There was a thread a bit ago about billiard balls. Fullblast was kind enough to give me a 4 ball. Yesterday I made this shifter and topped it off with the ball. I need to bend the the shaft back since it touches the dash when shifting. Hopefully it's not too heavy for the tranny when on the road.
Very nice indeed. now i have an anchient 7 ball that i'd like to make into a shifter, is it as simple as drill presssing and tapping it with a lot of lubracation or is there more?
I didn't use lube, I like it tight like that. Just go easy, it's like wood, drills easy but go too hard and fast and it cause chaffing. I put a rag on the plate of the drill press and held it in the hole to center it. Careful on the start then smooth sailing.
For the record: One of the reasons I joined the HAMB was becuase of the purple writing. No back to our program
I know this is an old post, but it would probably help to sand/grind a flat spot to make it easier to start your hole.
This is old, the ball already faded. I've had only one in the past not fade and I don't know where I bought it. It was in a newer truck and different threads so it doesn't fit this car. I did just buy a set missing the 10 at the Salvation Army on Friday so I'm gonna let a different ball sit in the sun to see if it fades. If it survives I'll try this again.
I've made a few of these by getting a steel threaded insert from an engineering supply and carefully drilling the hole to just oversize for the insert and then using epoxy glue to affix the insert. Google pool ball manufacturers.....they will sell you singles for almost pocket change. They have several different diameters also.
How about a write up on your truck put it in it's own thread? Looks like lots of cool details from the photo. are those straps to raise and lower the windows? Early VWs were like that, and some 60s lightweight factory drag cars, If I remember correctly.
I don't know if rubbing sunblock on my balls will do anything but pleaser me. I will have a garage soon to keep her in. We sign for our new house tomorrow, just have to wait for the bank to sign and stuff. Should have the house keys for X-mas.
I did the same ... found the insert at the local hardware store and the ball at a pool & billiard table dealer. I did have to use a jam nut and Loktite to keep the ball number straight (disregard the last step if you're not as anal retentive as I am!).
I've done a few...of course they were all 8-balls(no fading) I took a round file and ground a small "x" where i wanted to drill. Then used an undersized drill bit in a drill press. Go slow and you won't have any problems.
Here's a couple pictures of a marble cue ball that a friend gave me about 30 years ago. I don't know how they managed to drill and tap a hole in marble.
I had a similar idea, only drill out a hole and put a metal insert in such as a small tapped rod piece and epoxy it in there. I have a crystal doorknob shifter on the truck now, but it's always cool to have different stuff.
I have an real antique 8 ball on my T's shifter very old, probably older than the T itself drilled and tapped it to fit the handle only picture I could find...
Nasty dayum monkey. Thats hilarious. I have a set of pool balls that it seems nobody wants. I took em around to different bars and told em I'd swap em for a drink. No takers. It became sport. They looked at me like I was Otis. Now I see some Christmas presents. Thanks guys. Merry Christmas.
I found a basket of 'em at a goodwill store, got 9 for a buck, 2 different sizes. They paint easily in base/clear, here's one color-matched to the stripes on my Skylark.
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