I remember this was discussed a while back but I can not pull it up. The thin side is toward the dash, right?

Yes , Thin side towards the dash . Now I did mine a couple of months back and I just heated a coffee cup of water in the microwave 'till , well really hot...dropped it in ...walked out to the car with a light ball-peen hammer and it didn't take much...getting it started going on straight was the toughest part without three hands lol Good Luck , Kevin
...Also added a little more "chamfer" to the hole with a counter-sink...helped

You will notice that one edge of the knob is slightly thinner tan the other. The thinest of the two sides faces the steering wheel. This is because it fits between your finger tips better and it is at a slight angle adjacent to the steering wheel.
The finger tip vacuum shift was designed so the hand can be left on the steering wheel and the lever moved by your finger tips.

Gene,
I think you misspoke. The THICKER side goes toward the steering wheel and the THINNER side goes toward the dash. That way the finger tips naturally meet the curvature of the knob. With the thicker side toward the dash the finger tips would only meet a very small portion of the knob.

Or am I wrong?
Charlie

I believe your right Charlie...We had this discussion a couple of months back...I think I started it ! My old one had broken off and I asked for help . It's on there now...thin side towards the dash...Kevin

kevin 47 how in the world did you break off the knob?

...I didn't use it for the longest time , then one day it just fell off...lol ( really ! )

No - the thin edge faces the driver. Back in "the day" I sold tons of the shift knobs. They used to break in cold weather.

The hand in NOT removed from the steering wheel and the thin edged is easier to slip between your index and center finger while the hand is on the steering wheel. Many drivers removed the hand and shift it like a non-vacuum shift car. That is not how it was designed to be used. Some one with an original 1940-1948 can look and see how theres is mounted if it has never been replaced.

Looking back at old posts the discussion touched on the direction of the "flat" ( 90 deg. ) from the wheel . I don't see anything said about thin/fat sides...Guess I assumed the fat part was for my dumb thumb...

...Russell , we talked about it in the "vacuum shift" posts...10/15-10/17 but was about the "flat"...

First time I've ever heard of the thin side/fat side discussion. I had only heard of the flat sides being parallel to the floor basically. Will have to go look at mine and see how I happened to install it!

We are still waiting for an "original" to chime in...but would like to hear from all "comers" and their two cents...

Alright, now that it's on you change! Lets make up our minds!!!! And I thought I finally did something I would not have to redo a least once, HA HA.....

Even on a 1940 Coupe that resides in beautiful downtown Canton, Ohio the thin part is installed towards the driver, with the thicker part of the shift knob towards the dashboard.

dtm

Yay..! I'll get right next time...! There you go Russell...fat part to the dash...I think lol Kevin

Mine is original, and yes the thin side faces the driver for exactly the reason that gene stated in an earlier post.

Simply heated mine with a hair dryer until it was quite warm. Used a block of wood against the flange, one good whack with a hammer and it popped right off. Rotated 180 and bumped it back on with said block of wood. Done! Thin toward driver. Thanks people!!

Hey ! Good idea...! Think I'll try that on mine...Problem is all I've got is a blow-torch...Hope I don't melt the steering wheel...how'd you get yours on backwards so fast...are we have'n a race...? Kevin

Kevin, I hope you are kidding about the blow torch!

Hey ! Good idea...! Guess I'd better use the hair dryer don't want to singe the paint on the shift lever...I get carried away at times...I own a lot of Welding Equipment and don't use it much anymore...not since the shop burned down...

you should see what I have on mine a small tree limb cut down and hole drilled in center been on there a while now.

Hey Sarge -

First time that I have seen your 47 in your avatar! Really a nice looker. When did you change to this avatar or am I just not observant enough?? Anyway, also love the skirts on her.

Jim.