Shift Knob

[sithot]

Here is the knob that folks with pre-March 67 cars would use. Guaranteed threaded. No pattern.

The early shifter is threaded. I'm reasonably sure I bought one of these and it worked just fine.

I think the Germans realized that "ze Americans" may have lacked the attention span to remember what gear they were in so they added the pattern. I haven't been in a car or truck yet where I didn't figure out the pattern on the 1st go and had no problem remembering it. Besides; who looks at the shifter when they are shifting???

If you look at a 901 gearshift lever you'll be hard pressed to tell if it's in 2nd or 4th as well as 3rd and 5th. Loosey-Goosey is what gives them character and not everyone can drive one well without some practice. Finesse is the word.


http://www.stoddard.com/901-424-104-01.html

[Bill Simmeth]

A minor nit -- the 64-65 cars would have had the "dimpled knob" (also threaded) ala the late 356s. Stoddard correctly identifies the knob in your post as the 66-67 knob.


Pic from a post by Mike Curnow

[davep]

If you have ever driven a well used early 914 (70-72), then you would know how difficult it is to know what gear you are in. That shifter used to feel like a bowl of jello when it got worn; sloppy was not quite the correct word for it.

[sithot]

Ain't it great?

Tom