Beautiful STAINLESS Zephyr Style Shifter From SCRATCH! 1931 Model A Roadster Build.

On this episode of Make It Kustom, I am working on a 1931 Model A Roadster. With our new engine and transmission in place, its time to build a shifter that suits the car. Since the build is largely inspired by the 1939 Zephyr in the shop, I'm building the shifter to suit also.
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[@briankinnear7461]

Really nice work on that shifter. Looks spectacular. Be safe and stay well.

[@92xl]

There are pound in grease zerks and threaded grease zerks.

[@johnlreim]

I think what I like the most about your channel is that it is so relatable. Despite your high level of skill, occasionally you show us your mistakes and your recovery. So valuable for those of us still learning. Your never give up, never give in attitude is so instructive.

[@MakeItKustom]

Thanks a lot I really appreciate ya!

[@joecioe8566]

Art deco Zephyr-like waterfall and shifter. Once again, a work of art.

[@oh8wingman]

I do like the design of this shifter but there is one thing I would offer as a possible improvement. You mentioned a period Bakelite knob as your choice to complete it. I personally think it would be a better design if you were to create an oak knob with a polished brass insert to give a more elegant look to complete it. You could easily machine the brass core to thread down onto the arm itself and then hollow out a spherical oak knob to go over it and stain and finish it as you pleased. It would definitely compliment the brass inserts in the waterfall dash. Just a thought........

[@psiked]

I like the idea of brass core in oak knob - Karl you do make some nice and fancy stuff 🫡 - but I’m also intrigued by the Bakelite knob. He should make both and see what wins.

[@kirkoglesby6175]

The best part is that it doesn't look like an automatic shifter. Super clean Karl. Dig it!

[@bennettscustomsco]

Eyes never lie!! Looks awesome my man. I’m sensing a nice brass inlay into some black Bakelite

[@dirtyfingersgarage]

At 9:20ish you were talking about grease fittings. There are punch in style grease fittings. I use them on forklift repairs all the time.

[@murdoc6501]

Love the way you and your brother across the pond Jordan are always taking something usually overlooked or easily phoned in and turning it into bespoke art! The taper is such a small detail but absolutely befitting of the car! Fantastic work and thanks for expertly explaining and filming the process! Go Japhands and Elio, keep moving forward!

[@Robert-il4pi]

Karl you are fantastic at what you do. I am concerned about the way you’ve attached the hairpins on the chassis. It doesn’t look strong enough. I’d like to see a small bracket to support the outside end of the bolt which would easily bend if you hit a pothole or something solid with the front wheel. I love your show.

[@lynnmccurdythehdmmrc2561]

Back in the day, yes, I'm that old. In the 60's and early 70's installed a few shifters. But never thought of something like this. You are an artist.

[@glennstatham960]

Take a blacksmith's course (not some hokey 'let's make horseshoes' one) and you will learn so much cool stuff - like 'upsetting' a piece of rod lol!

[@daleking8529]

Shifter is outstanding!!

[@Fjant]

this looks amazing! this build is getting so cool! But you have to give the headers a second thought!! whit everything on this car so carefully designed and thought out in its on unique style, going with with most common and boring standard lake pipes will bring this car down propper. at least make em youre own. look at the flow of the pipes leaving the engine of the Isky roadster for example. that would fit this car much better. thanx for sharing all knowledge is such a good way!

[@DanHancock-e7o]

Thank you Karl nice video. My Wife always tells me to stop watch videos but I tell her I'm in school LOL! I always learn something new watching your videos.

[@michaelanderson3771]

On a lot Old cars you had the cable and that pushed the trans gear selector rod. So when the bottom pivot went back it pushed the cable out thus pushing the selector on the box forward. If you use solid rod you will need a second pivot point to reverse the action and the rattles and wear is an ongoing issue.

