Gear shift lever knob

for those with Series MM sidevalve cars produced between September 1948 and February 1953
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manlyvaleaussie
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Gear shift lever knob

Post by manlyvaleaussie »

I remember about a year ago or maybe longer that a member was pursuing the possibility of having some original style gear shift knobs for the MM series made, the ones with the brass inserts. Sorry, I don't remember the member's name but does anyone know if this came to pass and if so would there still be one available.

Thanks,
Paul Follett. manlyvaleaussie
jagnut66
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by jagnut66 »

Hi Paul,
Do you mean these?
Best wishes,
Mike.


https://www.morrisminorspares.com/gearb ... pe-p830961
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
JohnV
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by JohnV »

jagnut66 wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 6:54 pm Do you mean these?

https://www.morrisminorspares.com/gearb ... pe-p830961
I believe these are not the same as the earliest Series MM knobs, according to the estimable Richard O'Brien. If memory serves, those 1948-early 1949 knobs had an impressed shift pattern rather than a raised one.
I have two Minors in upstate New York. One is the 1961 Traveller my dad bought new that year in London, where I was born. It's had a hard life but is still running cheerfully at 54K miles. The second is the oldest Minor confirmed to survive in North America, a LHD high-light Tourer built in April 1949. It's a total basket case, but will be restored over the coming years.
jagnut66
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by jagnut66 »

those 1948-early 1949 knobs had an impressed shift pattern rather than a raised one.
Looking at the picture (below) that I've just found you may well be right, we need the input of others here I think.
Best wishes,
Mike.
1949 Morris Minor MM interior detail.jpg
1949 Morris Minor MM interior detail.jpg (220.24 KiB) Viewed 2460 times
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
jagnut66
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by jagnut66 »

Found these posts, are they any help?
The second one looks promising, OP is 'mike.perry', last active in 2017 though, perhaps someone on here is able to contact him?
Best wishes,
Mike.


https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... AdAAAAABAI

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... AdAAAAABAU
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
seriesmm_1
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by seriesmm_1 »

Mike you are quite correct Mike Perry who was in charge of the Series mm register had some made for the club a few years ago,I know as I bought one & the numbers are recessed
Regards
BrianR

jagnut66
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by jagnut66 »

I remember about a year ago or maybe longer that a member was pursuing the possibility of having some original style gear shift knobs for the MM series made
Mike Perry who was in charge of the Series mm register had some made for the club a few years ago
So, I think the question which the OP will want to know the answer to is: Is he still contactable and, for those in need, are they still available?
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
doughicks
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by doughicks »

The one I have has no markings.
It is off a 51.
Did they all have markings?
doughicks
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by doughicks »

Sorry forgot to attach pics to last post.
Attachments
DSCF9116.JPG
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DSCF9117.JPG
DSCF9117.JPG (713.16 KiB) Viewed 2422 times
JohnV
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by JohnV »

OK, according to OHP900 aka Richard O'Brien (who can't recall his login at the moment), the knobs Mike Parry had made weren't correct. So basically I had the story backward—for which abject apologies.

Richard sent me these four photos. Three show the original knob off his Feb 1949 car, with ridged edges and (the remains of) raised letters, and the fourth shows an original Nuffield shot in which you can just see the raised letters on an original very early car.

SO, it looks like the MM Spares knobs for 803cc Series II cars (posted by JagNut) have raised letters (correct) but NOT ridged edges. :cry: Drat.
Attachments
shift knob - Nuffield shot.jpg
shift knob - Nuffield shot.jpg (67.43 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
shift knob - 03.jpg
shift knob - 03.jpg (46.53 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
shift knob - 02.jpg
shift knob - 02.jpg (52.25 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
shift knob - 01.jpg
shift knob - 01.jpg (48.15 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
I have two Minors in upstate New York. One is the 1961 Traveller my dad bought new that year in London, where I was born. It's had a hard life but is still running cheerfully at 54K miles. The second is the oldest Minor confirmed to survive in North America, a LHD high-light Tourer built in April 1949. It's a total basket case, but will be restored over the coming years.
jagnut66
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Posts: 3635
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:28 pm
Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by jagnut66 »

SO, it looks like the MM Spares knobs for 803cc Series II cars (posted by JagNut) have raised letters (correct) but NOT ridged edges.
In other words, unless you want to bring your car up to concourse level and enter it into competitions (with the hope of winning), they would do the job nicely and 'look' period correct. :wink:
Of course if you do want to bring your car up to concourse standards and have a duff knob................ :roll:
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
RobThomas
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by RobThomas »

knob1.png
knob1.png (930.29 KiB) Viewed 2391 times
This is all I've got.
Last edited by RobThomas on Wed May 06, 2020 3:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cardiff, UK
RobThomas
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by RobThomas »

knob3.png
knob3.png (905.73 KiB) Viewed 2391 times
Cardiff, UK
manlyvaleaussie
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by manlyvaleaussie »

Thanks to Rob and all who replied, it turns out that Bryan Gostling still has some of the knobs that Mike Perry had made & one will be on it's way to me shortly. Once received, I'll post photos of it for comment on originality as it seems that there is some doubt.

Paul Follett. manlyvaleaussie
sparesman
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Re: Gear shift lever knob

Post by sparesman »

We still have a few left in the club stocks. It is unlikely we will get any more made as they cost us about £30 each.
In Rob's photos the bottom left is the right one as is same as that on at least 2 or 3 of the MMs I have owned. The bottom left is a solid possibly bakelite version as fitted to the 8 Series E and 10M. They are same shape and design as the MM ones but do not perish. The knobs we have were made from a mould taken from one of thee Series E knobs and have the part number embossed on the underneath of the knob.
Series E knobs turn up from time to time and we have one currently in the club stocks.An alternative is the Morris 10/4 12/4 etc Series 3 knob which is very similar.
1934 Morris 10/4 in Dark Green / Black - BGO517
1953 S11 Traveller in Birch Grey - oldest survivor ? Export model now reg PPO924
1953 S11 Traveller in Black - 3rd oldest in UK PPX344
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