[Shotimes] Re: Used part

[MonsieurBoo@aol.com]

"Guys, Im looking for anyone that has parts or knows where I can get a  shift 
knob for a 93 ATX, that includes the spring and button.  My button  cracked 
inside.  I can still shift, its held together with you know  what....duc-tape"
 
 
This is a common (almost inevitable) failute, as I found out.  About a  year 
ago, after going down the same road you did, I ended up using a 3/4" wide  
strip of matching-color velcro that I got at the hobby/crafts store.  Cut  and 
super glue a lil' piece of the "hook" side of it on the underneath of the  
driver's side of the shift knob.  (NOTE: if you get the velcro that  comes with 
adhesive already, take off the waxpaper and remove all the  sticky-adhesive with 
rubbing alcohol.  It melts when the interior heats up,  then everything falls 
off.  Clean it and use super glue instead.)
 
Make a piece for the top by cutting about a 5" long strip of the "fuzzy"  
side, folding the last 3/4" of one end over and gluing it to itself so there's a  
3/4" piece on the end that has fuzz on both sides.  Stick the  doubled-over 
fuzzy part onto the hook piece on the underneath of the knob, pull  it over the 
top and across towards the passenger side, tightening it until  the shift 
button is under a bit of tension, then mark and trim the excess length  of the 
strap.  
 
Unhook it from the hook piece and remove the button.  Glue the long  strip 
across the width of the top and let it dry overnight.  Put the button  back, 
push it in, pull the long strip over it and hook it back to the hook part  on the 
underneath.  
 
Has worked like a charm ever since.  Doesn't look too ugly or detract  from 
the "hand feel" of the shifter knob.  Best of all, makes a very cheap  but 
effective "anti theft device" since you can unhook the velcro, remove the  button 
and take it with you when the car is parked!


 
If you do find a replacement knob, be very careful removing your knob  
because there is a very small-gauge and too-short piece of wire on the  inside that 
connects to the overdrive button and goes down to a terminal inside  the 
console.  You only have a couple inches of slack and if you snap it  you'll have to 
fix it.  
 
If you can't find a replacement but want a more elegant repair, you could  
cut a plastic strip from a suitable piece of plastic, trim back the broken ends  
on the button and then superglue or plastic weld your plastic strip to it to  
make a new loop.  Then carefully pull the knob up from the shifter stick,  
put the button into the knob and jiggle the knob back onto the shifter stick,  
fiddling with the button till the loop slips over the internal mechanism.   
Kind of finicky but it would be good as new then.  I was gonna use the  velcro as 
a short term repair but eventually just left it on cuz  it was satisfactory 
for my purposes and esthetics.
 
Cheers,
Mark LaBarre
94 atx 135k