Right, the knob itself is a softer kind of foam almost. Molded to fit around the crown-like hard plastic sleeve that slips onto the metal shaft. I know from my old 242 (M46) that the entire unit pulls off. the plastic piece and the foamy shift knob.. I've never pulled off an M47 shift knob, but when I took the broken foamy part off, the hard plastic piece was glued on there. Badly glued. and stayed on the shaft.

I suppose when I get the new "eBay" shifter, I'll have to decide whether or not I have to crack off this badly glued piece and put the new "old" piece on. Whether or not I use a glue to do that, I guess I'll have to decide then. I may not need it, but I wan't sure if glue was normal or not for this whole assembled unit to stay on the shaft properly..