walnut gear knob

[patrolman pete]

Hi gang , i posted a thread a while back about a walnut gear knob that i purchased and didn't fit . I took it back to the dealer and we identified that there were two types and mine needed the earlier type ( i took the part number from the X-part site and asked them to beat the price with my trade discount - still cost me £65 )they took it back and said they would try to get the right part .That was on the 16 sept and i still haven't got it .the story i get everytime i call in is that the supplier hasn't said that it has been discontinued and so the dealer is still waiting for an eta as catterpiller can't get them until there is a big enough order for this part to be produced? I'm wondering if i'm going to be hanging on for years and may loose my money as this part was specially ordered and i provided the incorrect part number even though there was only one part number listed on the X-part site . Any thoughts ?

[GreyGhost]

I would be requesting money back. They have not been able to supply the goods and from your post, they are not even in the process of manufacture and are unlikely to be so as they are waiting for a substantial amount of orders before commencing.
Taking into consideration how many orders they are likely to get, the likelihood of them resuming manufacture is probably zero.

[Mike]

I think you are being told porkies. The original walnut gear knob has not been available new from MGR or XPart for over three years now (nearly four years iirc). MGR cancelled orders for some original accessories from 2001/2 on.

Mike

[Simon W]

I think you are being told porkies. The original walnut gear knob has not been available new from MGR or XPart for over three years now (nearly four years iirc). MGR cancelled orders for some original accessories from 2001/2 on.

Mike

Mike - Graham at the Xpart online store says they have Rover 75 Burr Walnut gear knobs in stock but they're only for chassis numbers from 04-onwards. Does this mean they definitely won't fit pre-facelift cars?

Here's the web page:

http://shop.mg-rover.org/shop/95_288_0/rover/rover_75/styling/manual_gear_knob/index.html

[Mike]

Mike - Graham at the Xpart online store says they have Rover 75 Burr Walnut gear knobs in stock but they're only for chassis numbers from 04-onwards. Does this mean they definitely won't fit pre-facelift cars?

Here's the web page:

http://shop.mg-rover.org/shop/95_288_0/rover/rover_75/styling/manual_gear_knob/index.html

Yes the knobs for facelift cars won't fit the original 75. It's a completely different fit. Unless you are happy to bodge it by packing out and glueing on the facelift knob.

hth

Mike :)

[yp53]

Yes the knobs for facelift cars won't fit the original 75. It's a completely different fit. Unless you are happy to bodge it by packing out and glueing on the facelift knob.

hth

Mike :)

For reference the very last Mk1s had a few features in common with the Mk2, like the gearstick and fusebox. This never ceases to confuse me, but at least this meant a Mk2 wooden gearknob fits my Mk1 (and was cheap)!

I did read somewhere that a Mk2 gearknob has a flat in the bore that just needs to be drilled out to fit the 'earlier' Mk1 gearstick - http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=128436&highlight=wood+gear

These changes (I hesitate to call them improvements because they probably weren't!) all happened around Sep/Oct 2003, and this is also when they introduced the infamous 'Iovox' head units.

If I find anything else different about my Oct 03 Mk1 I'll be sure to let you know.

[Mike]

For reference the very last Mk1s had a few features in common with the Mk2, like the gearstick and fusebox. This never ceases to confuse me, but at least this meant a Mk2 wooden gearknob fits my Mk1 (and was cheap)!

I did read somewhere that a Mk2 gearknob has a flat in the bore that just needs to be drilled out to fit the 'earlier' Mk1 gearstick - http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=128436&highlight=wood+gear

These changes (I hesitate to call them improvements because they probably weren't!) all happened around Sep/Oct 2003, and this is also when they introduced the infamous 'Iovox' head units.

If I find anything else different about my Oct 03 Mk1 I'll be sure to let you know.

