Replating shift lever question

[wrndln]

I need to get an original shift lever replated. The lever has a "bell" section near the bottom. I think a better plating job could be done if the "bell" was removed and each piece plated separately. My question is: If the bell should be remove for a better plating job, how can it be removed without any damage? Would heat help break the bond between the 2 pieces before trying to remove the "bell"? The shaft would be hard to hold in a press. It appears to be pretty tight to the shaft after almost 90 year of being together.
Rusty Nelson

[eagle]

if you need the extra leg/foot room now would be the time to bend the lever.

[Ron in Quincy]

The bell should be Bright Nickel and the shaft a Butler Nickel finish.

You should be able to tap the bell up, it is a tight fit on the shaft, I have never had to use heat to remove the bell.

Good Luck,

Ron

[Steve Plucker]

I second what Ron says...Just take your time trying NOT to damage the thin edges of the bell itself.

Pluck

[figment]

Contact Craig Riker at phone number 419-290-4442. He has done probably 100's of shift levers . He does the correct butler finish and his prices are quite resonable. The quality of the shift levers that I had done passed fine point with no problem . Norm

[wrndln]

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I got it off by clamping the shaft real tight in a vice between 2 pieces of wood to protect the shaft. I was able to tap the "bell" off. It came off more easily than I thought it would. I am planning to send it to Craig Riker along with some spark and gas control rods for him to nickel plate. Thanks to all that posted help.
Rusty Nelson

[Joe K]

If this is for a truck, you can "paint" the lower section and leave the handgrip "bright" as it might have been done with the truck as frequently provided.

Another variant along the same lines is to paint only the shaft and have the handgrip bright AND the bell - since this may have been added after all other "dressing out" to the shaft was done.

Ford was notorious for "using up" parts on the trucks which were of insufficient quality for use on the car line. I myself had a black painted shift lever which I was endeavoring to "restore" - which at that time (and restoration standard) meant full butler finish plating.

Using stripper to bubble and remove the paint, I found the shaft had been "burnished through" the shine coat rather severely on one side. I.e. - A "reject."

Joe K

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

My shifter had been painted BLACK, over a CHROMED, PITTED surface. I steel wooled the paint off & it had an INTERESTING look!
Bill Different