Early Shift Boots

[geezer]

I don't have a grommet available to test this theory. I think the material the original grommet is made from is the same as the gas tank filler tube. I am curious to see how flexible one of the originals become after being heated. This would have made them easy to assemble and then harden to hold the grommet in place on the boot. Any thoughts?

[AZ-240z]

Ok, Mr. hairsplitter. I did ask for your opinion, !! So I just measured it. the top is 2 1/4" and the bottom portion is 6". Hey, it's close enough for me and I tend get pretty picky about originality.

As for the price and lead time, you have to ask LBO730, as he the one with the talent that made it.

So far I have not found a source for the grommet that is real close to the original. I did find a rubber grommet at Ace Hardware that measures 1/2" ID and 31/32" OD. It cost me 75 cents. It's pretty close to the correct size, but not the correct material.

Marty

I just KNEW it was the angle of the picture. Are you still my friend? When I get that master vac decal finished, you can get back at me. It should turn out quite good after many trips to the sign shop working on this, but the proof will rest with the opinions of all wanting one.

I'll keep looking for a good grommet for your project, Marty.

Great, Great Job.

Dan

[a7dz]

I would like to see a price as I am interested in a pair.

[LBO730]

Hey Guys, I'm glad those of you who have responded like the reproduction of the early shift boot. Its great to be able to provide something to the Zcar community. I have set the price for the boot at $45 which includes shipping to you. I will do my very best to get them made and shipped out as quickly as possible. I will be working on them in the evenings and weekends. It appeared there was initial interest in about 20 boots so it could take 2 or 3 weeks to produce that many, but I will send them out on a first order first serve basis. If you want to order one, send me a PM.

If anyone is interested, I can do these in really nice quality black leather as well for $55 shipped.

Thanks for all the interest and the compliments!

Bryan

[Mike B]

PM sent.

[a7dz]

It is also shown as item #5 on the early cars on the page 27 of the Z.50 catalog.

Ordered the grommet from Black dragon and it is nothing that was used on a early four speed Z. Looks to be a roadster shifter rubber seal. Looks like I will ship it down to Escalon maybe he can use it on one of his fleet.

[Marty Rogan]

I just KNEW it was the angle of the picture. Are you still my friend? When I get that master vac decal finished, you can get back at me. It should turn out quite good after many trips to the sign shop working on this, but the proof will rest with the opinions of all wanting one.

I'll keep looking for a good grommet for your project, Marty.

Great, Great Job.

Dan

I was just kidding!! Sure we are still friends. I look for ward to seeing your Master Vac decal. Any idea when that project might be ready?

Marty

[kats]

Hi Marty,

The shift boot is perfect,congratulations on this project!

We need a grommet next.

I post a few photos of the boot of 01/1970 Z432.This car had an old original one but recently has got an OEM NOS boot,the car is now its restration in progress.I forgot to take a photo of the old one,that one is good as its age,I still think this OEM NOS uses a little bit thick material.Or the old one used to be thick?

And do you find a difference of the throttle mechanism between this early car and the other later car?

If some one is interested in it,I will start a new thread.

kats

[hls30.com]

Please!

Will

[moonpup]

Here's your chance boys and girls.... an early NOS boot on eBay!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RARE-NOS-OEM-DATSUN-SERIES-1-2-70-71-240Z-SHIFT-BOOT_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33703QQihZ016QQitemZ260092711567QQrdZ1

Too bad it didn't have a "Buy it now", that sucka would've been all mine.

[Carl Beck]

Hey Guys,

I received the prototype yesterday.

.....snipped..cjb.....

All in all I am pretty thrilled with the results. This piece would be pretty hard to tell from an original one. Major Kudos on the workmanship!!!!

Let me know what you guys think.

Hi Marty:

Agreed - the first prototype is pretty nice, but I believe with a few minor changes it could be better.

Looking at the pictures from Kats and the NOS one on E-Bay.. it looks like the repop's grain pattern is somewhat off the mark, there is no rubber grommet supplied, and the stitching at the top goes too far up. The OEM product has little tucks at the very top... most likely to put less strain on the stitching..

Perhaps a small order of the proper size grommets from Badgerrubber.net. (if you supplied them with the complete spec.'s they might have the exact thing)... and a second prototype stitched up to look a little more like the OEM part would work some of this out.. and result in an even finer reproduction.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

An update to this thread...

Bryan rightful points out that his repo, was patterned after the shift boot supplied... So it is more than likely that the NOS shift boot on E-Bay and the one Kats pictured - is of a later style/design/manufacturer... So maybe we don't want the newer style... and maybe my comments were poorly thought out.

So now it's time for everyone - including me - to go dig out the old shift boots and see what we come up with. I think I have a NOS boot that I ordered years ago, stuck away somewhere.. So I'll be trying to dig that one out...

FWIW,

Carl B.