[Flieger]

Originally Posted by slodave

Max, can you definitively answer as to what wood was used for the 917 shift knob? I'm finding either birch or balsa.

I think I've also hear beech but probably just because it sounded like Birch.

I would have to do some research to find out.

I suspect balsa if it comes in a harder version that would not be crushed by the driver's grip or eroded by his gloves abrading it. Reason why is they used balsa wood cores for some composite parts back then, such as the fiberglass hoods on the 911R. I assume balsa is lighter than birch and light was what they were going for.