I had the push button transmission on a 1956 Plymouth.
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
On 8/23/2019 2:08 PM, christrask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
And then there was the push-button transmission. I think that was on a
Desoto. No shift lever, just a vertical series of buttons on the dashboard to
select the gear. The buttons operated a series of solenoids that in turn
operated the transmission. I've only ever seen one of those in first person.
And in the 1930s there was a car (Chrysler?) where they combined the
starter and generator as a single unit. If the engine stalled it would restart
itself.
Going further back in time, right after WWII, Chrysler offered "Fluid
Drive", with a high and low range on the shift lever, a fluid coupling,
and two speeds in each drive range. In normal drive range, you started
off, reached about 15mph, and lifted your foot off the accelerator to
shift into high range. My first driving was done in one of these.
'Way back in the days of yore, Volkswagen had an "automatic stick
shift", which was basically a manual transmission without a clutch. It
was not popular and only survived a year or so in production.
When you reach my age, automatic transmissions can be helpful in some
cases, and cause problems in others. Most of my driving is within the
city limits, seldom above 45mph. Much of it on streets marked 30mph.
When I had problems with sensor fouling on my 2007 Volvo V70, I talked
with an old-time Volvo specialist, who is no longer with us. I learned
about fouling from low rpm cruise speeds. My friend showed me how to
take advantage of the manual shifting side of the transmission
selector. If I'm feeling sharp, I cruise around town in 3rd gear rather
than 4th as selected by the automatic shift. This raises the rpm to
just above 2000, and the sensors stay clean. If I'm not at the top of
my game, I leave it in automatic.
Chris
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro
- Hunter S. Thompson
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