knob should be for those
clumsy fingers!

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jim Felder
Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 4:07 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: What's the perfect shape for a Vanagon shift knob?

I once had an Austin Healy Sprite. You reached more or less down to reach
the know from the driver's position. The handle was mushroom shaped and fit
perfectly into your palm. I later had a triumph with a manly shift lever
that you reached up to to engage. It had a knurled brass (not stock) one
inch or so diameter "knob" that was about three and a half inches tall. It
fell perfectly into my hands grabbing it like a subway pole. Very vertical.

I had a Renault Dauphine with a little teardrop-shaped white porcelain knob
that made one stick one's little finger out to operate the gears like a
demitasse cup.

I had an MGA with a stitched leather ergonomic kidney bean with the car's
logo in the top.

Each was perfect for its task whether it was original or a replacement.

What is the perfect shape for a vanagon, especially something that could be
turned on a lathe but not limited to that?

It could be shaped like the oarlock on a Venician gondola for all I care.
It's too cold and snowy to get out and take measurements, just in the
thinking stage. Think about how you reach down to engage the Vanagon shift
knob (unless you are my wife the time she literally fell off the seat and
onto the floor in traffic reaching for something).

Jim