Date:         Wed, 12 Feb 2014 21:20:17 -0800
Reply-To:     MICHAEL H <vwdash80@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         MICHAEL H <vwdash80@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Calling all wood carvers/craftspeople (Vanagon content)
In-Reply-To:  <020901cf279c$01f68bb0$05e3a310$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

auto trans pilot here too. I've been searching the dash for a place for a small bit of wood to warm it up even if only in spirit. missed it by that much. thanks, Stuart - this could be just the thing ! manual trans operators have soo many options, so a custom hand grip with the lock out de-activator button for the rest of us that doesn't look bean-counter utilitarian and plastic ... oh yeah ... count me in for pre-order !              mike


________________________________
 From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 9:42 PM
Subject: Calling all wood carvers/craftspeople (Vanagon content)
 

The shift handle for the Vanagon automatic transmission is a piece of
plastic junk.  Looks like crap, and 30 years of sun exposure turns it into
dust.

I think there may be a market, all be it small, for a nice wood or metal
version. Making one out of an exotic hardwood would be easy for a good wood
carver, and I'd pay up to $100 for one, and maybe some will pay more for
custom designs.

It's a two piece unit with a sliding button on one end for the reverse lock
out, and it should be much larger than it is to be ergonomic (you do have to
shift a lot climbing hills!).  I have a photo as well as the real thing to
send to anyone who wants to take this on.

Any takers, or do you know someone who crafts wood or metal that might be
interested?



Stuart

'85 Westy A/T (too much traffic here, I'm now shiftless)