Hi folks. Wondering if you could help.

Some of us Corvette, Camaro and Corvair folks are doing research on the "Half Moon" Emergency Flasher knob shown in some of the various 1967 and 1968 AIM's (see the example below - #12 - taken from the 1967 Corvette AIM).

So far what we've discovered is that this knob "probably" never existed, but we would like to get additional feedback from the Nova, Chevelle and Full Sized members to see if anyone else has any input on this.

A little history...

The "built-in" 4 Way Emergency Flasher system became standard equipment on all Chevrolet cars (and I believe trucks as well) in 1967. At that time, Chevrolet used a Chrome knob (commonly referred to as the "LONG" (http://www.rickscamaros.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/cgi-local/smpagegen.exe?U+scstore+jmdv3307ffb676b6+-p+-c+scstore.cfg+TS-21) knob) with the word "Flasher" engraved on the stem. Sometime late in the 1967 model year (around March or April, 1967), Chevrolet replaced the Long knob with the "SHORT" (http://www.rickscamaros.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/cgi-local/smpagegen.exe?U+scstore+jmdv3307ffb676b6+-p+-c+scstore.cfg+TS-20) knob. This one had the "Flasher" engraved on the end of the knob.

What the research folks are looking for are threefold:

1. Has anyone ever seen this "Half-Moon" knob on ANY GM car or truck before.

2. If you have a 1967 car (or truck), does it have the Long knob on it, or the Short knob (we also need the build date of the car).

3. What does the 1967 and 1968 Chevelle AIM show for the knob (and the part number).

If you currently have a 1967 Chevelle (or any other 1967 GM car or truck) with the Long knob, we would like to hear from you. Also, if someone out there could scan in the AIM drawing of the steering column (UPC 12) showing the Flasher Knob for the 1967 and the 1968 Chevelle, we'd apprecite it.

You can contact either myself, or Kent Sullivan if you have further information on this.

Thanks in advace guys (and girls too!!)

Ed Bertrand (bertfam@pcmagic.net)
Kent Sullivan (kentsu@corvairkid.com)

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h52/bertfam/Knob.jpg

Well I'll tell you what being void of either of my AIM's currently, I have an 06c 67 and an 07c 69 and a 12c 68 and they all have the short chrome knob with "hazard" stamped into them. The columns through 72 are the same on chevelles although I don't have recollection of any of the few 71's and 72's whether they are the same way. My father also owns an early 68 camaro whose extra column I scored one of the same knobs to transplant into one of the chevelles. I have never seen a half moon switch on any chevelle. Maybe unique to the corvette?

My 67 aim show the same part # you have. pic is not good enough to see the shape, but I have never seen one as in your pic. The knob on my 67 column shift tilt is short chrome. don`t have build date as it came out of a 4 door, AC car 30 years ago.:D

Thanks guys.

Jason, your 06C 67 confirms that they were installing the short knob by that time. John Hinckley (JohnZ) of the Camaro Research Group (and an NCRS judge) states that the factories used the long knob exclusively through the third week of December (1966), the long and short knob randomly through the end of March (1967), and the short knob exclusively from April through July (the end of 1967 production).

He too has stated that he's also never seen the "Half-Moon" knob on ANY Chevrolet product so it appears that this was just an "artist rendition"!

Thanks again gents.

Ed

Thanks guys.

Jason, your 06C 67 confirms that they were installing the short knob by that time. John Hinckley (JohnZ) of the Camaro Research Group (and an NCRS judge) states that the factories used the long knob exclusively through the third week of December (1966), the long and short knob randomly through the end of March (1967), and the short knob exclusively from April through July (the end of 1967 production).

He too has stated that he's also never seen the "Half-Moon" knob on ANY Chevrolet product so it appears that this was just an "artist rendition"!

Thanks again gents.

Ed
Ed talk to this guy http://www.chevelles.com/forums/member.php?u=437
Dale is our resident expert on the 67 chevelle. If there is anything you need to know about 67's Dale will have the answer. Jason.

