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More teasers for the shift knob project. I'm practicing mounting upholstery vinyl with contact adhesive to use as a pattern instead, then mounting the leather parts. 1985, you do want the top area open to have the shifting pattern showing right? I can also wrap the entire knob, covering that to make it more comfortable instead, which is simpler to do in some ways. The next thing I needed to do was try out the leather I had. It had some layer separation issues, so I went to the leather store which I needed to do anyway and picked up some more suitable black leather pieces (and some tan to make another shift boot). Next I can cut parts from the new leather, carve the backside and fold/glue it back for the shift diagram plate window on top (unless that is not wanted) and mount the pieces, mark the stitch pattern, sew the parts individually, glue mount and tie them off top and bottom, and connect the stitches by hand with a blunt needle.
Yes, top open so the shift pattern shows. That looks great, but my shift knob is more circular than the OEM egg shaped one you have pictured, should I go ahead & send it to you?
Yes, top open so the shift pattern shows. That looks great, but my shift knob is more circular than the OEM egg shaped one you have pictured, should I go ahead & send it to you?
Thanks for letting me know, I wasn't sure if it was just the perspective of the overhead photo or what.
Don't send it just yet. I want to make certain my materials and technique are perfected first. You do have a spare you can use in the mean time I take it?
I will try my chance here, I need some other parts as well. My boot looked exactly the same as yours but I was so stupid that I trashed it.
I'm trying to get my hands on a second extra wire metal frame for test fitting purposes when I make these out of different materials for people. It can be hard to find them in local salvage yards, but there is one in Liberty, NC and one near Denver who I know do Toyota only salvage. It is also not beyond my capabilities to make a working replica of what's in the truck, but finding the right steel wire, forming the tabs, and then bending and TIG welding it all by hand or buying a spot welder makes it kind of expensive. I'm going to look into it though. That salvage yard in Denver looks promising though. They do mail order.
Thanks for letting me know, I wasn't sure if it was just the perspective of the overhead photo or what.
Don't send it just yet. I want to make certain my materials and technique are perfected first. You do have a spare you can use in the mean time I take it?
I'm going to check the prices of materials I use in making the panels my way, and develop a pattern for the door cutouts. Are you interested in doing some of the work yourself to save money? With a drill and a jigsaw, you can get most of the process done yourself, and I can just sell you an accurate door cutout pattern and instructions, if you like. Have a lot on my plate right now, will get around to your premade basic panel estimate ASAP.
Thanks I don't have a jig saw or anything. Frankly the flat panel with the window crank hold and handle hole cut out. And I can take it from there.
Thanks I don't have a jig saw or anything.
Frankly the flat panel with the window crank hold and handle hole cut out. And I can take it from there.
The potential problem, and reason I was going to draft new panel patterns is the dreaded crooked screws I encountered on both sets of panels. I've figured out how I'm going to overcome that. I can make the Masonite panels with all the holes, you can cover in vinyl and cut out the holes in the vinyl.
Just got the leather shift boot in the mail, looks great!
Good, I hope installation goes smoothly for you. I would love to see pictures of these installed in people's trucks so I know I did everything right, including the instructions. I try to notch them out just right to save people trouble, I hope that practice is working for the better and that the diameter of the bottom and top are just right.
I have located patterns for the shifter boot and am sewing together a black one for a user here, and a military canvas one for a friend I just made some seat covers for. I am getting started patterning for a shift knob leather wrap. If I get that working out, I'll be taking a big step up and wrapping my steering wheel also.
I'm interested to see the steering wheel project unfold, that is something I'd like to have done!
would be interested to know the cost of wrapping a grant steering wheel, if or when you chose to do steering wheel projects. shift boots for 89 4runner?
Shift boots for the '84-'87 trucks and 4 runners are next in line after the shift knob I'm getting ready to do is set up. I need to get my hands on the mounting bases for the shift boots for the models after '83 so I know how to attach them. Steering wheels are a few months or a year out...
I've got the leather wrap further along now, I lack a leather skiving machine (expensive machine for shaving the edge where it folds under at the top circle area- so it doesn't have 2 layers and bulge up) so I used a dremel to shave it a little. I either didn't shave enough, or I shaved it too far down, making the fold show. But if this is acceptable, 85 yota, I can proceed. I may get it better if I try again, but would possibly needs a serious leather worker to slice the edges for me to be sure. I'm maki g the pattern a little better and the next one I do will be almost perfect except the bit of ridge showing. I'm probably goi g to stitch this one up tonight. Just to show how it can look. I've got some of the better black leather. And one can get me an inexpensive 1984 and later shift boot mounting base and the shifter shaft diameter, I'll be happy to make some shift boots for that year range too.
Stitching went well. The baseball stitch is fairly easy, and it feels durable in the hand. I think this will last a long time. I found that the pieces would ideally be a little bit bigger, and learned the details I needed to know about to do it right. The stitches will also be more even in size. I also have better leather than this which is what I will use moving forward. You can see it is lacking in grain texture.
Anyone wanting one of the knobs wrapped can send them and a down payment via paypal to me. I estimate this service to cost around $100 plus return shipping, and take 2 weeks once I get it. Leather and thread color choices exist.
I still have not found a 1985 year range 4x4 pickup or 4runner to get the shift boot baseplate housing piece from for making a leather shifter boot, but am willing to have one shipped to me to make the boot from. Any other application, I can make shift boots for as long as I have something to mount it to and the measurement of the diameter of the shifter lever. Any other application such as dual cases I would have to sort of build some kind of base plate for you, in which case I need more measurements.
Last edited by zombie_stomp; 03-27-2016 at 07:53 PM.
I can send you the shifter trim area from my 85 if you want to use it to pattern your future templates from. I'll ship it when I ship the shifter knob to be covered, that way you can do the shifter knob and my new shifter boots and then just ship them back? Let me know.
02-28-2016, 07:20 PM
