Shift knob perspective

I was at a regular get together this last weekend in SoCal and FChatter mchas took this photo of my '85QV interior with a perspective I have not seen before. The Hill Engineering shift knob really is a piece of art IMHO. I just wanted to share it here.
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is that the chrome one or the titanium one.... been thinking of getting one of those. Very nice

 

Chrome. I did the pedals also. In my opinion, Ferrari should have offered this as an option at the time since it really dresses up the car.
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Agreed on the "work of art" comment - I had a damn Hill shift knob on order and in the mail before I even took delivery of my car! While "seat of the pants feel" is important to most drivers, the most important "feel" to me is what's in my hands - shiftknob, steering wheel - and second, what's under my feet - pedals. Everything else is gravy, but if any of those two aren't just right, the whole thing feels off to me.

 

Is that the 47mm or 50mm shift knob?

Do you think you can actually feel that small a difference in size?

Does the stock one just screw off and the new knob screw right on or do you need any other "parts" (adapters, etc)?

Cheers.

P.S. - Your knob & pedals really do dress up that interior!

 

I bought the 47mm unit. Easy to install, no extra parts or adapters.

 

I bought a carbon fibre one from Dan at Ricambi
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The stock ball is locked into position by a specially shaped locknut. This guarantees alignment of the lettering. (Picture 1).
Shifter diameter is 10mm (Picture 2).
Thread pitch, incorrectly labled. Should read: ~1.25 pitch (Picture 3)

BTW, if you drive a GTS you might think twice about a metal shifter ball. I put one in a TR6 once and fried my hand every time I drove the car with the top down - which was always.

Rick / '79 308GTB
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I had a Ti knob on my old 308 (from one of the old FerrariListers), and it was great! The difference in tactile feel from the heavier knob made shifting seem much more "positive". I wish I could put that knob on one of my current cars....

Only drawback? Keep it covered if the car is parked in the summer sun for any length of time, or you'll burn your hand. My wife found a neat little velvet jewelry bag (dark blue - just like the car!) to put over it when parked. Perfect!

gp

 

That's exactly what I use...works perfectly.

 

Crown Royal bag works fine too

 

very cool composition indeed... like it has a halo around it......

 

Lol. I had that image in my mind as I was scrolling down to your post.

I think I'll stay stock with the GTS shift knob just because I almost always have the top off.

 

The photo shows a 47mm knob, the 50mm is way too big in my opinion, and since the stock black ones are even smaller, 47's are the way to go.

 

Agree, my loving wife got me a Chrome 47mm for x-mass a couple of years ago.... it's a completley differnt car with a Chrome 47mm knob than the stock black plastic knob job.

FWIW, I sold my POS stock black knob on E-bay for the same $ my wife paid for the Chrome knob....and I've got a car that feels 100 times better.

 

Man that is NICE!

The metal ball helps with the shift throw. A little bit of physics. In the after-market for my Jetta, there are heavier shift linkages you can replace the stock unit with that help with crisper, more positive throws (or shifts).

 

So what you are saying is that if I replace it with a really heavy 300mm ball my shifts would be effortless???? ;-)

Hmmm - too much bling for me!!
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Tnx for the pix of the shaft end, now I know how to drill & tap that 8-ball...

 

Heheheh, no As you know, nothing is free in physics It would take more energy to move that 30cm ball...and you'd likely smash your console in the process!

 

Um... are we still talking about car parts?

That's BEAUTIFUL. Dan, you sly devil you... I see I'm gonna keep having to buy parts I don't really need from you...

 

OK, you guys talked me into it!

Just got off the telephone w/Daniel at Ricambi and ordered the 47mm chrome knob w/black in fill.

Also ordered the gas cap to replace the one I inadvertantly left at a gas station in Ft. lauderdale.
I was distracted by a truck backing up that came way too close to my vehicle as I was finishing pumping gas.

I'd rather buy a replacement gas cap from Ricambi (way nicer than the black plastic one I had) than get a huge dent in the Fcar!