On one point, Jim is right, it does look like if you went to the Rootes
dealership in later years, they would order you a black ring. It also
looks like there's another set of screws just for the black ring.
I looked through my library of Tiger cockpits.In the Road&Track Mark 2
test is hard to see what finish is on the ring. The R&T test of the Mark
1 doesn't show the ring at all, just the lever and knob.
Sales brochure #7831, which is the Rootes sales folder for the 1A does
look black. The corresponding catalog from Chrysler Motors shows a
chrome one. Both catalogs are illustrations, not photos. All of the LHD
and RHD sales folders for the Mark 1 show a chrome ring.
The reprint of the Encyclopedia of Supercars issue with the Tiger
centerfold shows a Mark 1 with the chrome ring.
The January 1996 issue of Thoroughbred and Classic Cars shows a Mark 2
with chrome. The July 1996 issue of Classic and Sports Cars shows a Mark
2 with chrome.
Does it strike anyone funny that this whole topic I think came up
because we were all impressed with the great original condition of the
Utah Mark 2 on Ebay, and it had a black shifter ring.
Owing the the fact that these rings probably were supplied by Ford, does
anyone know of another 1960's Ford that used a black ring? Did Rootes
get them coated for later cars before installation?
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