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Hello backroomers what happened to the gearchange on the steering wheel? And why did it disappear.?
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Column changers faded away in the mid-late 60's - 3 speed column change was entry level on Vx Victor - initially £25 (IIRC) gave you 4 gave 4 speed on the floor. Hillmans were the same.
With the demise of the column change went the bench seat / umbrella handbrake or handbrake next to driver's door.
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I suppose that the dash mounted gear levers that a lot of cars have now are the modern version of them, as they too help keep the floor area clear in the same way.
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Was this a American system or european?It used to intrige me as a young lad how fast the gearchange was done.
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Remember driving a Mazda pickup with a four speed column change in South Africa, 1980.
Do they still use them?
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Dont know they might i have never been to south africa to many boers :)
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With the demise of the column change went the .................... handbrake next to driver's door.
My 1967 Hunter had the handbrake lever next to the driver's door. I liked the arrangement because it meant that when stationary you could use your left hand for selecting first (or whatever) gear and simultaneously your right hand for releasing the handbrake. It was much smoother and quicker than having to use your left hand for both functions.
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I learnt to drive on my fathers 1971 Volvo 144, floor mounted 4 speed gearlever, handbrake on rhs of drivers seat. Marvelous arrangement.
Edited by rtj70 on 29/10/2009 at 23:55
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And why did it disappear.?
The linkages from the lever to the gearbox were complicated. My 1952 Phase I Vanguard had two input shafts to the gearbox ~ one for first and reverse and the other for second and third. It was only a three speed gearbox. If one gearbox input shaft became disconnected from the gear lever whilst in a gear and you then selected another gear it was possible for two gears to be engaged at the same time. Result? The gearbox would completely disintegrate.
Edited by L'escargot on 29/10/2009 at 13:46
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My friend's 2003 Honda CR-V auto has one. It's cool. I like it. :-)
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As the gastropod says, the complex linkage of a column shift made changes slower and when worn, a bit iffy. Obviously too a lever straight into the box would work out cheaper to manufacture as well as longer-lasting.
The Tatra 603 had a column shift. The linkage went down the column then doubled back under the car to the gearbox at the back. 'Only a Czech could have thought it up,' a Czech friend said to me gloomily.
What I really don't understand is why auto changes weren't left on the steering column, since they are in effect just switches. Seems to me perverse and stupid to have an entirely unnecessary rugged T-bar or lever taking up space on the floor. With the gear indicator down there too instead of in front of the driver's eyes. Pure damn idiocy.
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When I was about 5 or 6 (mid-1970s) I'm pretty sure one of my schoolmates' dad's car had a dashboard mounted autobox lever to the right of the wheel.
A Wolsley 6 cylinder maybe ?
EDIT: one of these I'm sure - www.aronline.co.uk/images/1800_08.jpg
O-series engine, like a 1500 Maxi with 2 extra cylinders I seem to recall.
Edited by Lygonos on 29/10/2009 at 14:13
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The 6 cylinder Wolseley used the 1800 (Landcrab) body I think, so a bit larger than a Maxi.
In the 1960's I had 3-speed column change Ford Consuls and Zodiacs which had reasonably good changes, but when I got a Mk 111 Zephyr with 4-speed column change the linkages had to be in top-class condition or changes became tricky ( lots of nylon bushed joints from lever to gearbox) The same setups applied on the forward control Thames 15cwt vans of that period.
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I drove a Bedford CA van in the late 1960s with a column gear change, also a Renault 4 with a dash mounted gear change. The high dash mounted changes are nothing new.
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I had an Mk III Zodiac which had a floor change - a £12 extra compared with a column change. I also had an Austin 2200 (A Land Crab) that was anu auto and the lever moved up and down in a gate, came straight out of the middle of the dashboard
Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 29/10/2009 at 14:32
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>>With the demise of the column change went the ...... handbrake next to driver's door.
Austin A30/35 had the handbrake 'twixt driver's seat and door, A40 too IIRC.
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Correct me if iam wrong backroomers did the dodge american car have a button gearchange? I remember getting a lift in one years ago it was posh belonged to the director of our office.
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Yes Dutchie, Chrysler Corporation cars had pushbutton gear selection in the sixties. My 1964 Plymouth did. The buttons were big and a bit stiff to push. I used my thumb on them. The transmission lock ('Park') was a lever in a vertical slot next to the buttons though.
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>>I had an Mk III Zodiac which had a floor change
Interesting, I didn't know that option existed. Presumably it had 'normal' front seats instead of the bench? My dad had a '63 MkIII Zodiac with the column change, which was 4-speed. I learnt to drive on that car, and I don't remember the change being too bad.
The car had seat belts, but only for the driver and one front passenger, as far as I remember. As time went on, this must have been a no-no.
Edited by dieselfitter on 29/10/2009 at 15:09
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>>also a Renault 4 with a dash mounted gear change.
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IIRC the R4 had a very simple linkage to the gear box. A rod over the engine top to a gearbox at the front of the engine. so not a lot of difference between that and the "remote" linkage on my 1600E that moved the gearleaver closer to the driver.
IIRC several decades ago, in the USA, the limo I was in had a series of little buttons on the dash to change gear. What a contrast with the only column change I have used - a Victor 101. That felt like stiring custard with a stick - orrible.
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Thanks lud i must admit it was a nice car chrysler they must have been ahead of their time.
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The system was very sloppy and, as was said at the time, it needed to have a knot tied in it to tauten it up.
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That R4 push/pull/twist change, cribbed from the 2CV Citroen and its derivatives, worked extremely well and was, as you say, very simple. The rubber bushes in the link between the lever and the actual gear lever that went down into the gearbox under the bonnet used to get chewed up in the end, but replacement was a doddle. I'm surprised no one else ever adopted it actually.