He he
Good spot :). iirc the drilling out does work - as long as you get it right - if not then the packing out and glue comes in handy ;)

[Simon W]

Now I'm really confused chaps :( :( :(

To yp53 - did you have to modify your Mk2 wooden one at all, or did it just fit your Mk1 lever straight away. Xpart want £65 for the Mk2 wooden knob - if yours was less than that I'd be interested to know where you got it from.

My 75 is 213289 - is yours anywhere near that?


To Mike - Does all this mean that the Mk2 lever has a flat face and a bigger diameter than the Mk1 lever? Or have I got it completely wrong?

[yp53]

Now I'm really confused chaps :( :( :(

To yp53 - did you have to modify your Mk2 wooden one at all, or did it just fit your Mk1 lever straight away. Xpart want £65 for the Mk2 wooden knob - if yours was less than that I'd be interested to know where you got it from.

My 75 is 213289 - is yours anywhere near that?


To Mike - Does all this mean that the Mk2 lever has a flat face and a bigger diameter than the Mk1 lever? Or have I got it completely wrong?

If your gearknob looks like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rover-75-Leather-Gear-Knob-5-speed-manual-New_W0QQitemZ150061171261QQihZ005QQcategoryZ72223Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
its a proper Mk1 and a Mk2 gearknob will need to be drilled.

If the top of yours if not sloped like that one, but more 'horizontal', and your car is a '53' reg or later, it may be a Mk1.5 like mine.

'Easiest' way is just to pull yours off ;)

[Lovel]

Hi gang , i posted a thread a while back about a walnut gear knob that i purchased and didn't fit . I took it back to the dealer and we identified that there were two types and mine needed the earlier type ( i took the part number from the X-part site and asked them to beat the price with my trade discount - still cost me £65 )they took it back and said they would try to get the right part .That was on the 16 sept and i still haven't got it .the story i get everytime i call in is that the supplier hasn't said that it has been discontinued and so the dealer is still waiting for an eta as catterpiller can't get them until there is a big enough order for this part to be produced? I'm wondering if i'm going to be hanging on for years and may loose my money as this part was specially ordered and i provided the incorrect part number even though there was only one part number listed on the X-part site . Any thoughts ?

I cannot help you with your current issue, sorry. However in future it is worth noting that Rimmer Bros will offer you a credit note or your money back within 7 days if you order the parts in error.
Beyond 7 days they specify that they will apply a handling charge for goods returned but not required. In my personnal experience I returned some items I had bought in error after 15 days and have received the full value of the goods back into my account. The only thing I had to stump up for was the postage, which is not bad considering. Really good customer care as far as I can say goes a long way, as I will come back to them in future.

[Simon W]

If your gearknob looks like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rover-75-Leather-Gear-Knob-5-speed-manual-New_W0QQitemZ150061171261QQihZ005QQcategoryZ72223Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
its a proper Mk1 and a Mk2 gearknob will need to be drilled.

If the top of yours if not sloped like that one, but more 'horizontal', and your car is a '53' reg or later, it may be a Mk1.5 like mine.

'Easiest' way is just to pull yours off ;)

Mine is identical to the one in the eBay pic - so it's a proper Mk1. Did you get your wooden one for much less than £65?

[yp53]

Mine is identical to the one in the eBay pic - so it's a proper Mk1. Did you get your wooden one for much less than £65?


I'm almost embarrassed to admit that my Mk2 'wooden' gearknob cost me the grand total of £8.50 on ebay - it was simply listed as 'rover wood gear knob'.:o Such things happen I suppose..

[Mike]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that my Mk2 'wooden' gearknob cost me the grand total of £8.50 on ebay - it was simply listed as 'rover wood gear knob'.:o Such things happen I suppose..

The ebay seller I got my Mk1 wooden gearknob from made the same listing 'error' - I paid £25 for it two years ago when others were going on ebay for £60 plus :D

[Simon W]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that my Mk2 'wooden' gearknob cost me the grand total of £8.50 on ebay - it was simply listed as 'rover wood gear knob'.:o Such things happen I suppose..

Pity the seller didn't have a truck load of them!