Anybody have any experience with these gear shift *****?
http://www.woodenconcepts.com/client...1&popup=active
I like the idea, but I'm leary as to how well a wooden gear shift **** would hold up.

 

If you treat it well, there's no real reason a wooden gearshift **** wouldn't last indefinitely. If the vendor is using solid, mature wood to turn the *****, there's no real reason for it to split or splinter.

The prettiest steering wheels ever made, IMO, were the old Nardi wooden wheels that Ferrari used back in the dawn of time when wood rimmed steering wheels and Borrani wire wheels were top shelf stuff.

 

I like the looks of some of the combinations of the stones and woods.... I believe I'll give one a try.

 

Do they really think that people are going to pay $45 for a wooden shift **** without photos? They do look nice in the photos with the "cabachon," though.

 

You can get a mounting mechanism and a threaded brass insert from Doug Whalen, then get these guys to sell you a **** with a 1" hole. Put the two together, bingo...........a cherry Whalen.

 

Now that is a nice lookin ****

Must be the angle of the picture but that thing looks like it takes two hands to shift!

 

I got a big hand.

 

I have one of the Wooden Concepts Shift ****- I am friends with the owner's son and received it as a birthday gift in '04. It doesn't get too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter like the metal ***** do. I really like and highly recommend it. here are a couple of pics:

 

Thanks for the pics.... What kind of wood is that?
Any problems with installation?

 

I don't know what kind of wood as I didn't order it, but it has gotten a tad darker with age. I had a hard time getting it all the way on but it doesn't come off in the middle of a corner, which was a problem I had with my stock shift **** and another aftermarket one I had.

 

What I'm about to say is totally my opinion, and everyone has their own, and blah blah. I prefer the feel of wood to metal, and I prefer a light **** to a heavy one. My opinion. That said, Doug Whalen has a great product, and he was a genuine pleasure to work with. I just like a big chunk of wood in my hand. Used to be a carpenter. That Wooden Concept site looks like they have a bunch of nice woods, give 'em a try.

 

Oh, by the way, Cometgirl's looks like maple to me.

Edit- could be birch, too.

 

I've convinced myself to give them a try. I agree with you about the wood, I use to be a carpenter myself - a frame carpenter in my early years after high school for a number of years and then a free lance carpenter to support myself when I was a starving artist. Now I have a herniated disk from all that early lifting of 3/4 inch plywood for floor framing and setting roof trusses, so the most wood I want to handle now is what is on the shifter.
One aspect that appeals to me (and I see it in Cometgirl's pictures) is it adds a tad of warmth to a cold looking interior.

 

Exactly! Nothing like wood to warm it up a little.

Yeah, my shoulder's shot. Elbow's blown. I don't build anything bigger than a table now. But I still love wood.

 

No beachwood like the Carrera GT though

 

Huhuhu, she said wood.


Herbert

 

That thing looks like a big piece of corn niblet. HO HO HO Green giant.

 

you're a big ol' dork.

 

Okay, I just got my Wood Concepts shift **** this afternoon and have it installed. I am very happy with it!
It is made from Cocobolo wood with a Blue Lace Agate top.
Feels much more substantial than the stock shifter.
I hope my thumbnails do it justice, it's not an easy thing to photograph.

 

wow! that's a great color combo!

 

Yeah, now I feel compelled to dress up the interior even more - possibly with some leather and chrome.

 

if my car had wood trims, i would consider it.

 

i'm assuming these are all hand turned. is this true?

 

I should take a pic of my old wood ****. This looks nice!

 

This is a quote from his website describing the process of each item sold. It did take about 2 weeks for me to recieve the ****.