[200q20v] Audi shift knob p/n

[Phil Rose]

>In a message dated 1/27/02 9:15:40 AM, brett at cloud9.net writes:
>
><< Got a p/n?  I can call around+see if anyone has it cheaper.... >>
>
>8D0064226
>
>That's what Audiusa.com has for the burled walnut unit.  It actually only
>costs $70, but may not be the correct replacement.  Looks too dark to me.

It doesn't look to be the "right" shape, so I doubt they intend for
it to be a "correct" replacement for our cars. But its thread would
be OK and it ought to function and look OK too. Certainly it's more
appealing to me than that shiney metal  voodoo stuff I saw. Gasp.
However, they do state the following for the Voodoo knobs:
"...cures baldness, improves your sex life, keeps you dry in the
rain, and makes your stereo sound better!"

Heck I wouldn't mind having *all* of those benefits--except I don't
need the "stereo sound" part since I already have my superb-sounding
Bose system :-)

Taka mentioned the appeal of a zebrano knob. That's been my "holy
grail". In fact I searched for a couple of years to locate a zebrano
blank that's thick enough for turning a shift knob. Recently I
acquired some nice 2 1/4 inch-thick zebrano turning stock which ought
to work nicely. I haven't yet made a knob out of the zebrano,
although I've made one of cocobolo wood and also one from an
interesting dark-brown wood called "Chechen". Though the grain of a
zebrano knob will be distinctive, much like our trim panels, I
believe that getting the zebrano color  to closely match our interior
wood won't be so easy. I suspect that Audi has used a penetrating
stain or a tinted finish to redden the zebrano color to a
considerable extent. Probably done to ensure uniformity.

As to using a "weighted" knob (which Taka referred to)--I'm puzzled
as to what possible benefit might come from adding any weight. Back
in the dim past, when I learned to drive, gearshift levers were
mostly 3-spd and usually steering-column mounted. The 2nd to 3rd
shift was straight down and the "coolest" guys might use heavily
"weighted" shift knobs, which--when the clutch was engaged--produced
a gravity-aided, hands-off plunge down into high gear. It sorta got
in the way of 1st to 2nd gear shifts, though. I can't imagine what
the attraction for a weighted knob would be nowadays. In any case,
significant weighting would be quite difficult to accomplish with a
wooden shift knob, and IMHO Audi's  boxes shift poorly enough without
additional inertia.

Phil

--

Phil Rose				Rochester, NY
'91 200q	(130 Kmiles, Lago blue)
'91 200q   (57 Kmiles, Tornado red)
	mailto:pjrose at frontiernet.net