Gear Knobs!

[terryp]

Terry,

Sj Sportscars list a 4 speed gear knob for the Eclat for ?16.

In a convoluted way it may be the way to get the 4 speed one. I am reasonably sure the 70's Eclats with the 4 speed had the same style wooden knob the Elan did.
I seem to remember, when I worked on the production line, that the Excel still used the wooden gearknob identical to look at as the one Jason had for the 5 speed. This was up to the late eighties for the base car, so its a fair chance the Eclat one would do, if the SJ one has the correct badging. That bit I dont know but it is a proper Lotus part number so it may.

Simon

Simon
Thanks for that , I'll email Steve

Terry

[saildrive2001]

My 69 S4 SE DHC has the black badge in it.

[andyelan]

Hi Everyone

I was always under the impression that it was only later cars (maybe post 1970) that had gear knobs with the shift pattern marked on them. Prior to this they had a "Lotus" badge, either in Black or Green and Yellow. Also, didn't early cars have teardrop shaped Knobs ?

Andy

[saildrive2001]

Mine has the wooden sperical knob.

[mrob]

Hi Everyone

I was always under the impression that it was only later cars (maybe post 1970) that had gear knobs with the shift pattern marked on them. Prior to this they had a "Lotus" badge, either in Black or Green and Yellow. Also, didn't early cars have teardrop shaped Knobs ?

Andy

Yes, my S1 had a pear shaped knob with the logo.

[trw99]

Curious, I delved into my collection of past Elan road tests from the 1960/70s. From an initial and rather quick survey I came up with this:

1961 Early S1 - A cone shaped knob, with a 'dimple' set into the top, in which there was a yellow/green Lotus logo (I defer to Tim Mees on the S1 & S2 detailed knowledge)

1964 Later S1 - The pear drop, with a yellow/green Lotus logo

1967 S3 and +2 - The pear drop, with a yellow/green Lotus logo

1968 S3 and +2 - Round knob, with the Lotus logo (unable to determine colour)

1968 Later +2 - Round knob, with gear selection pattern

1969 S4 - Round knob, with gear selection pattern

Thereafter all the knobs were round and had either the 4 or 5 gear selection pattern

Paul Matty currently lists the round knob with black and silver Lotus logo as from 1968, with the round knob with gear selection pattern from 1971 onwards.

As usual with Lotus, nothing especially definitive, though from the start of 1971 they did seem to get their act together a little bit more than they had in the 1960s!

Tim

[paddy]

1961 Early S1 - A cone shaped knob, with a 'dimple' set into the top, in which there was a yellow/green Lotus logo (I defer to Tim Mees on the S1 & S2 detailed knowledge)

From: http://www.type26register.com/spec_changes.html

The first S1s had a gear knob with a concave top, and a brass insert on the top with the logo. It sounds like at some point perhaps this changed to a yellow/green logo.

From unit 3330 (approx) onwards, it changed to the tear-drop shape.

Paddy

[trw99]

And I defer to you too Paddy! I rather made an assumption about the colour of the logo for the early S1 so if it was brass I stand corrected.

I'm also not at all sure what I meant by pear drop! It is either a tear-drop shape or a pear shape but I am clearly out of shape. Must be this snow we are basking in. Tally ho!

Tim

[paddy]

I'm also not at all sure what I meant by pear drop!

Pear drops were the pick'n'mix favourite: http://www.stockleyssweets.co.uk/images ... 36_752.jpg

so the shape's not too far off

Paddy

[terryp]

Curious, I delved into my collection of past Elan road tests from the 1960/70s. From an initial and rather quick survey I came up with this:

1961 Early S1 - A cone shaped knob, with a 'dimple' set into the top, in which there was a yellow/green Lotus logo (I defer to Tim Mees on the S1 & S2 detailed knowledge)

1964 Later S1 - The pear drop, with a yellow/green Lotus logo

1967 S3 and +2 - The pear drop, with a yellow/green Lotus logo

1968 S3 and +2 - Round knob, with the Lotus logo (unable to determine colour)

1968 Later +2 - Round knob, with gear selection pattern

1969 S4 - Round knob, with gear selection pattern

Thereafter all the knobs were round and had either the 4 or 5 gear selection pattern

Paul Matty currently lists the round knob with black and silver Lotus logo as from 1968, with the round knob with gear selection pattern from 1971 onwards.

As usual with Lotus, nothing especially definitive, though from the start of 1971 they did seem to get their act together a little bit more than they had in the 1960s!

Tim

Tim
So my late +2 (1973) should definitely have a gear selection pattern on it?

Thanks
Terry

[rgh0]

Terry
My 73 plus2 has the round knob with 5 speed change pattern

cheers
Rohan

[terryp]

I think I'll be looking on eBay a bit then for my 4 speed little badge!

Terry

[trw99]

Terry

Good luck! They come up irregularly. Try Paul Matty - he had them listed this morning!

And Paddy, I remember pear drops well, they were one of my favorites and my woodwork teacher sucked on them through out each lesson.

Tim

[tinker]

My 5 speed gear knob is also missing the little badge out of the top, unfortunately no such luck as finding it under the carpet, but did keep my eye out for it. Have been keeping an eye on ebay for one, bid on Terrys which looked quite nice , but ?31 is a bit to much i think, mind you not as bad as the ones that have been going for silly money. Ive often thought some of the later 5 speed knobs loked very similar, its nice to see this confirmed by some of you guys.

[tinker]

My 5 speed gear knob is also missing the little badge out of the top, unfortunately no such luck as finding it under the carpet, but did keep my eye out for it. Have been keeping an eye on ebay for one, bid on Terrys which looked quite nice , but ?31 is a bit to much i think, mind you not as bad as the ones that have been going for silly money. Ive often thought some of the later 5 speed knobs loked very similar, its nice to see this confirmed by some of you guys.

Sorry, i meant Jasons.