KOOL KNOBS FOR LA CAR

By Roy Nakano

"Best looking logo yet! Is it purely virtual, or does the cue ball exist in the real world? I want one in my car. I want one in every one of my cars!" Yes, we've gotten some good feedback on our latest avatar. And yes, the shift knob does exist in the real world. The knob serving as LA Car's avatar (to the left) was executed by Koolknobs. As we all know, some of history's greatest designs started out as a sketch on a paper napkin - and this one is no exception. The shift pattern avatar started life as a napkin sketch by our own Chuck Dapoz at a Motor Press Guild event a couple of years ago. That design appears at the end of this and every other LA Car article for the past two years. 

Drilling the pattern For the real life shift pattern on a real life knob, we turned to Bruce Roosa. Roosa has been making Koolknobs for over 25 years. "I used to make them for the various cars I owned, and for friends," says Roosa. "Everyone said, 'Hey, those sure are cool knobs, you should sell 'em!' A name was born. Then a swap for labor with a computer nerd for some machining, and a website was born" (the latter, courtesy of son Adam Roosa). Currently, Bruce Roosa is the President, CEO, Shop Manager, Designer, Fabricator, Machinist, Safety Engineer, Custodian, Marketing VP, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer of Koolknobs. Koolknobs are made of cast acrylic resin with a hardener mixed in. "They're comfortable, fit your hand well, and aren't as sensitive to temperature extremes as most factory shift knobs," says Roosa. Koolknobs products are cast in CNC machined molds made of aluminum. The molds run from a simple sphere to the flared top shape, and quite a few others. "Those with column shifts aren't left out, so unless yours has a button in it, I've probably got something for you," adds Roosa. New shapes come out from time to time based on customer requests, so if you don't see something you like, just ask Bruce.

"I make every effort to get the customer a knob that fits their vehicle exactly, without set screws or universal type adapters," says Roosa. "Most customers, like me, hate having something that rattles loose, vibrates, and falls off all the time. Our knobs are not just durable, they can be custom matched exactly to the style of knob you want for your vehicle. I can engrave shift patterns, names, and some CAD images into your knob, place a pin or photo image inside, or create a swirl pattern, making it truly one of a kind." It's evidently not just about shifter knobs, however. These are clearly products born out of a love for cars. That's something Koolknobs has in common with LA Car/LACar.com and its readers.

For more information about Koolknobs, go to www.koolknobs.com.