Shifter Knob

Got a 69 CJ, put a embossed knob on the shift. Did Kaiser put these on Jeeps

 

I've never seen a Jeep knob with the pattern on it. They always had the sticker on the dash.

 

I’m not sure if Willys ever put embossed knobs on the transfer case shifters either. All of the ones I’ve seen where white. But I found some with the embossed and actually love them. I’m not going in and out a lot but when I do, a quick glance makes sure I do the correct one.

 

Looks great! But the original knobs were plain black for both the trans and transfer case.

 

Plus a knob showing the shift pattern does away with part of the old Jeep built in security system, tells these younger punks how to shift.
Mike

 

Every older jeep pic, or in person, I have seen has had white knobs for the TC. I’m no expert but after seeing so many, I’m convinced factory were white. Somewhere I saved the original. By the way, my ‘55 wagon also had the exact same white ones.

 

Do you mean the whole knob it white? Every CJ I've ever seen has the small hard rubber/plastic round knobs on the dual lever transfer case or the large 'UFO' knob matching the transmission on the single lever transfer case. No matter the style they were always black. I've never seen a white transfer case shift knob in photos or in person.

 

I think the only white transfer case knob . I've seen is the ones with the J pattern shift engraved

 

Never saw a white knob, ever anywhere. And the patterns are engraved in my brain and muscle-memory.

 

On trip now, but when get back to Texas I’ll find them and take pic. But yes just the TC two shifter knobs.

 

Possible formerly black sun-bleached early plastic.

 

Finally back in Texas but still trying to catchup. But ran into this pic on OldWillysForum and again the exact same white knobs. Which again just makes me more convinced that the TC had white knobs from the factory.

https://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/index.php?threads/wagon-with-4-shifters.23691/

 

From a 64. The front axle lever knob is clearly white, not a faded black one.

 

I parted a ‘64 Wagon (originally had OHC engine) that had both transfer case shift balls in white. They were heavily weathered, but definitely white. The main T90 shift knob was black.
-Donny

 

The more reports and what I’ve seen on both wagons and CJs, I am convinced the TC shifters had white balls from the factory.

 

The only white shift knobs I've ever heard of were on the column shift of very early trucks and cj2As. I'd assume the same to be true for the old wagons. I have never personally seen a white, original shift knob on a cj5 transfer case or transmission. It could be true and I'd like to learn about it if it is. I would not be surprised to find that other vehicles used the same knob as jeep, but in white, and some jeep owners made the switch themselves. Or maybe they were available aftermarket (JC Whitney or somebody).

 

A whole lot of people changing to white TC knobs only, I’d find that hard to believe. Changing to blacks that have wording in them, like I did would seem more plausible. In my case, even though I have the factory label right there on the dash, I don’t go in and out of the TC often so it’s not memorized muscle memory. So early on, I found and bought the inscribed ones (don’t even remember where I got them). I’ve never seen white on the tranny shifter, only the TC. If I were to guess as to why the factory did the TC in white, I’d guess to make them different so you’d know they are not the normal use. But this is just my opinion after seeing so many on both wagons and CJs.

I think this is where I got them. https://shop.willysamerica.com/Transfer-Case-Shift-Knob-p/715643.htm

 

When you've had multiple people, many of which are old enough to have seen these Jeeps new tell you most of the knobs they've seen are black, it's an amazing leap of faith to say they were all white from the factory.

While there may have been some white ones from the factory, most were definitely black.

My guess is since you're in Texas, you seen lots of oxidized originals. Here is a set of originals from my pile that look "white":


But when you turn them over to the shade side they look more black:


And when you polish the oxidation off them, they are definitely black:


The hard rubber they are made out of seems to turn white when it oxidizes. You would see more of that in Texas and the southwest and less of that in the northern latitudes.