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Our family had a Morris Isis Estate in the 60s, which was great fun for us kids, as it had little fold down read seats from which you could pretend to be a bomber tail gunner. It also had a front bench seat.
This had a steering column gear change, which my father described as like trying to change gear with a piece of string.
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Yes! I thought there would be quite a few replies to this thread ... I quite liked my cream Zephyr 4 mrk III with bench seat, column change & Leopard skin seat covers!
My mate used to call it the Caribbean cruiser :-)
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I'm surprised no one else ever adopted it actually.
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Probably because not many cars had their gearbox in front of the engine.
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I remember using it on my Dads 220 MB. Good car. Great seats.
I think they/column change just went out of fashion.
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I've only ever driven one column change and that was a Bedford Midi van fitted with a diesel. It was brand new on a test drive from the dealers, it cutout after the test drive just outside the dealers and wouldn't restart.
Although not really a column change the Prius (NWH20 model) used to have it's 'lever' on the dash.
Steve.
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I think they/column change just went out of fashion.
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Not for everyone :-)
www.motorsportscenter.com/uploads/rr_phantom_42_lr...g
But they do not make them like this anymore :-)
tinyurl.com/yloyzw3
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I remember using it on my Dads 220 MB. Good car. Great seats. I think they/column change just went out of fashion.
I had a 1964 220s Fintail but sold it a few years ago - auto on the steering column worked very well, and as you say fantastc seats, a soft ride and great visability
MVP
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I have driven lots of column change automatic hire cars in the USA over the years, they are still fairly common over there
Never driven a manual one, would imagine its more hassle
Wouldnt buy one myself, but you get used to them quickly
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My first car - 1949 Sunbeam Talbot IIA had a column change. Seem to remember that all gear changes (except reverse) could be achieved by using fingers of left hand only, while still holding the steering wheel with thumb. Indicating was different - had to move left hand to lever on central boss of wheel while simultaneously thumping the door pillar with right hand to get the semaphore arm out. Indicating left could only be done if you had a passenger and required considerable co-ordination!
Column change on MBs as mentioned by HJ only seems to be on "big" MBs - ML, and that huge people carrier thing (GL?)
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>>>My first car - 1949 Sunbeam Talbot IIA had a column change<<<
Like this one Phil ~ www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C108008/
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My father owned a Ford Cortina Mk 1 with column change and an umbrella handbrake. I used to drive it sometimes, it was quite practical once you got used to it.
One if it's most useful features was the fact that, with a bench seat at the front and a similar seat at the back, the car could carry six people!
My own car at the time was a Cortina Mk 1 with floor change, but that could only carry five.
From what I remember, the column change mechanism on dad's car was quite robust and he certainly never had any trouble with it. That car did over 100K, he used it for work every day for several years before the old tinworm got the better of it.
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>> Ford Cortina Mk 1 with column change
I didn't even know there was one of those. My own father got an austere Mk 1 1200 to replace his old Rolls-Royce, and it had the same very direct lever straight into the box that I can also remember from an early sixties Anglia and a Corsair driven much too fast in Ireland. You could feel the synchromesh zizzing in the palm of your hand. Nice.
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The Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit had a column change in that the control for the PRNDL auto was a column stalk.
And a very spindly stalk it was, too.
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The Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit had a column change in that the control for the PRNDL auto was a column stalk. And a very spindly stalk it was too.
See my earlier link above to a reasonable image of it.
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>>My father owned a Ford Cortina Mk 1 with column change
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like this ?
farm1.static.flickr.com/9/13622582_d2c02b38d2.jpg?...0
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>>My father owned a Ford Cortina Mk 1 with column change >> like this ? farm1.static.flickr.com/9/13622582_d2c02b38d2.jpg?...0
that looks more like a Mk2 than a Mk1
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that looks more like a Mk2 than a Mk1
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You are right but it was the only image of an early column change I could find.
I certainly was not aware of the auto version.
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SQ
that looks more like a Mk2 than a Mk1
Sorry, no, the one in the photo is a Mark 2 and it's an auto.
Dad's one was a Mark 1 and manual, not auto. Don't think I've got a photo of it but, if I can find one, I'll post it.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 31/10/2009 at 17:10
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Sorry, no the one in the photo is a Mark 2 and it's an auto.Dad's one was a Mark 1 and manual not auto. Don't think I've got a photo of it but if I can find one I'll post it.
Here we are, then!
This is exactly the same car that my father owned, same year, same design, same column change. Only differences his one was light blue, not green, and his was a 1200cc, the one features here is a 1500.
tinyurl.com/ykjxn6v
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Pretty much perro - same colour outside but mine had light green leather inside and no wing mirrors. Unfortunately, by 1968 when I bought it (£40!!) the rust bug had taken hold despite the only 20k mileage. More than doubled mileage in next couple of years before rust and gearbox probs finished it off - gave it to a bloke who said he was going to restore it - not sure if he ever did. Reg was KVN 577 (I think)
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>Our family had a Morris Isis Estate in the 60s<
The floor-change version of the Morris Isis had the gear lever on the door side of the driver's seat - honestly. As did the (badge-engineered) Wolseley 6/90 and Riley 2.6.
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My 1953 Rover 75 had a column gearchange and a bench front seat. I was a student at the time. It had certain advantages as one may well imagine: a fold up centre armrest and lots of footroom in the front and no floor mounted gearlever made it quite handy :-).
The gearchange was OK and worked well..
Edited by madf on 31/10/2009 at 09:22
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What a lot of knowledge and experiences on this site ,like i said i was a young lad and it used to fascinate me watctching the driver changing gear.Time passes by ove fifty years ago.:)
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