Shifter boot design

Since I can't seem to get my engine to start, I am embarking on a much more important project: design and construction of the all important shifter boot.
What I don't get are,(and my apologies to those of you that have them), the versions that don't cover the shifter's connection to the tunnel. They look like you're wearing a nice suit without any sox. Seems like you would want to cover those bolts, or in the case of your suit, those boney ankles.
Since I finally found a suitable replacement upholstery vinyl material this week I am off to create the world's finest boot so that in the event I ever get the car to start, I will look good shifting it.

My dear Doctor Jones. I shall await the outcome of your lab experiment with baited breath.
If I can be of any assistance, please let me know. For starters, though, what style are you after? Is there one in existence somewhere that you're trying to copy?
I'm pretty sure I'll be able to come up with a pattern for you in a couple hours.
I'm not an upholstry whiz, but my other hobby is viking stuff, and I'm not half bad working with leather as it relates to clothing.
Except socks. Never tried to cover my bony ankles ...

Style? What's that?

Come on. Really. Your self-depricating humor aside, your ride's got style points out the wazoo!
If you look at Joe Soltis' car, his tunnel has a heavy Audi TT influence. Is there one out there you like? And I certainly don't mean a '78 Subaru Brat. You can't have that one, 'cuz that's the look I'm going for!

Inspired by your Vikings of Danmork and Betsy Ross, I decided to go with rivets and velcrow. I present the prototype: TOMI I.

Now, if it would only start.

WOO-HOO! Makes me want to burst forth into song and pillage something!

This is one I made. The shifter is EMPI, the knob is a stock VW (tapped for the larger dia), The boot is tall in an effort to disguise the non-stock looking shifter.

Greg B

Too bad you mucked up your cool carpet with all those screw holes and stuff. The British cars all came with beautiful chromed rings at the base of the shifter boots which are flexible enough to be nicely bent to the contour of the VW shifter tunnel. The rings are nice chrome the screws are stainless and the boots come in a variety of vinyl and leather colors. Beautiful ! ! !

Check here if you're interested. Anytime there's a need for a part not supplied by the "manufacturers" the British car guys ALWAYS have just the right option. From mirrors to brackets, trim to whatever, good to keep in mind and usually "period correct."

Chromed retainer ring and boot.
http://www.victoriabritish.com/icatalog/mg/0126.html

http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/SearchResults.aspx?SearchText=boot&WebCatalogID=0

Luck,

TC

Thanks TC. I'll check those out.
Since it takes me about 3 years to summon the courage to actually permanently attach something to my car, the TOMI I prototype is only attached with velcrow. The rivets go through the vinyl but not into the carpet, allowing me to obsess about it for the next 6 weeks and change my mind 13 more times.

Looks cool but in my case since I wanted to go with the more original look I ditched the leather boot that came standard in my VS and just bought a $3.95 VW Type I rubber boot which coincidentally is the same as on 356A Porsches.

Thomas, looks good!

TC, thanks for the tip. I've been needing a rear view mirror bracket that I can't seem to find anywhere else.

Easy tip.....if you have the VS E'Brake boot, order another E'Brake boot w/o the heater lever hole, cut the boot down evenly , with a single edge blade "nick" the stitching to remove the Velcro on the now scrap piece of Material, glue the Velcro to the new shortened matching shifter boot.

So I decided it might need a base around the bottom. Is this better or worse than the first one?

Apparently TC's brain and mine were made in the same batch. I have to agree with the metal trim ring you can flex around the tunnel.
You might be able to sandwich the boot base you made with an off-the-shelf British part!

Adrian, I have just the thing for you. It's a Sprite mirror that will be too short for my use, bought from NOS three months ago and still in the baggie. Sartwell pooh-poohed it immediately and said it had no place on my Deutschewagen. He didn't say a thing about YOUR Deutshcewagen ...

TC, you need a Talbot replica mirror? The bullet type?

"TC, you need a Talbot replica mirror? The bullet type? "

Ooooo, I'd LOVE one; but honestly, I don't have a car nice enough to put one on. Betcha that lots of the guys here would like to buy it up from you though.

Thomas, here's one for you:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Porsche-911-914-356-Gear-Shift-Lever-Boot_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33736QQitemZ8065579415QQrdZ1
Ebay, naturally. But less than forty bucks for the "right" one, if you're looking for that.

I'm not feeling the love here. Back to the drawing board. :)

Unhappy with the design, one of my dogs ate the prototype.

That dog picture looks like Vince

:)

After a full schedule of tipping drinks at every bar on the 'Strip', Vince and I were laid-out in the gutter of some back-alley, trying to gather our senses before heading home. Out of nowhere, a mangy-looking stray dog sat beside us and began to vigorously lick himself. After witnessing that, Vince says "Boy, I sure wish I could do THAT!". I replied, "I don't know, Vince, he looks pretty mean. You MIGHT want to pet him first!".

Sorry for the hijack - but my inner 7th grade mind was triggered by the picture of the cool-looking shift-boot eating dog.

Quick - hit the "Here-comes-the-Boss" keystroke on your computer!

FYI: The dog is for sale. Cheap.

Jim: The version I heard was:
That dog would BIIIITE you.

(southern accent)

Hey Thomas!

Thanks for the 'southern' version. I 'll be sure to use that when I'm bagging on my buddies here from So. Carolina!

BTW - how's the shift boot project coming along? I thought your last versions were pretty nice, so I'd like to see the finished product.

Have a safe Holiday weekend!!

Hey Jim: I just looked at your photos. Award winning photo in front of the Queen Mary. You could sell a poster.

As for the boot, I've been traveling so not much progress. My goal for the weekend is to install a new engine coil in the hope that it will allow me to drive the car out of the garage versus pushing it.

If it doesn't work, I can be reached in the Classified section of this forum.

Finally! a quick fix for covering the Empi shifter plastic base - great idea, Thanks Alan!
~jJ~

It CAN be done, Thomas!

where did you get the shifter knob?

On ebay but also sold online by Mainely Custom by Design

could not help but notice your radio on the floor of the car. Do you know there is a bracket under the dash that MIGHT be able to hold the radio..in this configuration both hands won't be required to change a channel or the volume..Just a word of advice from an old car guy..

Richard: Thanks for the bracket tip. If I mount the radio to a height reachable by my hands, what will I then do with my toes?