Thanks for the contact Jason. As you suggested, I sent Dale an email.

Ed

I don't have a 68 AIM but do have 67 (UPC 12 C3) and 69 (UPC 12 C1). Both 'drawings' look like the one you show but I tend to agree that it's probably an artist rendition as both appear to be like the one in your drawing but probably not correct.

FWIW, both 67 and 69 AIMs have part #398165 - KNOB ASM. - HAZARD and my Chevrolet parts book from 1971 shows the service replacement knob as part #411525 (KNOB, traffic hazard warning) for 67 though 72 for full size, Chevelle, Camaro, Chevy II/Nova.

I just went out to the garage and pulled the flasher knob from a manual shift steering column from my 67 SS from Atlanta dated 6C and it definately has 'FLASHER' stamped on it and it's a short knob. I bought that car in '86 so I'm certain it hadn't been changed.

http://photos.chevellecd.com/albums/userpics/10001/flasher1.jpg

http://photos.chevellecd.com/albums/userpics/10001/flasher2.jpg

I then went out in the driveway and took a look at my 67 El Camino with an automatic steering column and it's a short knob as well. It's a 05A Fremont car and stamped FLASHER just like the one above. I didn't unscrew it but it looks to be the same length.

http://photos.chevellecd.com/albums/userpics/10001/flasher3.jpg

Thanks a ton Dale. You have added more proof that the "half-moon" knob never existed even though it's shown in several different Chevrolet car line AIM's. I think maybe our next step would be to start talking to other divisions (Buick, Olds, etc...) and see if any of these cars ever had the "half-moon" knob.

FYI, I also posted this same question on the Nova and Impala sites and got a reply from a guy on the Nova site that used to work in a dealership. He too stated that he's never seen that kind of knob on ANY GM product.

I'm begining to believe that this "may" have been the shape of the knob when the design was first being thought out, but because of any number of reasons, (cost, ease of use, etc...) it was dropped in favor of the knobs we've seen in production. It's not unusual to see drawings, publicity photos, etc... of "things that never were"!

Thanks again guys.
Ed

The shape of the knob in the drawing doesn't seem like it'd be very comfortable to push in or easy to pull out the way the flashers work in real life. Looking through some other photos, I found a September built Chevelle with the long knob.

http://photos.chevellecd.com/albums/userpics/10001/long_knob.jpg

Jason: You said your short knobs are stamped HAZARD?

Dale,

That's what I've observed also. Not very "user friendly". Probably why they changed the design!!

Is that a September 1966 build date? If so, the long knob would be correct.

"Hazard"? Good question Dale. I didn't notice that in Jason's post. Jason?

Ed

Dale,

That's what I've observed also. Not very "user friendly". Probably why they changed the design!!

Is that a September 1966 build date? If so, the long knob would be correct.

"Hazard"? Good question Dale. I didn't notice that in Jason's post. Jason?

Ed


Yes, September 1966. Found a couple of other photos of pre-December with long knobs and June/July with short knobs.

The shape of the knob in the drawing doesn't seem like it'd be very comfortable to push in or easy to pull out the way the flashers work in real life. Looking through some other photos, I found a September built Chevelle with the long knob.

http://photos.chevellecd.com/albums/userpics/10001/long_knob.jpg

Jason: You said your short knobs are stamped HAZARD?
WHOOOOPPSS!!!!! You got me. One of those thinking one thing and typing it the same way brain dyslexias. ie. hazard switch. Definately stamped FLASHER. sorry and thanks for catching yet another silly mistake.

Good it's cleared up. Had us wondering if there were two different wordings as well. :thumbsup:

Found a couple of other photos of pre-December with long knobs and June/July with short knobs.

Thanks Dale. Exactly what I would expect.

I'd love to hear from anyone (and everyone) with a 03A to 05D 1967 to see what you have. This is supposedly when they used both knobs on the assembly lines.

Ed

I have a 67 Malibu built in Balt., late '66 ( I bought it 12/66 ) and it has the long knob.

One more for early long knob. Anyone with 3A to 5D?