This is so mechanical! Even the engine turned dash is art. No start/stop engines, connected cars with an I-pad for a dash, and puny 4 cylinder turbo pieces of crap! This was a real car and an engineering masterpiece. Thanks for sharing a piece of history.
@donjohnson3701 yeah & it’s a 100# death trap & a lot of work to just drive! It’s pretty but sure wouldn’t want to drive also neither did the people at the time being it didn’t sell good.
Thank you for posting this wonderful ride in a Cord. I had no idea that gear shift was designed in this manner. It increases the fun of driving even further. Beautiful condition - inside and out
I always loved the "coffin nosed" cords. Way ahead of anything made. And such a beautiful interior. Those preselect gears would be awesome even today too. I assume that you can't hurry a change.... Nearest to driving a preselect I have is my ishift civic, but couldn't hold a candle to this.
It's funny. Jalopnik brought me here, and I was watching the video, thinking how strangely similar the light was to the light where I live. Sure enough, I get to the end, and my suspicions where absolutely correct - this was filmed no more than 10 minutes from my house.
Thank you for the great video. Does preselector transmissions I always thought were so cool. I was born in 1979. I used to help a great man work on these
I am fascinated with this. The selector is a work of art. The operating pedal, is is like the Model T where the clutch is the brake bands gripping?, or is it a plate clutch? In England we had high quality cars using a fluid flywheel and epicyclic 'box, like the Daimler, and Armstrong Siddeley, as well as many thousands of London Transport buses, some the STL type with the pedal linked directly to the gearbox, and many more, the RT type, with the operating pedal using a compressed air valve to shift the gearbox brake bands.. Also, the British Army had the Saracen, Saladin, and Ferret armoured cars, with mechanical pre selector. They also had Lockheed power hydraulic brakes, also found on the Routemaster bus.
This Pre-selector type of transmission that was used on the Cord and the Tucker cars appeared to be a way of making shifting gears easier on a manual transmission before automatic transmissions were developed. The main problem with this type of transmission is all the extra electrical and vacuum items needed to make it work, that could malfunction and cause gear shifting problems.
Why would you want a transmission like this on a bike? Shifting a bike is as easy as moving your foot a little bit while instinctively pulling the clutch with your left hand
yea the 810, 812 cords were way ahead of their time too. my dad always wanted a cord 810, or 12 but i didnt have the money to get one for him, but If i could of hed be exstatic sadly I lost him in 2000 so all i have is memories of the car day's together him and Me.,
Very cool. How does downshifting work? I assume you pre select, clutch, and feather the gas a bit and try to time your throttle blip with the delay in shifting?
Downshifting is exactly the same. If you're in 4th, preselect 3rd then push in and release the clutch. No need to "blip" the throttle - if anything, that would only complicate things on this system as the shifter uses both vacuum and oil pressure to do the shifting. So, you'd want a high vacuum situation (like, idle) to accomplish the 'best' shift.
They had to use a remote-control system of some type because the transmission was ahead of the engine. Earlier Cords had a more reliable sliding rod through the dash using a mechanical linkage.
Just watched the Canadian shop program "The guild" having major issues with that system. They explained there was a "cutoff switch" under the clutch pedal so you don't start the car throughout the gear selections. They disabled the factory clutch starting mechanism and put a rubber starting button under the dash to bypass. Must of been a unreliable system.
Interesting that the clutch had to be depressed to select 1st and move off. I assume these didn't have a fluid flywheel, like Daimler and AEC Vehicles of the time?
Almost like a Wilson pre-select. Only difference is you take off with the gear change pedal released on a Wilson and you blip the throttle between down-shifts
thanks for this video. very surprised at how loud and shaky it is. Makes a 37 packard super 8 seem like a RR. (I guess the independant suspension helps, plus the fact that RR copied their independent suspension from the 37 Packard). But even the engine of the Cord sounds very loud and the the driveline pretty clunky. Perhaps it is just an an anomaly of the recording microphone. I can't imagine the prestigious Cord of the ACD group could have been so popular if my impression here is what the car really gives... In any case, I always wondered how the preselector works, and interesting to see the "Startex" which was not common again on cars until after 2000. (some MB had it in 1999), for this I mean the car knows when it has begun to fire and when to disengage the starter.
