Early Shift Boots

[Arne]

I was just thinking about the grommet situation while scanning EBay. I saw an auction for an A/C grommet and wonder if that or another grommet on the car would be a suitable substitute. It's hard to judge the size of the grommet on the EBay ad though. We need to find a source for the one pictured in arne's car. Hope you don't mind that I re-posted your picture Arne.

By the way, I mailed an old early shift boot off to LBO730 to copy the pattern a couple of weeks ago. I will post pictures when I get one back.

Marty

I've been reluctant to remove my grommet until I'm ready to replace the boot itself - either with one sewn up by my wife, or one done by LBO730 or someone else.

But I can say that - while I don't think one of the A/C grommets are likely to work (too large, I'm guessing) - from what I can see of it in place I'm pretty certain it won't be too difficult to find a workable replacement once I have mine out for pictures and measurements. When that happens, I'll post it all here in this thread.

Marty/LBO730 - please let me know when replacements are available. I'm interested in one.

[Marty Rogan]

I have never seen a real grommet in person (since mine is missing), so I am not exactly sure what to look for. Does anyone have a picture of just the grommet itself, and the dimensions for it?? If we had a picture, with dimensions, we could check with some suppliers.

Thanks,

Marty

[onuthin]

I have never seen a real grommet in person (since mine is missing), so I am not exactly sure what to look for. Does anyone have a picture of just the grommet itself, and the dimensions for it?? If we had a picture, with dimensions, we could check with some suppliers.

Thanks,

Marty

I found this shift boot last night.I just pulled the grommet out and it looks easy to reproduce.

[hls30.com]

Looks an awful lot like a centercut transmission tunnel plug!

What are the measurements(diameter top and bottom)

Will

[AZ-240z]

Will,

I took some measurement from mine. The inner diameter of the grommet is 1/2 inch, the outer diameter of the top half is 1 inch, and the outer diameter of the bottom half is 1 1/8 inches. See last picture above to see this variation. Total grommet thichness is 5/16 inch, and groove width is between 1/16 & 3/32 inch. The material, to me, looks more like a synthetic, very pliable, shiny material instead of molded rubber.

Dan

[hls30.com]

Dan,

Thanks for the additional info-still does not look like much of a challege to reproduce cheeply-now if a correct copys of the actual boot can be made...

Will

[onuthin]

If anyone wants to try and duplicate this boot with grommet let me know and I will send you mine.

[26th-Z]

Yes, that's the grommet. I'm kind of surprised and a little pissed at myself for not mentioning this earlier. Call Steele Rubber Products - Quality Restoration Rubber Parts and order their catalog. 888-409-4647 steelerubber.com The catalog is about an inch thick and has everything you will ever need. You can't just go to the 240Z page. You have to do some searching homework. Try that before you go to all the trouble of making a mold and such.

[TVollnogle]

You can add my name to the list for one of the boots.

Terry

[Zup]

To those involved:

Please add me in as well!

It'd be a nice item to have available once again. Has anyone talked with Les about the material for the boot itself?

Jim D.

"Zup"

[geezer]

With all the responses to date, we are at 12 boots wanted.

[zpizzaman20]

I will take 3, pretty please?