I'm trying to find even a picture of a gear stick that VW offered back in the mid seventies and were in their accessory brochures at the time (in the UK at least). There were two types and both fitted over the top of the standard gearstick and then screwed down via the thread at the top. One was a chrome stick with holes and , I believe a wooden knob and the other, which I had, was a chrome tube wound around with what looked like a spring with a wooden upright (not a knob) handle. I can't find anything about these no matter how hard I google!

Maybe

Yep I had one of those I think I still have a new one some where

Slightly different style. Fitted to Formula Vee and GT Beetles.

I have some beaut hand made wooden knobs for sale if you are interested let me know and I will get you some photos.

That one was called the GT version when I bought the other type that's not pictured, the one that I'm after. It had no holes but rather a tube with like a coiled spring over the top half and a wooden vertical hand grip if that makes any sense. That one pictured though I did have on a Karmann Ghia.

Have a look on TheSamba in the classified section and use shifter as your search term.