C1 Shifter Knob

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

Neal's site is www.vetteproducts.net It's $359 for the 1959 - 60 4 speed shifter with knob. Oops the knob is $39.00 which is still cheaper than $200 plus for maybe an original ? Stewy

[Joe M.]

Re: C1 Door Handle Knob

Who makes a good repro of the white Tenite door opener knobs? I purchased a couple of repro knobs in 1989 and they were light weight and felt like cheap plastic. My original knobs are dense like a cue ball.

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

Joe that's a tough one. I purchased a turn signal arm around 4 weeks ago and it was an off colour. You are correct I do think the original tenite plastic is heavier, but we could be wrong. I'm actually worried about the colour more than the weight. I haven't come across any one who makes a spot on copy yet. I'll keep looking and if I find a source I will let you know joe. Stewy

[Joe M.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

The turn signal handle I purchased was such a cheap looking white color that I would not install it. My original knobs, door and turn signal, are slightly cream colored. That may be a function of age. Can anyone answer that question? Were the new C1 knobs pure white or slightly off white?

[Roy B.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

The turn signal handle I purchased was such a cheap looking white color that I would not install it. My original knobs, door and turn signal, are slightly cream colored. That may be a function of age. Can anyone answer that question? Were the new C1 knobs pure white or slightly off white?

Joe
You bring up a great question My experience is may be the 53's were more white but later 54 and 55's I've had are more cream color even the original shifter nob PG like the beige lower dash area . The only nob that I know of that's always white is the vent nob for any three years and many door nobs .The repro's now made are all bright white like the lower dash area . The PG repro nobs are all white, even the repro front and horn emblem color is to white. But the JM don't mention anything about that.YET!

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

I had this talk with a person at Corvette Central. I told him I was expecting the turn signal arm to be more white like my door knobs. But he told me when making Tenite it's very hard to get the colour as white as polymer plastic. My door knobs are really white and are obviously old repo's that are made of polymer plastic ? Maybe If I order the new door knobs they might be more of an off white more of an ivory white. Having said that my original turn signal is whiter than the repo, maybe I do not have the original turn signal and have an old repo but it does look all of 50 years old. I guess it looks like there are lots of varying colours of these knobs, which one is the correct white we will never know. Stewy

[Ian G.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

Hey Stewy,

I checked his site and he's got it up there for only 8 bucks. No pics though. Could you post a pic of the shifter knob you got from him? I bought one from Paragon, where you an see swirls in the plastic - not sure how it would judge.

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

Ian his knobs are $39.00 so it's probably a lot better than the $8.00 at Paragon. If it has swirls in the placky you can get some 1500 and a bucket of water and roll the knob around in your hand ( sounds good ah). It should take all the swirls out and leave the placky really matt finish. Then with some polish and slight cutters in it you can buff it up. It might come up very good ! I still haven't got the shifter stuff yet from Neals. So no photo Stewy

[Valeria H.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

I am interested in seeing pics of your shifter knob when you get them. I recently replaced my scarred shifter knob and would like to see the difference. How could one tell?
Curious in Charlotte, NC

[Ian G.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

Well, two things are:

1. brass threaded insert on repop. original is tapped plastic
2. plastic shoulder on bottom of repop. original has no shoulder.

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

What do you mean by a shoulder on the bottom. Stewy

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

How long would a plastic thread last for ? I don't like that even if it's original ! Plastic thread on a stick shift is asking for trouble. Stewy

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

Ian if you look at Roy's photo of the service replacement knobs one has a shoulder ? So what does that mean ? I might have to ask Roy why one has a rib at the bottom and one doesn't Stewy

[Ian G.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

The service replacement one #4154376 has the shoulder.

The brass insert and shoulder would serve to strengthen the knob. But then we aren't trying to replace with better parts, but "correct" parts :P
The two aren't always the same ...since usually GM improved the part in some way with the service replacement... I'll prolly just leave my shifter knob the way it is...

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Shifter Knob

Yes correct is always best. But you don't want to pay $200 plus for a second hand knob so the plastic thread can pull through. There is no way on earth I would buy a plastic threaded one even if it were mint for $50 bucks. I have seen what happened to my door knob. It has no thread left it's smooth on the inside hole ? Maybe Neals is better ? Stewy