[@theoriginalDirtybill]

Karl find a glass doorknob from the 20's or 30's. they make really cool shift knobers

[@gregvanderboom5011]

Looks great! Back in the day I made a shifter similar to that except it came out of the dash panel ala Citroën 2CV. A guy could a turn coarse thread like 1 TPI down the length of the rod then fill the tread with braze. Give it a silver and bronze candy cane effect. Thank you for the video I appreciate you.

[@MakeItKustom]

Cheers ! That's a neat idea w the thread

[@LetGaiaLive]

Excellent point about having the shifter centre of gravity “neutral” - some years ago I had a car that the detent pawl was broken off. One time I had to stop suddenly, and the shifter slipped out of Drive, through Neutral and stopped in Reverse!! It was bloody lucky no one was behind me 😳

[@patrickharrand]

Lookin' good Karl. I found that using a 1/4-28 tap for the smaller grease fittings work well since they are close to the 1/16th pipe thread that has 27 threads per inch. Hope this helps for future stuff. Thanks again for sharing your skills with us.

[@peterspicer3740]

I like the Bakelite knob idea. But since people are throwing ideas around, have a look at old Amber jewellery from the period. If you could cast something to match that it would go really well with the brass.

[@BWTIII]

Karl, Well I for one will toot your horn!!! You are a magician, good work!!!!

[@MakeItKustom]

Haha thanks 🙏

[@John-v2d3b]

Hey Karl, interesting that your lathe is a Hercus. Made in South Australia. I am from Western Australia not to far (2 hours or so) from where Bennets customs are. Great job as always! John

[@MakeItKustom]

Thanks John. Yup came direct from there!

[@randywilliams2505]

@MakeItKustom Karl , the shifter you made is a work of ART. Forget the bakelite. Just because it's old does not make it aesthetically pleasing. While in Jr. High in the late 60's I was lucky enough to have two shop teachers that were brothers. One of our projects was to cast two different things out of epoxy resin. One of my projects was a shift knob. We used India Ink for coloring. Now epoxy has come a long way since the late 60's as have how to add color. Eye Candy Pigments makes a wide variety of pigments that you could use to compliment what ever color(s) the roadster will be. So much of the roadster is one off hand made by you, so why cut corners now? I learn something in every video you make. Thanks for sharing your passion.

[@user-lj1hi4xh6o]

Karl .shifter turn out nice ,good job

[@jerryrosen3114]

The old time drive in grease fittings were called zerk fittings

[@Bob-mx8uy]

Yeah, they had barbs on them. They didn’t have threads.

[@MysticRuler-n4j]

Amazing!

[@stevenmoreau256]

Making super skilled beautiful work look easy! Unreal man, looks killer!

[@hedwigleemans6249]

Nice - 👍- Elio always does a super ‘mise en page’ job w that camera - so important to make the whole thing easier to follow - greets from 🇨🇭

[@GMGarage2010]

Sure serendipity on that shifter link!! Love it.

[@johnkranz4004]

Very Nice Job Karl looks great

[@franksgarage8551]

My lathe has a taper attatchment, would be perfect for situations like this. Cool having the zephyr as a working example to mimic.

[@SuperDave-xs6pt]

Hi Karl, the thread on that grease fitting is 1/8-27 NPT (national pipe tapered). You can cheat by using 1/4-28 SAE fine tap...

[@laurensmith1828]

That is a really cool shifter. I think i need to make one for myself . Thanks for video guys!

[@chriskappes9170]

I have never seen a shifter like personally very cool and unique

[@davidadams007]

Love the shifter

[@37FordGuy]

Awesome craftsmanship and fun to watch. Your eyecrometer did a fine job. Safe travels.

[@MakeItKustom]

Haha eycrometer is the best made up word ever

[@chrisorcutt7619]

Make a shifter handle out of copper to bring the wheel color into play

[@rootnpearl]

Nice work on the shifter. I will echo what you said. “The eyes don’t lie”

[@floridian7143]

Thanks for sharing, always interesting and informative!

[@dougwernham5209]

Great video thanks Karl.

