Any body have an Original 5 speed shifter knob?

[Goose52]

Wow! That is just too cool! Wanna swap that old worn out 5 speed shift knob for a shiny new one?

Ahhhhh - let me think about it - hmmmmmm, ahhhhh, hmmmmmm, ahhhhh - that would be no!

Glad I could show you guys the real deal though ....

[AZ-240z]

After posting the photos in the earlier thread - I got to thinking so I went out to the garage, opened a cabinet, dug to the back and found the "Z-Parts Box" - opened the box and dug down to the bottom of that and found the box shown in the photo. This would be the box the 5-speed knob came in - and inside the box was my original 4-speed knob from 1972. I have a feeling that my 5-speed knob is from the '74 time frame...

Goose,

The 4-speed knob you have is, also, an early shift knob. If you would like to rid yourself of this, let me know. Been looking for one of these for quite a while.

Dan

[Goose52]

If you ever need a hand to clean out that garage...:classic:

Not too much early stuff out there - just some take-offs as I modified the car. Some of the parts I gave away over the years - wish I had some of it back - like my original console ashtray and ashtray cover!

[Reverend]

For some reason Nissan offered 240Z with 5-speed gearbox here in Finland. But look at the shifter knob.. This pic is from car magazine, July 1972. So the car must be from 71 or earlier.

[Arne]

All the more reason for me to not worry about finding a Type A 5 speed for my car. Because once I had the transmission I wouldn't be totally happy until I acquired one of the small original 5 speed knobs for it. Since the knobs appear to be harder to find than the transmissions themselves, I best not even start.

[Goose52]

Goose,

The 4-speed knob you have is, also, an early shift knob. If you would like to rid yourself of this, let me know. Been looking for one of these for quite a while.

Dan

Hi Dan - I'm going to keep it for a while. It's the original one from when the car was new in '72 and was only used for a bit less than 2 years as I put a Datsun comp 5-speed (and an R-190 4.44 LSD) in the car in mid-'74 or so. I should display that knob in my den ... next to my original '72 steering wheel, which is also in great shape as it was also in use for less than 2 years when I first installed a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

[Arne]

For some reason Nissan offered 240Z with 5-speed gearbox here in Finland. But look at the shifter knob.. This pic is from car magazine, July 1972. So the car must be from 71 or earlier.

The console is the '72 type, so that car is apparently a '72. Don't what that knob is from, though.

And actually, the 240Z and other S30 models were available with 5 speeds from the beginning pretty much everywhere else in the world, other than North America.

[AZ-240z]

Hi Dan - I'm going to keep it for a while. It's the original one from when the car was new in '72 and was only used for a bit less than 2 years as I put a Datsun comp 5-speed (and an R-190 4.44 LSD) in the car in mid-'74 or so. I should display that knob in my den ... next to my original '72 steering wheel, which is also in great shape as it was also in use for less than 2 years when I first installed a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Goose, sounds like that's what I would probably do with a nice, original part from my car. Please pardon my little tongue-in-cheek inquiry as I, also, have a few little treasures which I drag out occasionally anticipating the time when they finally find a home in my car.

Dan

[geezer]

All the more reason for me to not worry about finding a Type A 5 speed for my car. Because once I had the transmission I wouldn't be totally happy until I acquired one of the small original 5 speed knobs for it. Since the knobs appear to be harder to find than the transmissions themselves, I best not even start.

I don't think it is that difficult to find a Type A 5 speed. I come across a few every year. It's the shipping costs and replacement parts that nix the idea for me. Not economically feasible or practical today when there are viable alternatives for a lot less. I envy Goose, who made some nice upgrades early on.

Arne, you could start sweet talking Mike. That looks like a nice early 5 speed knob he has. Either that or he is getting pretty good with the new camera.

Poor dntpunchgrandpa is missing the feeding frenzy! Seriously though, the tip from lonetreesteve is a good one. MJP-Eastern Auto is operated by Mike Feeney in the UK. He is the guy to talk to. He is a member of Zclub.net (user name - Mr.F) and very good at finding parts. E-mail: mike@mjpauto.com

Edited January 5, 2010 by geezer

[Goose52]

I envy Goose, who made some nice upgrades early on.

Yikes - don't envy me too much! It's true, in 1974 I bought a Datsun Comp WR OD 5-speed, driveshaft, and R-190 4.44 LSD through a mechanic friend at a dealer who got the whole package for $650!. HOWEVER, I only ran that set-up through 1977 when I pulled it all out and ran a 331ci small block Chevy. I ran the SBC until 1982 when I ran into some smog issues and other problems with the swap and decided to put an L6 back in the car so I went with an L28 out of a '79ZX and another Datsun Comp 5-speed which I'm still running today...

And there are indeed some parts issues with the Comp box.... I double-clutch downshift always to save the syncros as I don't think they're available any longer .... (plus, double-clutching sounds cool )

[dntpunchgrandpa]

geezer amen to that! I had no clue this thread would take off like that. Took me a good 15 minutes to read up to speed. Still looking but fruitless at the moment. I realize its more of an aesthetics thing but I've been looking to swap out that 4 speed knob for the 5 speed knob for a while now. Poked my head in ebay and found lots of new old stock 4 speed shifters but no original wooden 5 speeds

heres the links if anyones interested

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DATSUN-240Z-280Z-510-WOODEN-SHIFT-KNOB-BRAND-NEW-RARE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2557c84019QQitemZ160386531353QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_1653wt_648

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DATSUN-240Z-280Z-510-WOODEN-SHIFT-KNOB-BRAND-NEW-RARE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2557c84019QQitemZ160386531353QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_1653wt_648

[geezer]

Well, I figured I would attempt to duplicate the early knob profile, by turning down my superceeded replacement knob.

First pic is my 3/8'' Dewalt drill clamped in the vise with the knob threaded onto a bolt that I cut the head off (poor man lathe). It took about a half hour to bring it down to shape, using a file, then graduated grits of sandpaper. I tried some ebony stain on it but the walnut grain doesn't accept it too easily. I sprayed a single coat of clear quick drying poly, then buffed it. Still not an early one, but better than it was and good enough for my Z.

It wouldn't be too difficult to bring one of the new version 4 speed knobs down to size either.