Gear knob font

Gfhug · Post by **Gfhug** » Fri May 01, 2015 1:39 pm

The numbers on my S2 FHC gear knob have almost totally worn away, but the font looks different to the ones SNGB sell: http://www.sngbarratt.com/ProductDetail ... 301f38776c.

1, 2 and 4 seem the same, but my 3 is rounded at the top (rather than a flat top like a number 5).

Would anyone know which is correct and if mine is the correct one if anyone sells them?

Thanks
Geoff

christopher storey · Post by **christopher storey** » Fri May 01, 2015 5:20 pm

I thought that the originals on all-sychromesh boxes were always a plain spherical knob with no lettering at all . Only the Moss boxes had script as far as I know

Gfhug · Post by **Gfhug** » Fri May 01, 2015 5:33 pm

Thanks Christopher, but looking through Clausager's Factory Original book shows the S1 4.2 gained the SNGB style font on the round gearknob, but no photos that are clear enough to show the S2 version, though why it would change, who knows.
At ?16 +/- they are not expensive, but if there was a later S2 version it'd be nice to have.

As an aside, wouldn't it be in the 1960's that our road signs changed from the flat top 3 (as in 30mph) to the round top?

Post by **Heuer** » Fri May 01, 2015 6:13 pm

Highly likely the font is wrong - after all the repro 3.8 knob is wrong as is the eared spinners Jaguar logo!

MarekH · Post by **MarekH** » Fri May 01, 2015 7:49 pm

Dear Geoff,

There is no reason to think that there is only one correct answer as Jaguar may have changed supplier over the life of using that design, or even the sqme supplier may have changed the lettering subtly. What will be certain though, will be that at ?16+vat what you are getting from a new purchase is a reproduction item.

The original parts won't have been made since 1974 and 90%+ of anything you buy from SNGB or any other supplier will be a reproduction part. It is very cheeky that these companies attach the Jaguar part number to these repros and this has got under the radar to such a degree that restorations routinely strip out original parts to replace them with repro in an effort to make the car more original than it was.

If in doubt just purchase an old knackered second hand part, fill in the numbers with white paint and wipe it off immediately. No one sells the right original parts - they are all made to a pattern. To get it right, you'd have to make a replica from a known original - that's how I made mine.

kind regards
Marek

Gfhug · Post by **Gfhug** » Sat May 02, 2015 8:16 am

Thanks Marek, I'd try have mine re engraved, but a split in the black cover goes right through the numbers, so the 2 and 4 are at an angle. A repro will do for my needs, unless you're up for remanufacturing one for me at ?16

Thanks
Geoff

Stuart Exelby · Post by **Stuart Exelby** » Sat May 02, 2015 8:18 am

Hi - regarding the road signs question, the type-face with the rounded-top "3" was suggested and used earlier than the 1960's - there were experiments in the mid-1950's - for example this experiment in Slough, you can see the rounded top 3 in use in the road numbers - but you are right, the new type-face didn't come into general use until the 1960's following the Warboys report (and others).....

http://www.cbrd.co.uk/articles/war-to-w ... img/19.jpg

malcolm · Post by **malcolm** » Sat May 02, 2015 9:12 am

If it helps, the "3" on my series 2 (1969) is a flat top 3.

MarekH · Post by **MarekH** » Sat May 02, 2015 9:29 am

Sadly Geoff, although doable and I have the tooling for it, the same time and effort is better spent making other items. I only ever bothered to make a couple of blanks because I used them to make myself a James Bond style gear knob for my overdrive. Pictures are on the jag-lovers.org site.

Flat top"3" x2, by I can't verify the age as I only have a second hand one spare.

kind regards
Marek

Gfhug · Post by **Gfhug** » Sat May 02, 2015 10:20 am

Malcolm and Stuart, thanks, helps confirm thoughts and memories.
Marek, is your second hand spare ever likely to be up for sale?

Geoff

GravyGraham · Post by **GravyGraham** » Wed May 06, 2015 7:50 pm

Hi Geoff, I purchased a knob from SNGB about a month ago for my S3 and their one has a flat-topped 3, (my old S3 one has a rounded 3). The part no is C23007.

Gfhug · Post by **Gfhug** » Wed May 06, 2015 8:51 pm

Thanks Graham, did the deed and bought one. They seem to be old stock as it is not in pristine condition, which at least makes it more appropriate

PeterCrespin · Post by **PeterCrespin** » Wed May 06, 2015 11:40 pm

Gfhug wrote:Malcolm and Stuart, thanks, helps confirm thoughts and memories.
Marek, is your second hand spare ever likely to be up for sale?

I've got six knobs (no giggling at the back, please). The oldest Moss has a flat top 3, as does one of the three S1/S2 knobs. The others have round-topped 3s as does a rare XJS 4-speed transmission from either 75 or 76. None of these knobs or the two overdrive switch knobs could be remotely described as new and are thus highly unlikely to be reproductions.

Ergo, Jag chopped and changed the shape of the 3 throughout 4-synchro production.

Pete

malcolm · Post by **malcolm** » Thu May 07, 2015 8:56 am

my knob was so tatty (again, no giggles please) that I got what I think is a rather nice looking one handmade in the states from walnut, with a growler emblem in the middle (the emblem came from a Jag lapel pin)
My Avatar shows it.
Still have the original just in case!

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