[@joealbert7773]

As always, beautiful work. I didn't see your setup for connecting the bent rod from the shifter to the transmission lever. It looked like you have heim joints in the linkage. I wonder if that will be enough to compensate for the engine/transmission moving around on their mounts, since the shifter is mounted solid to the body.

[@kurtludwig6962]

Thanks again for Kustom ideas ❤

[@sailormouthdotorg]

Live center tail stock is the name of what you wanted to support your work piece. Check a manual for your lathe for info on back gears. If it has those it will put you in a slower speed range. Been watching your channel for years. Always enjoy your content.

[@GerryMiller-y4d]

Totally awesome shafter

[@graemecraddock8846]

happy travels

[@shanewright6958]

Great job 👍👍

[@garrettbright6586]

Very cool, Karl!

[@marcayres8567]

Dude i watch alot of workshop videos & some proper machinists would cringe at your lathe skills i just envy you having one, I'd do exactly like you💚🇬🇧🌱

[@adrianzmajla4844]

I cringed big time.

[@warrencahill9673]

Does it get boring being so talented,awsome job.

[@paulhedman7387]

Love it, Great stuff !!!!

[@scharbon4089]

Look on how to elongate pipes, tubes or stock! When you pull on 1 end, it'll taper... I would need research, but hey, hey! 😂

[@herbiederby3394]

Coolest idea yet karl 💯... amazing that one part you made works on another great work too... 🖖🙂🙏

[@larryreece1403]

Looks awesome!

[@harleydavidson4404]

I haven't watched in a while because of work and all but you never fail to impress the hell out me awesome work

[@RoyCarter-o5n]

The Zerk/Zirk/Zirc/Zerc fittings vary. Some are threaded and then there are the Drive type that you drive in as you described. Never been a fan of the drive-in type as they don’t seem to be as secure as the threaded type. Be sure to never never drive in the threaded type though.

[@laurapitre5797]

Great video!

[@gordonhenagar6652]

That was cool!

[@willieshaw2522]

I'm interested to see how easy it is to "wind" it up out of the floor.

[@jameshatfield7634]

It's called a center drill and the center is called a live center.

[@matthewmanuel8655]

You could have offset your tailstock and cut the taper with your lathe

[@minnesotatomcat]

4 of the first 5 comments are Bots, and one goofball that comments “first”..…..I hate what YT has become. Great vid Karl, from a real person! 👍

[@colorslaveworkshop2029]

First....

[@minnesotatomcat]

@@colorslaveworkshop2029 no way buddy, someone else already called it 😂

[@blue32nu]

"Your videos are a fresh perspective...." 😂

[@VS-16]

why are it always the stupidest who push themselves to the forefront? (the "first")

[@BillGobbinhoffer18]

You sound like something a bot would say… 🤖

[@ivanxavierdesouzasouza9278]

Mais um episódio pra conta

[@HemiDartGT]

Nice fab work.....👍

[@ShibbyImpalaShibby]

Pretty sure grease nipple threads are either 1/8"-27 NPT or 1/16"-27 NPT

[@craig1010cc]

Awesome vid as always, cracking work. Was there a reason you didn't use the lathe to cut the taper onto the rod rather than grinding it?

[@richardsmith-qy6vl]

Great job I like it alot.

[@lifefromscratch2818]

Hope you never have to remove that from the car. I would have made either the top side or bottom side bolt on so it could come out in two pieces.

[@MakeItKustom]

It's can come out no problem tho? One bolt

[@lifefromscratch2818]

@@MakeItKustom With as many bends as it has on each side of that one bolt can you actually get it wiggled and giggled out without basically removing the entire drive train or dash?

[@GypsyJvan]

nice.. thanks.. ..Black Art Forge..

