shift knobs

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David Stieber
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shift knobs

#1 Post by David Stieber »

My 356 SC has a porsche shift knob. It appears to be aftermarket?
Did?all 356 SC come from the factory with the black fluted knobs? Does an original have a dimple on the top.

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Mike Wilson
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Re: shift knobs

#2 Post by Mike Wilson »

David: as far as I know, the leather-wrapped and walnut shift knobs with the shift pattern were after-market accessories. The original black shift knob does have a dimple.
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

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Tom Keating
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Re: shift knobs

#3 Post by Tom Keating »

I seem to remember a thread about the dimple/not dimple. My 64 had no dimple & not a repro. Having been involved in casting plastics, zinc and aluminum, the dimple always looked like a defect because it looked like the runners end that supplied the plastic into the injection mold. Tom
Tom Keating
1964 356C Sunroof

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Jim Liberty
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Re: shift knobs

#4 Post by Jim Liberty »

I "believe" the original has no dimple. The repro. has.
Jim Liberty

David Stieber
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Re: shift knobs

#5 Post by David Stieber »

Does anyone know where I can get shift knob that is a good reproduction with or without the dimple? The pelican parts one is only a fair reproduction. It's kind of dull and thicker than my shiftier on my 912. My 912 has a dimple on it and I think it is a stock shiftier? I think the original have a dimple.

David Stieber

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Mike Wilson
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Re: shift knobs

#6 Post by Mike Wilson »

Thanks, Tom and Jim for the info. My shift knob which is supposedly original, has the dimple.
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

Edwin Ek
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Re: shift knobs

#7 Post by Edwin Ek »

My father's car, which he picked up at the factory in the summer of 1964, had the dimple. I remember as a youngster thinking how curious that was
Last edited by Edwin Ek on Sun Oct 23, 2016 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Jim Liberty
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Re: shift knobs

#8 Post by Jim Liberty »

It may be split at the B cars. My '63 has no dimple, my '64 does. Hmmm.
Jim Liberty

Edwin Ek
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Re: shift knobs

#9 Post by Edwin Ek »

Jim, you may be on to something. I have to check, but I think my '62 doesn't have a dimple. But I bought it in 1988, so there are many years of unknown history.
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Jim Alton
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Re: shift knobs

#10 Post by Jim Alton »

My 911 (built ~ April 1965) has a dimple--it has the same shift knob as a 356B or 356C (barring the possible dimple arrival with the 356C). That dimple could have saved as much as a gram, immeasurably speeding up gear changes...

There are a lot of choices in gearshift knobs:

Pelican has:
no name for $60.00
Jorg for $102.50
Genuine Porsche for $98.00

Stoddard has 695-424-191-00 for $59.95

Sierra Madre Collection has Jorg brand 695.424.191.00 for $82.51

My 911 had an Amco shift knob when I got it back in the dark ages when it was worth about what its carburetors are worth today. I ordered a "corrrect" knob from Stoddard and then found the original in an interior pocket. I'm not sure I figured out a difference, but back in those days a knob from Stoddard could have been NOS.

Anyway, shift knobs from some sources might be better than others.
 
Jim Alton
Los Angeles County, CA
1958 Porsche 356A Cabriolet
1965 Porsche 911 Coupé
1966 Volkswagen Type 2
2003 Porsche 986 Boxster

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Mike Wilson
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Re: shift knobs

#11 Post by Mike Wilson »

"Porsche...consistently inconsistent..."
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

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Mike Smith
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Re: shift knobs

#12 Post by Mike Smith »

My RHD Coupe - Dec 1964 - 131 899 (Porsche Build) with Original Gear Knob - Has Dimple
Mike Smith (Essex - UK)

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Jim Clement
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Re: shift knobs

#13 Post by Jim Clement »

this is my shift knob.. It was was with the car when I bought it is 1982.. not sure if it was original.,.
it did not look like this when I first took the car over. .. it was a bit of love and much sanding with some very fine sandpaper and about 8 coats of varathane.. look great to this day though.
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Ron LaDow
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Re: shift knobs

#14 Post by Ron LaDow »

Jim, I can't remember the aftermarket source for that one, and it may have been sourced from several retailers: MG Mitten. Vellem B. Haan, etc. I've had those on more than a couple of cars and there's nothing wrong with them; kinda pretty.
But that was not on the shift lever when it left the factory.
As the 2nd owner of a C (where the first owner was adamant about originality), I'll look tomorrow and add my data point to 'dimple/no-dimple'.
Ron LaDow
www.precisionmatters.biz

David Stieber
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Re: shift knobs

#15 Post by David Stieber »

Great thread.
I purchased the $60 shift knob from Pelican Parts and didn't like it. It is dull, lighter, and not as well proportioned as my1966 912 knob which has a dimple.
I bought the other one that was represented as a Porsche part and aside from not having a dimple it appears excellent. It has a brass insert to screw in the shifter and the dimpled 912 knob does not.
Now I have three shift knobs for two cars. I guess 3 is a start of a collection.

David Stieber

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