Something I made Earlier... Goldfinger/Skyfall DB5 gearknob

CRC007CRC007 Posts: 31MI6 Agent
Hi everyone

I own a Classic mini (First Car) and having explored this forum I found information on the Goldfinger DB5 Gearknob, and I realised that the Aston gearknob is pretty much identical to an Austin Mk1 Mini Gearknob, and having been a bond fan for as long as I can remember, I had to have a go at making one! its not 100% accurate as it uses a brass hinge but I think it turned out ok, adds a unique touch to the car. Hope you like it! :)

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Comments

  • Donald GrantDonald Grant U.S.A.Posts: 2,251Quartermasters
    I think that's pretty damn cool. Moreover, the original Mini Cooper is a wicked cool automobile. Secret Agent Man/Danger Man used one in a few episodes.

    Welcome aboard!

    DG
    So, what sharp little eyes you've got...wait till you get to my teeth.
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    "People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Richard Grenier after George Orwell, Washington Times 1993.
  • CRC007CRC007 Posts: 31MI6 Agent
    Hi All,

    I'm back to continue this thread. Although initially happy with the gearknob that I had made at the time, it was not very screen accurate and I feel I could do better If I have another go at it. It did eventually break too, I didnt get round to fixing it.

    I now work full time as a Design Apprentice here in the UK. We use a lot of CAD software, which got me thinking about revisiting this project. In my spare time in lunch breaks etc. I have modelled and drawn up a second gearknob, this time with an integrated hinge and I think its quite close to what we see in Goldfinger and Skyfall. After completing the drawings, a friend of mine will do much of the practical work. He's got a metal lathe, so we'll see how well the prototype turns out!Hopefully ten times as good as the first one!

    I am wondering though, IF we can pull this off, We could make them for people on AJB007. However I'm not sure on the legalities of this, whether the design is copyrighted/patented?

    For now though I'll see how well this first one turns out and the costs involved, and more importantly, how close we can get it to the screen used one.

    Many Thanks and see the model below!


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  • minigeffminigeff EnglandPosts: 7,884MI6 Agent
    IIRC the original knob had a much wider and inverted conical shaped recess in the lid. the button was also a bit bigger too.

    The hinge looked as though it was made from a series of flat plates stuck together as well.

    This AJB thread may help;

    http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/41680/db5-ejector-seat-button/
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  • bondpropfanbondpropfan Southern UKPosts: 288MI6 Agent
    Hi
    this is a picture I took of the DB5 at Beaulieu Motor Museum a couple of years ago, but this one clearly has no red button....
    hope it helps. -{
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  • Gebruder GumboldGebruder Gumbold San FranciscoPosts: 549MI6 Agent
    Oh Dear! That car at Beaulieu had some not very accurate gadgets.
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    Here are a couple of shots that may help.
    The Mini 4 Speed gear lever knob is the correct one, and about GBP 200 less than an Aston one, if you can still find them.
    The gadget car, as we all know, was a 4 Speed David Brown variety, and the other road car had the later ZF 5 Speed geabox, which failed, oddly enough, in Switzerland, which is why you see the 4 Speed car laden down with weight in parts of the chase scene. The shift point sounded low to me when the chase began....

    Suggest using the great Worrall book "The Most Famous Car in the World." Has all the drawings, etc.
    Watch out for the switches too, nobody has been able to duplicate them correctly.... except perhaps me...

    Cheers, Tom
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    The front 4 switches are Lucas, and can be bought today.
    The 3 aircraft fighter looking ones I had reproduced a few years ago for a client's DB5.
    The console shown in Thunderball used an entirely different switch setup, looked to be all duck billed Lucas type.
  • CRC007CRC007 Posts: 31MI6 Agent
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    Hi all so four years after starting this topic and to be honest not getting very far, I'm back. I last left this just after I created a CAD model of the ejector seat gear knob. I have since changed jobs, and in the process have remodelled the design.

    Just recently I have had access at work to a 3D printer so I've actually managed to create a prototype that looks the part and can give an idea of what a finished article could look like albeit with a white button due to printing material available. The button is actually made of flexible material so is soft.

    Next step is to try it out in the car and look into getting some made in Aluminium. For now the 3D printed prototype allows me to make any changes or alter anything to look more screen accurate. I think it's quite close to what we see in Goldfinger

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  • CRC007CRC007 Posts: 31MI6 Agent
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