Gear Knob Renovation

[Curt]

Hi all,

Well my knob was getting on my nerves, just looking old and tatty. I was looking to replace it a little while ago, but they're too expensive IMO for what they are and I'd prefer to spend my money on better things.

It looked like this, manky and left over bits of previous owner on it, lovely:

As you can see all the lacquer has come of and it's rubbish.

I was bored yesterday so I decided to clean it and then sand it down and polish it up, so after that:

Better.

Then I painted the select pattern bit silver and the numbers red and conditioned the leather:

Didn't come out too bad I don't think. Soo much better than before anyway IMO.

That is all

 

[Y83OLK]

Im sure a thread the other day said replacemnt gearknobs are around £20.
However, that does look very nice.

 

[Curt]

Not sure TBH, I only looked on fleaBay a while back and there was only BIN's, which were all stupid money. I haven't tried the dealer for one.

Cheers mate :icon_thumright:

 

[Zenin]

sweet i gotta do this too mine, mines not as bad as your first image but its not shiny either, what polish did you use? and what type of sandpaper did you use to sand it down.

from the looks of you have a 1.6, good thing you didnt buy any knobs cos none will fit the 1.6. i brought 2 knobs(VAG certified) before giving up.

 

[Curt]

Used 1500 grit to get it smooth as (the smoother, the shinier and the less elbow grease required with the polish). Then G3 compound, and some Auto Glym Super Resin. It's good doing it yourself though, get to choose what colour for the details (if you want to) and whatnot.

It's a 1.8T. I'd only want a standard one for it, don't like aftermarket rubbish. OEM FTW

 

[A3Tom]

Hmmm, interesting. You have the same 'knob' as me...mines no where near as bad as that but I like the look of the shiney top...might have to try that out.

T

 

[Curt]

Go for it dude, it makes a nice difference, doesn't take long and costs peanuts! Can't go wrong

 

[MURRAYS444]

The gear stick looks good but I hope you cleaned the rest of your car it looks like you have dropped an entire packet of crisps over the passenger side and forgoten about them lol!!!

 

[voorhees]

Good work that looks brand new,clean your interior next

 

[Curt]

Haha, cheers for the comments. Nah not crisps, just dirt. I don't do cleaning cars (I know, I hide it well), you should see the outside! Actually, maybe you shouldn't.

 

[MURRAYS444]

Don' worry buddy the inside of my car is nice but outside my car is brown when it should be blue lol!!!

 

[Curt]

Hehe, it's the wrong time of year for clean cars! Sounds like mine, mine's Ming Blue

 

[MURRAYS444]

Your lucky mine is nogaro blue it make me feel so lazy i had it washed 3 weeks ago but the roads are kickin up everything rite now!!!

 

[Curt]

Exactly why I won't bother cleaning it this time of year! Although I'm going to a meet at the weekend so who knows, it might get lucky....

 

[Dansmith]

Well my knob was getting on my nerves,

Herpes?









Sorry but it had to be done!

 

[Curt]

.

 

[Pat J]

sweet i gotta do this too mine, mines not as bad as your first image but its not shiny either, what polish did you use? and what type of sandpaper did you use to sand it down.

from the looks of you have a 1.6, good thing you didnt buy any knobs cos none will fit the 1.6. i brought 2 knobs(VAG certified) before giving up.

What part numbers did you order for the 1.6 gear knobs. On a previous thread someone who either worked or knew the parts guy at his local dealers posted the following part numbers
8L0711141 01C - Satin Black Leatherette.
8L0711141A 8BS - Satin Black Leather.
I took note of them as my kid brother had been looking at 1.6 at the time which was just starting to look a little tatty. In the end he bought a T3 Camper which he's having sorted at the moment. The poster did say that these two part numbers were only listed for the 1.4/1.6 A3's.

Hope this may be of help to you. Both cost around £20 from the dealers.

 

[jay1601]

how did you paint the numbers and the bit you painted silver