The Ford Barn

Dorf55 · 10-18-2022, 04:25 PM

I would like to replace a few of my dash knobs (air vent, wiper, choke) and all seem to be pressed on any way to remove them ?
would also like to replace shifter and turn signal knobs.
any advice would be helpful.

5851a · 10-18-2022, 06:17 PM

I'm going to follow this. As a youth I always wondered and ended up Western Auto chrome and a set screw. Going to the dealer was akin to going to a dentist back in the day.

Hot Rod Reverend · 10-18-2022, 07:21 PM

Your wiper knob should have a small set screw. The other knobs you described are very difficult to remove - they are molded around the metal from what I remember. Those choke cable and vent cables especially. Restoration companies do manufacture the shifter knob, and of the pressed or molded knobs as I recall this is the easiest to replace. The 55 knobs are pretty much to themselves although the Tbird knobs look very similar.

Dorf55 · 10-18-2022, 11:56 PM

Thanks HRR
Any hints on how to remove the shifter and turn signal knobs? Heat or maybe have to cut off ?

Lamar Wadsworth · 10-19-2022, 09:40 AM

I wanted to have my shift and turn signal levers rechromed but couldn't get the knobs off without destroying them. Guy at the chrome shop said that the chemicals used in the plating process would discolor the plastic knobs.

fordor41 · 10-19-2022, 10:04 PM

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was always wondering how they installed the control knobs. Our '60 ford fairlane has plastic control knobs on the heater controls. the levers pass thru a dash trim piece and thru the metal dash. you think the plastic knobs were installed in the dash before installing the dash in the car? what if a dealer had to replace the heater control. how would they replace the plastic lever knobs?

Daves55Sedan · 10-20-2022, 10:56 PM

For the gear shift and turn signal knobs, use an open end 5/16" wrench and place the wrench behind the end of the knob along the shift or turn signal lever. Smack the side of the wrench a few times and the knobs will start moving off the lever. Once they get so far down you can pull off by hand usually.
For the wiper control knob, there is a set screw on the hub of the knob which can be loosened with a standard small screwdriver.
The Majic-Air knobs also have set screws on the bottom. These are made of pot-metal and can be cleaned up and repainted with black enamel. Replacements are not available.
Headlight switch knob can be removed from the switch by pressing the button on the switch and pull the knob out, but the knob is molded onto the shaft, however, if your knob is in real bad shape, you can swap the knob/shaft with a better one from a donor car.
Left air knob is molded onto the end of the cable.
If knobs are dirty you can try to clean with very mild dishwashing detergent, then polish them with a clean terry cloth to get their shine back.
If they are nicked or faded, I have been successful with rubbing the affected areas with fine steel wool then polishing with fine rubbing compound, then polishing with a terry cloth to get the glossy black shine again.

Daves55Sedan · 10-20-2022, 10:59 PM

You can buy some new T-Bird knobs, but those have a cone-shaped chromed dome over the outer end of the black plastic knob, so if you only needed to replace one or two, it wouldn't match the other knobs and wouldn't be original to any full-sized car. Only the T-Birds had those knobs.

10-18-2022, 04:25 PM	#1
Dorf55 Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Omaha Ne. Posts: 40	55 Fairlane dash knobs I would like to replace a few of my dash knobs (air vent, wiper, choke) and all seem to be pressed on any way to remove them ? would also like to replace shifter and turn signal knobs. any advice would be helpful.

10-18-2022, 06:17 PM	#2
5851a Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: NE Iowa Posts: 1,798	Re: 55 Fairlane dash knobs I'm going to follow this. As a youth I always wondered and ended up Western Auto chrome and a set screw. Going to the dealer was akin to going to a dentist back in the day.

10-18-2022, 07:21 PM	#3
Hot Rod Reverend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Red Lion, Pennsylvania Posts: 952	Re: 55 Fairlane dash knobs Your wiper knob should have a small set screw. The other knobs you described are very difficult to remove - they are molded around the metal from what I remember. Those choke cable and vent cables especially. Restoration companies do manufacture the shifter knob, and of the pressed or molded knobs as I recall this is the easiest to replace. The 55 knobs are pretty much to themselves although the Tbird knobs look very similar. __________________ Red Lion, Pennsylvania Visit hotrodreverend.com to view hundreds of pictures and videos of the build of the 1955 Ford Club Sedan!

10-18-2022, 11:56 PM	#4
Dorf55 Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Omaha Ne. Posts: 40	Re: 55 Fairlane dash knobs Thanks HRR Any hints on how to remove the shifter and turn signal knobs? Heat or maybe have to cut off ?

10-19-2022, 09:40 AM	#5
Lamar Wadsworth Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 335	Re: 55 Fairlane dash knobs I wanted to have my shift and turn signal levers rechromed but couldn't get the knobs off without destroying them. Guy at the chrome shop said that the chemicals used in the plating process would discolor the plastic knobs.

10-19-2022, 10:04 PM	#6
fordor41 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: elmira,ny Posts: 1,576	Re: 55 Fairlane dash knobs Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) was always wondering how they installed the control knobs. Our '60 ford fairlane has plastic control knobs on the heater controls. the levers pass thru a dash trim piece and thru the metal dash. you think the plastic knobs were installed in the dash before installing the dash in the car? what if a dealer had to replace the heater control. how would they replace the plastic lever knobs?

10-20-2022, 10:56 PM	#7
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: 55 Fairlane dash knobs For the gear shift and turn signal knobs, use an open end 5/16" wrench and place the wrench behind the end of the knob along the shift or turn signal lever. Smack the side of the wrench a few times and the knobs will start moving off the lever. Once they get so far down you can pull off by hand usually. For the wiper control knob, there is a set screw on the hub of the knob which can be loosened with a standard small screwdriver. The Majic-Air knobs also have set screws on the bottom. These are made of pot-metal and can be cleaned up and repainted with black enamel. Replacements are not available. Headlight switch knob can be removed from the switch by pressing the button on the switch and pull the knob out, but the knob is molded onto the shaft, however, if your knob is in real bad shape, you can swap the knob/shaft with a better one from a donor car. Left air knob is molded onto the end of the cable. If knobs are dirty you can try to clean with very mild dishwashing detergent, then polish them with a clean terry cloth to get their shine back. If they are nicked or faded, I have been successful with rubbing the affected areas with fine steel wool then polishing with fine rubbing compound, then polishing with a terry cloth to get the glossy black shine again.

10-20-2022, 10:59 PM	#8
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: 55 Fairlane dash knobs You can buy some new T-Bird knobs, but those have a cone-shaped chromed dome over the outer end of the black plastic knob, so if you only needed to replace one or two, it wouldn't match the other knobs and wouldn't be original to any full-sized car. Only the T-Birds had those knobs.