VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 removal of knob from choke cable

What is the trick to successfully remove the knob from any of the three cable's on the dash board? I want to have them replated and I have one that needs to be replaced.
Thanks for your assistance.

I believe the knobs will have to be destroyed in removing and replaced with new ones epoxy glued in. I have heard of removing the old knobs by placing in boiling water but have not personally had any luck doing so.

On my '30. I used a small torch to heat the knob and pull it off the wire. A note of caution some of the knobs are made of a soft metal (maybe lead) and will melt. Check before you heat them up. We melted a knob on my son's car, it fell apart like it was made of solder.
I had the knobs replated and a local artist did the lettering.

Sounds like there is a variation for the years so perhaps knowing the year is necessary. My post was regarding 1932 which had a plastic/bakelite non metalic knob.

Just recieved my knobs from the f/s for my 31 sedan instructions said to brake the knob with a hammer then heat the new ones in hot water to replace.Got to get the cable ends plated first.

I've never tried it but, heating the end of the cable with a small torch should allow you to pull off the Knob.

Sorry I didn't include the year. It is a 29.

The '29s, which have pot metal knobs, are harder work than the later cars.

If you disconnect the cable and housing at the engine end, then remove the nut on the back of the instrument panel on each of the cables, you can then withdraw the entire cable, knob and all from the car. (It's a lot easier if you remove the entire instrument panel, but not essential)

Unthread the cable housing from the sheath and slide it away from the wire

Then you can see the sheath in which the knob stem slides. The cable is actually locked into a hole at the end of the knob stem and held in place (staked) with a brass pin. Remove the pin and then you can unhook the wire from the knob stem. Pull the knob stem out of the sheath and you're done. The knobs cannot be removed from the stem without damaging them (or at least I've never been able to do it), so you can then send the knobs and their stems to be replated (nickel, not chrome). If the engraved letters are badly worn, you can sand them off before plating and then have new letters engraved after the plating.

Lots of work, but they'll look great when you're done.

Hope that helps.


All the Best, Chip

Thanks Chip. That was great. Worked perfect. Appreciate your time.