I am installing a correct steering wheel (removing an aftermarket wheel) and while at that, restoring the steering column area of my 1960 MK2 and I would love to ask about the turn signal and overdrive levers. The car is an early 1960 model, LHD, with the turn signal lever on the right hand side of the steering wheel and the overdrive lever on the left hand side, just as early cars are supposed to be, according to a "The Original … guide I have).
The levers themselves are some cheap pot metal and need to be redone/rechromed, but while at that, I need to ask: are the plastic ends obtainable? They look between clear and black… how should they be?
The handles are supposed to be black, but for some reason they seem to become clear as they age. The stalks on mine were made from aluminum, and after I took off the chrome they polished up nicely. I sprayed them with clear lacquer and they still look like chrome 20 years later.
Thank you, Mike! Yes the stalks appear to be aluminum, but chromed over it… as least that is what it seems, and they look awful nowadays! I will try to sand them and polish them and see what happens.
I have a brand new lever to fit to my car but the black plastic end doesn’t want to come off the old one - does anyone know how it should come off (turn, pull?). Or can i get a new one?
And how much force can i use before it’s likely to break?
I can tell from the picture that it’s been molded to the stalk. Get it really warm or destroy it right away. I think you should find a new one or make a silicone mold, epoxy copy, drill that and epoxy it onto the new stalk.
I was able to repair and refinish the original shift lever knob on our MK2 (it’s identical to the turn signal and overdrive knobs). I used my Dremel with a cut-off wheel and carefully cut a slot in the knob that ran the length of the inserted chrome shaft. That relieved the compression on the knurled end of shift lever and I was able to slide the knob off. I believe that the knob was originally molded onto the shaft which makes removal difficult. I then filled the cut line and misc. cracks with JB Weld then finish sanded the knob down to 400 grit. I spray painted the knob with gloss black spray paint and then glued the knob back onto the chrome shaft.
I removed the knob because I had to send my stalk out for re-chroming.
I think its molded to the stalk. The new stalks have threads. Moss sells the new plastic tip for e-types and looks similar. I bought this arrangement, but opted for an entire new switch $$$ now I’m stuck with the the stalk and knob…
True, E type plastic tips look somewhat similar, but are thinner. I am asking Moss. They do show the metal levers, new, but not available right now, but they only list it as turn signal. In my car, they are identical, turn signal and overdrive switch.