[@waynerohde1036]

I think if Karl and Ian Roussel hooked up, the custom possibilities would be endless

[@73CraigB]

Figuring out where you need to drill after the drill is running. That’s my kind of planning/design 😂

[@burninpwder76]

lathe center terms for tailstock. if it turns it's a live center. if it does not turn it's a dead center. There are also cone centers and bullnose centers. another way to turn accurate tapers on a lathe is to slightly offset the tailstock. but don't do that unless you know how to reset it :D And you usually need a follower rest for a very long taper. Love the look of the waterfall dash with offset shifter. since it's an auto are you going to add an indicator? a brass and nickle slider indicator would look awesome as a compliment to the dash. like the old waterfall radio dials. Just thinking out loud. awesome eithier way. And you can truly tell everyone you have the shifter ...handled :D

[@harmlesscreationsofthegree1248]

Save The Ways!

[@minnesotatomcat]

Pardon my ignorance but I thought it was a manual transmission and as you were building the floor mount/pivot point I was thinking……that’s not gonna work, how the hell are you gonna shift an H pattern 🤣 everything is clear now!

[@steveevans8196]

Pretty sure you have to use a pipe tap for the threads on a grease fitting.

[@jameshatfield7634]

Not all of them,some are 1/4-28 thread.

[@mikeman230]

Couldn’t you offset tail stock and turn the tapper? Funny I always say I’m not a machinist. I’m a mechanic with a lathe and mill.

[@warnz9701]

Nothing wrong with tooting your own horn 📯 👍

[@davidadams007]

@ 30:30 - nice little pipe you made there...

[@Moxlonibus2]

I always duct tape my drill chucks to the extension cord 😅

[@petskudahlman]

it's easy when you know how

[@jameswilkins288]

thanks so much for all your videos, has given me the drive to get back into trying some of these things for myself like to ask you some questions, first would you recommend a non gas welder for panel work, second on your sheet metal you use for your panels its 18 ga but is it alloy steel sheet like 4130 or what the last ? is what type would you use for frame repair or mod's 10ga ? thanks for any help you can give

[@theartman410]

how big a part will it do on the hammer? Have a idea, but thinking I will need a pullmax

[@CorvairSteveMorton]

Every time I watch your channel, I sit back and complete astonishment of the work that you can do and how beautifully it turns out. On a separate note, I would love to see more details of the torch holder you have made. I would love to be able to make one like that. It looks simple, but I can't get enough detail on what you have.

[@MakeItKustom]

Ya maybe we make anither one on the channel. Good idea

[@LetGaiaLive]

Us machinists, are wise in the ways of the ways….

[@professorfalken4600]

Rapid Tap is Karl’s fentanyl 😂

[@poolmotorrepairguyFL]

The Florida pool pump motor repair guy 32750 approved ! that was good info & see = Make it Kustom 😃

[@50mercfan]

there are 2 different "grease nipples" one is drive in and one is threaded.

[@wyattoneable]

I like that you forge ahead with minimal measurements and fuss. "If it looks right it is right".

[@dennisschickling2249]

Nice Work. #STAYSAFE #PHILLYPHILLY 🇺🇸

[@dirtysteve7866]

Nailhead is the CORRECT motor choice!

[@brianwood4738]

👍👍

[@blackwell1384]

Your lathe has a second gear range which are called back gears that reduce the speed further. I could see them when you opened the cover

[@123gonow]

If you make your way through Mi or Oh Karl like to buy you both dinner or lunch !

[@briantreadwell1681]

Just a hint if you want to cut a taper. It will not be centered to the rest of the rod, but you can cut a taper buy adding a shim under 1 jaw of the lathe chuck. You could have also added a shim to one jaw of the chuck when you were cutting the point on the drill bit you used for a dead center. the offset in the dead center will make a nice taper. Either way will work.

[@MH-rb7lp]

What happened to 2nd and low?

[@bennyrussell5941]

The lathe has a compound slide that you could have used to turn a taper onto that bar. That was so hard to watch. Maybe watch a few KZbin video's from your favorite metal turner.🤣

[@blackbuttecruizr]

Toot toot, beep your own horn!!!

[@T3glider]

Warn us before you bring us in that close to the tools, Elio. That way we can put on our safety glasses!

[@johnjaeger287]

Yea...Yea...as the Big B says

[@OGRocker1]

Morning Karl, thanks for the share... Take care my friend.