TheSamba.com :: View topic - Automatic shifter "gap filler" trim piece

Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:57 am

I've an Automatic Vanagon. Sadly the shift rod gap cover that surrounds the shift lever and slides forward and back with the lever is long ago broken and gone.

Heres a picture to help....... (Not my van and I wish my shift knob looked half that good! It's an 86 Audi 5000 Turbo knob)

Here's mine without the gap cover....... I think my PO used to teeth on the knob!

Is there a source for a replacement piece or ideas for improvising a new one?

Thanks!
Dave

Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:25 am

I just kept looking in the classifieds here untill I found one.is there any wrecking yards near you.here's a website with wrecking yards all over the country. http://www.car-part.com/

Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:28 am

May work...... But spendy! $$'s

Dave

Thu Aug 28, 2014 6:25 am

Two places to locate a shift console filler;
Bone yard.
Parts want ads here.

All gone from VW parts for a few years--NLA

Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:18 am

hit the junk yard

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=579634&highlight=shifter

Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:26 am

Another option would be to replace the original strip with some weatherstrip brushes. You can buy replacement brushes for dirt cheap. Cut to length and glue two strips inside the housing and your golden. McMaster Carr sells a variety of different replacement sizes. You may be able to find these at your local hardware store too.

Thu Aug 28, 2014 10:04 am

I think 99 cents and 10 minutes later you'd be all set.

Thu Aug 28, 2014 10:22 am

nice floor mats

Thu Aug 28, 2014 10:47 am

that's not where the Jammin 8-track goes for tunes? :lol:

but you can get creative with plastic cutting board sheets.. or such.

but you can salvage one from any 80's jetta/golf with an AT though those are getting much more rare these days at the yards.

Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:00 pm

kourt wrote: nice floor mats

Thanks!

I need to get some proper Vanagon carpet mats from SewFine, but right now these old Bug mats do the trick. They are vintage originals from the late 1960's, my girl (now wife of 40 years) got them for my first car, a 1960 Beetle, they've been in almost every car I've owned since then.

Dave

Thu Aug 28, 2014 3:00 pm

Foam board, good idea but too flimsy........

Hmmmm....... A simple $2 spiral notebook with a black plastic cover..... Not cardboard.......... Back side of cover is a nice pebble grain..........

If I slice off a 30mm wide strip (just shy of 1 3/16") punch in a 5/8" hole.............

Step one...... Brave the back to school shoppers at Staples and secure a notebook......

Step two, cut cover off........
What? You say that Step two is go pick up Pizza?....... Yes Dear........ :wink:

Fri Aug 29, 2014 9:39 am

Well, the night has gone by, good Pizza, good Wine, a nice fire in the backyard fire pit.

BTW, here is the original cover, it is so brittle that the pieces break when simply touched!

I didn't rip off the notebook cover, just sliced off 30mm of it.......

Installed! Pebble side up...........

I don't like the Black, it would look better Brown, I've got the Vinyl for my Dash recover project!
A small slice.........

I used my 3m 1357 adhesive and applied the Vinyl to the Notebook cover slice.
I need a 5/8" punch...... I don't have one but I do have a wedge concrete floor anchor that has a 5/8" diameter body!
A little grinding with the Dremel making the outer edge razor sharp..........

I set the strip on a 2x set my punch over it where I want the hole..... Strike firmly and Viola'!!!! ........ A Brown Shifter Gap Filler!! :)

I placed the hole 5 1/4" from one end of the plastic strip that was cut from a binder cover. The vinyl over runs the length by about 1" at each end.

Dave

Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:07 am

Kudos to handiness and creativity.

now you can make 4 more and sell them as improvements over the Oe. units.

=D>

Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:08 am

Well done! =D>

Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:47 am

good work

Fri Aug 29, 2014 8:08 pm

I hadn't even realized I had this void in my life, now I can't not see it!
Mr. Keev I just read your resurrection thread and have enjoyed it and several of the sidebars very much. I'm looking forward to finding out how your next attempt at a brown paint match goes. If you wanted to slice off a few more millimeters of plastic and can spare a bit of vinyl I'd send you, heck, enough for 2 or 3 more binders! :lol:
But I have the impression you have better things to do, cheers!

Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:52 am

That is sweet!

I must have got one of the last in stock because I ordered one for my van in 09 and still havent installed it. When I do does anyone have the solution for the rattle at 50+ mph? It drives me nuts! :)

Brian

Sat Aug 30, 2014 11:33 am

Ah jeez, I just discovered that there were supposed to be lights in there. Now I have to worry about a gap filler too :shock: ? But seriously, nice work!

Sat Sep 05, 2015 6:04 pm

just got this in the mail. works perfect. no modifications needed.

chinese nock-off? yes… cheap? yes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281760089501?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Sun Sep 06, 2015 4:19 am

bjrogers86auto wrote: When I do does anyone have the solution for the rattle at 50+ mph? It drives me nuts! :)

Brian

Brian, you need to alter the resonant frequency. My fix for this was to hang a large roll of duct tape on the shifter once up to highway speeds. My wife's job was to pick up the roll and replace it, each time it fell off. Then I got fancy, and taped my largest socket near the top of the gearshift stalk. Works great, until you need the socket, then you are back to the first solution.

RonC