Projects Hurst T-handle Present

I like to give my daughters something every year for Christmas that they never forget. I had a thread on the H.A.M.B. when my oldest daughter turned 21 and we were in Vegas. I got one for her, now I need something for my youngest, which is 19.

When she was 13 she bought her first o/t car, she looked for a long time, but she finally found it, and Loved it. I told her it was a rust free car and she can't sell it. Fast forward to her second year of collage and she says dad I want a new car. She said I paid for the first 2 years of collage and I want a new car. I have enough cash to buy the one I want. She works all the time started working when she was 12 on a sheep farm across the street, 6 days a week during school. Well she got her car and raced it at Rockfalls this year in October. After the first run she said that she needed a new shift handle, with a nitrous ****on in it. Oya she also wanted nitrous in it, just like her first one. This is the very first time of her getting on her new car, you cant pay enough to get a pic like this in my opinion.

So here is what I am looking for. I want a Hurst T-handle with her name in the top, (Alexis) instead of Hurst. It also has to have a ****on on the side. Does anyone know where to start looking, or get one made. If I could get a blank from Hurst I could get her name machined in it.

She has always had 3 pedals in a car and I will post a pic of her first shift knob tomorrow when I take one, It made it to my wall.
Tony

 

Fill a Hurst one with bondo, have it sand casted, then have it carved.

 

That is one way to do it. I never really thought of it, I'll keep it in the back of my head.
Tony

 

Or take a stock one, mill out the Hurst area deep, make an insert with the name cut in, tig weld the insert and polish it out.

Or just cut out the Hurst on a mill, they sometimes aren't very deep, and carve her name in.

 

Or, even easier, you could change the daughter's name to HURST. I used to have people take my screw drivers and hand tools, thought about etching my name in them all but that would take forever. There is always an easier route - Sincerely, STANLEY

 

Stanley, I have been saying your signature saying for years, and you are the second person that I have seen say it. That was a mouth full. I wanted to name my first daughter Shelby, and that was a big no. So I am pretty sure that she won't go for Hurst.

prewarcars4me, I like the weld and build idea, but I ***ume that they are cast. If they are billet I have a chance. This is a possible idea.
Tony

 

Or mill it out and get a br*** insert made and glue or epoxy it in.

 

I believe I going to by one and mill it. Here is the first one she bought. I tried to get her to buy a different one but she liked the sparkles. At first I thought it looked wrong in a black on black car, but she had a huge smile, and that was good enough for me.

 

That's funny **** first thing this morning....you the man stan

 

I finally have it done, now does anyone have a idea on what to fill it with. I was thinking a 2 part epoxy and add some color to it. Does anyone else have a idea? Tony

 

She's your daughter not mine but that wouldn't stop me from just using paint and clean the letter's and border with solvent on a rag. But that's me.

 

Well, that's pretty slick!

 

I like to simply use spray paint for the shift knob projects I make. It's easy to work with, turns out well and since the paint surface is indented, it isn't prone to wear or chip...... and is easy to touch up down the road. I just mask it off a fraction wider than the divot, remove the tape right after spraying and wipe the rim and "top" with a acetone dampened cloth/paper towel. If I "clean" a little too deeply, I just dab a bit of paint with a Q-tip and wipe the flat until it's just right.

I also use 2-part epoxy when it's warranted. I get the little double barrel, $5 dispensers of the clear to which I add charcoal power for black or plaster powder for white. The gray epoxy takes color too but is more viscous and doesn't self level as well so p*** on that. Trowel in your colored epoxy mix and wipe the excess with a stiff straight edge such as an old credit card laid over at an angle. Work fast before the epoxy starts to gel. (If it's a little less than flush with the top, no worries. The epoxy will slope up to the top edges and contour into a slight "valley". This also serves to protect the glossy epoxy surface from wear and eventual dulling appearance.) Let the epoxy set up for a minute or two so it barely starts to gel. You can test the left over epoxy on your mixing palate with your finger tip or mixing stick instead of poking the knob and creating a blemish. It should be firmer than when you first mixed it, still transfers to your finger tip or stick but no longer runs. That's the window for cleaning up and not jacking the self leveling gloss. Use acetone to wipe the excess on the rim and letters while the epoxy is still soft because it can cause dulling when it's firmed up. Epoxy doesn't polish well and will take a dull appearance. Not that it's wrong if it's dull. Some may even prefer that look. It's possible to fill to the top and polish the aluminum/epoxy piece as a unit after it has cured.

I have it down to an art and use the quicker, 5-minute stuff. But the 30-minute epoxy will give you a longer window for messing up and fixing up. Plus the left over on your palate can be used to add to gaps. But don't try to mix a second batch. Work with what you've got. I made it sound complicated but it's really pretty intuitive because you instantly see what works. No need to over-think it.

 

Cloisonné .
It is basically Building par***ions to create low areas (which you have already done by carving out her name) adding colored gl*** dust to the low area and baking the piece it till it melts into the recessed area. Corvette emblems were made this way from about 73 forward.

 

I decided to try some one shot paint, I will post pics when done. Thanks for all of the positive comments, and ideas. I figure paint is the easiest thing to fix if I don't like it, so it is looking good.
Tony

 

I like the sparkle knob but that's me and in a b on b car should make it stand out great she has good taste now the t- handle looks great but I'd ask her what she thinks she wants to do with it since it's for her jmo, HRH


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app HotRod Harry

 

She didn't want the sparkle one in this car, she said new car new shifter. Currently the stock one because she hasen't found one she liked yet. She also needed the Nitrous ****on. If I was working on it with her I would a ask her opinion, but since I am trying to surprise her, she don't get a say. I built the rest of the car for her so I'm pretty sure she going to like it. Besides I don't know of any other Alexis T handle shifters.

 

Here it is done hopefully she likes it as much as me.

 

That rooks mahverous. Though I still think Hurst is a cool name for a girl.