Some shift knobs...

Some shift knobs I have collected over the years....

Top left is a Chevy SM465 knob. I like it because it has the same pattern as a late t18 (like in my -5) and it has a L instead of 1st, then the other gears listed 1,2,3. Which is how you really drive it anyway. I ran this for a long time

Bottom left...hmmm don't remember where I got this one. It is very similar in shape/general appearance to a shift knob I have in my wife's 83 -7, which is a jeep factory t18 shifter, with the R over and up. It is rusted on or I would have included it in the pic. This ones cool, the knurled ring around the edge is almost completely worn away. I used this one for a while but like the others better.

Bottom right....don't remember where I got this one either. This is the one I currently run, like the way it feels in my hand.

Top right, a chrome dana 18 shifter ball! Can't for the life of me remember where I got this (is this a trend or what?) but seems like it was on the jeep when I got it, and I got a factory ball to match the other one and saved this. My jeep had a v6 from the factory, but someone had switched out the entire engine/trans/transfer to a F4/T90/Dana 18. I say the dana 18 also because it has a twin stick, factory v6 would have had a single stick right? Anyone ever seen a chrome ball like this? What does a stock v6 transfer shifter ball look like, same as the twin stick type? Maybe this is from a Tuxedo (chrome)?

The shifters have all had the patterns touched up. I use small brush and white model paint, just kinda slop it in, let it dry a minute or so, then working with a q-tip dipped in laquer thinner carefully wipe away the mistakes leaving only the paint in the grooves. Pretty easy with some patience and a little practice. All these took two applications to look like this.

So there ya go. Got something different?

 

Nice lookin' paint jobbies. Hadn't thought about using laquer thinner....do they make that in very small quantities? I've slopped paint in and simply rubbed/scraped away excess. I've got a few hum-dingers that I run that I oughtta post, lol. But no gold/chrome twin-stick knobs, and I have a twin-stick tux. Never seen a Jeep that has the Reverse to the far-right bottom.

 

Let me know if you wanna get rid of that SM465 knob Would look good on mine.

 

Bottom left is off of an SM420.

 

For some reason I thought that SM420s had reverse to the left and down?

 

John, sorry, I guess you could say I am "collecting" these knobs. A 465 knob should be a fairly easy find in the junkyard though.

 

Greg you may be right, I haven't looked at the tranny and gear shift lever in the garage floor for awhile but the knob's shape is just exactly like the one on my SM420, I'll have to check when I get home from work.

 

one trick we use at the shop for the marking. we use white paint pen. do the whole paint it on trying to to get it too messy. then instead of the q-tip we take a clean rag put some acetone on it and just wipe the top of whatever we are marking. sometimes you have to go back because the paint was not exactly dry enough, but usually after the 10,000 ecentric bolt you have done you have it down.

 

I thought reverse in an SM-420 was to the left and up..... ???

 

You can buy a quart can at Home Depot, and probably a pint can at an artist's supply store. Nail polish remover is acetone, which would be a suitable sub. Be sure to get the non-oily unscented kind.

White-out would probably work too. You can buy small bottles of white-out solvent along with the white-out at an office supply store.

 

Same as an old Ford truck - try a truck wrecking yard.

 

get the model thinner, comes in 1/4 once bottles.

 

Maybe I wasn't clear on my first post, but I have the old style T18 in my wifes -7, with reverse right and up (by 3rd). Having the right knob is mandatory for me, don't know why but it bothers me, so I searched and found a NOS at Leon Rosser Jeep (Think JEEP) in Alabama. Don't know if they still do business or not. Anyway, it does look like the lower left one, except right and up. It is rusted on (embarrassed look) but I will get a pic and post it. For some reason I want to say it had different threads than the rest these, will see once I get it off.

 

The reverse for an SM 420 is at the bottm left, guaranteed!

 

The T-18 in the Jeep I'm working on right now has reverse up by third. It's a very strange feeling when you're use to a T-14!

 

At one time I had the -5 with a t90 (since swapped to late model t18), -7 with early t18, K5 Blazer with column shifter TH400, and a XJ with console shifted 4 sp auto. Actually only got rid of the XJ and replaced it with a 5 sp PT Cruiser. Jumping from one to the other has me pushing clutch pedals that arent there, grabbing shifters that aren't there, double checking shift patterns.....