Shift Knobs?

[Lee Hedges]

Here's a pic of the four T3 shift knobs that I've seen on T3 models.

The early (61-62) solid ivory, the anthracite & ivory (63-64), the dark gray & ivory (65-66), & the solid black (66-69+).
And there's the standard automatic knob as well (not in pic).

Does anyone know of any other styles fitted to stock T3 models?

[vwfye]

Lee i swear that i have seen the inner left knob before in all grey... but i also know that stuff gets painted. it sure looked cool though!
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[t3kg]

Lee, are your sure about the dates you've given for the different knobs? The gray plastic parts in my 1965 Squareback were all original and were most definitely anthracite. The shift knob was anthracite and white ("silver beige").
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[Bobnotch]

[Lee Hedges]

No I'm not sure about those dates. That's why I am asking for your collective help here. The years I listed were based on the T34s I've seen, that's all. I'm hoping to get the original T3 owners to share which knob they've got so we can get a more definitive answer. The Parts List book doesn't list any changes to this knob during the early years (1962-66) so I have no real proof of which knob was used during which years.

[Lee Hedges]

Would it be appropriate to say the gearshift knob color (anthracite or dark gray) would have matched the e-brake lever color?

[Tram]

[Tram]

[Bobnotch]

[Lee Hedges]

Here are two T34s with the dark gray & ivory knobs:
Andy Holmes 1965 M344 with low-miles

Michael Neumann's 1966 M343 with 96K kms

And a color image of an Anthracite T34 in an August 1964 sales brochure

The dark knob was used ... at least on T34s.
Jason, what say you? We were talking about this just before Xmas.

[EverettB]

I'm not sure about the 3rd from the left either. I've owned 20+ 2-tone knobs and they were all the second from the left style except for 1 or 2. I have a mint dark grey/white one in my collection but I don't know what car it came out of.

My '66 Type 34 had a solid black knob that I'm pretty sure was original. It's an early '66. There is an early '66 Squareback in AZ which had a 2-tone knob - original. I think 66s at least could have either knob.
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[Tram]

[t3kg]

[Lee Hedges]

Ok, we may be getting closer ...

Maybe the dark gray & ivory shift knob would have been installed on those 1966 T3/34's that did not have the solid black one?

Or maybe when the dark gray (lava) shift boot appeared? Was that mid-65 or early-66? Who can check their parts list book to confirm this change?

I agree that the lower-half of the shift knob should match the rubber shifter boot (at least) if not the e-brake boot & handle as well.

[rustyfastback]

My 3 '66 squarebacks have the dark grey/ivory top shifter knob. I have parted out several '65 & '64 models all of those cars had the anthracite/ivory knob. My '63 type 343 has the anthracite/ivory knob also. Most of the '67 models I have seen have the solid black knob.

[t3kg]

Hmmm. For the e-brake handle the parts book lists "lava" for cars built from 4/61 to 7/66, and "grey-black" beginning in 8/66. That would suggest that "lava" is similar to anthracite, and that "grey-black" is the dark gray. If we're to believe the parts book. Which we know we probably shouldn't.

Also, the parts book lists a shift knob with a Type 1 Ghia part number (141 711 141 D) for all Type 3s beginning September 1967.
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[rustyfastback]

043 "grey-black" is really solid black. The parts boot list 043 "grey/black" for the later model shifter boot also.

[Lee Hedges]

I've got a rare Color Combinations book (copy from the late-great Jim Patterson of HoG) that details the colors for all parts (carpet, seats, panels, boots, trim, visors, knobs, handles, etc) for 1962-66 model T34s. Here's what this book says about the shift boot & ebrake handle colors.

Shift boot for 1962 (311 711 115) was Anthracite 039 for all body colors except Sea Blue (Satin Blue) & Pacific (Malachite Green). 1963-64 was Grey-Black 043 for all body colors. 1965 was back to Anthracite 039 for all body colors. 1966 was back to Grey-Black for all body colors.

E-Brake lever for 1962 (311 711 327) was Anthracite. 1963-64 was Lava 973 Ku014. 1965 was back to Anthracite. And 1966 was back to Lava. [This seems to contradict what we believe about 1963-64 ebrake color being Anthracite, although I've seen some 1964's with dark handles and wondered if they'd been painted.]

Strange data from this original book, but as Scott Taylor warns, these have been known to be wrong in several instances before.

But at least 4 T3/34's from 1966 models have featured the dark grey & ivory shift knob, so that may be a plausible answer.

The late model T34s (1967-69) all were fitted with the solid black shift knob except the Automatics which used the standard Beetle black knob.

[notchboy]

Here is what I have. The same as Lee in my collection. The white is the Bezel Works repop of the white one (my og one was lost in the mail ) The light grey is out of my 63, the dark grey is from an unknown car and my cool VW accessory one. (Is that the one you mentioned Tram?)

Here is what Ive always thought. The white was early 61-62 1/2 ish, the light grey was 63-65 and the dark grey was 66. Now I used to own alot of 66 T3s back in the day and I have seen the two tones in both colors in them. i always called the dark grey a 66 to simplify for people.

Now back when I had all these pre 67 cars around I had a knob collection of about 10 or so. And I did once upon a time have a pic of a 3rd grey color. Now it may of been a sun bleached one or something but I do remember it. To bad I dont have a pic eithor as it was 3 or 4 computers ago. But thats a fish for another day.

I would of said prior to parts book info that the dark grey was a 66 only thing.

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[notchboy]

My light grey one and your light grey one dont look the same. Mine looks like anthracite and yours looks crackle grey???
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