It's not all that different to operate than the British pre-selector used in Daimlers, Lanchesters, Rileys etc. except in the British system, the clutch is only used to engage gears, as there is an early type of torque converter (fluid-flywheel) that connects the engine and gearbox.
Perhaps you can actually recreate Amelia Earhart's trick trip from Purdue through Towanda and up to New York state for a political rally for FDR that took she came to Towanda on September 23rd 1936
Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club 1600 S Wayne St, Auburn, IN 46706 Dear ACD Club. A few days ago I came across an article mentioning the fact that Ameila Earhart drove with George Putnam from Purdue University thru Portland, Ind, New Castle , Pa, St.Marys, Pa Towanda, Pa and then Newburgh,NY. She brought her plane back from California and I can only imagine that George Putnam drove his White Cord Convertable down from NY and met her and she drove home. She was returning to help FDR get re-elected. She was a member of the ninty Nines which she founded and there is a national chapter and local chapters.. If one of your members or several members could drive her route and stop along the way to promote this great Lady and the Cord it would be newsworthy. I'm still putting the various news articles on this together... contacting the news papers in the towns she stopped. But think think a recreation of this might be intereting. I understand that the car carried 17.5 gallons of gasoline and got 14 -15 MPG which should give us an idea how many times they had to refuel. Several such gas stops are noted. Amelia lived less thatn 220 days after she stopped in Towanda.. and 14 of those were campaigning for FDR who gave her a lot of logistic support on her flight around the world. Her campaing was called the Women's Caravan which she used her own car. Whether it was the Cord or not I don't know. Please think about this project. If someone does it I'll put them up in our local comfort in. I think that as we get more specific data from the towns she stopped or passed through and get the 99's involved it will take shape and be a media event. If you are intereted in helping to recreate such a car journey I would let the 99's know and I'm sure they would like to participate. Maybe even having members fly the route. Amelia said that this was the first time she drove through Towanda although she said that she had flown over towanda before. Sincerely, Joseph Dupont
When things were working properly - quite reliable. Hudson used this system, as did several other manufacturers in the 30's. It was born-again so to speak in the Tucker 48, where Tucker engineers improved upon the design of both the transmission (The Tucker Y-1) and the shifter mechanism. From my experience with them, though I'll admit it is rather limited to Hudson's, is that the most important thing is to ensure the selector stays clean so the electrics make good contact and that no wires get rubbed-through. 1930's electronics are not the easiest to take care of, but if you treat them well, they return the favour.
+Alonzo Branson Nope. The Cord used a conventional single disc clutch. Even though it was front drive, it was also a conventional four speed transmission. All that was different was the pre selector shift mechanism. There were no similarities with the Chrysler transmission
Wilson boxes were incredibly sturdy, thus popular for hill-climb speed-shifting : after starting in first, move the lever immediately to second position then, when needed, slam the gear change pedal home, sliding your foot off at the same time; the pedal pops out and the effect is immediate! We had a 1934 Riley Kestrel with a Wilson pre selector for 15 years that my wife and I drove almost daily. Never had a problem. My Riley specialist had recuperated a dozen boxes in his garage he never touched. Trad London busses had similar Wilson boxes and the same peculiar "whine". B McClure
Thank you! had no idea these gearboxes were used for hill-climb. You can pretty much abuse the gearbox and it'll withstand. Amazing, specially for something from the 30s. However, you always have to do two movements in order to shift, right? (pre-select and then clutch). You cannot change without clutching, can you?
No, but that is an advantage. Important feature to remember, the, clutch is centrifugal, and "clutch-pedal" is a gear-shift actuator. The quadrant shaped selector lever is a mechanical linkage lying close to the steering wheel arc and falls quite easily to hand. At a stoplight preselect first, then select (let the centrifugal clutch pedal out), car is stationary but ready, put the preselector in second, then accelerate : you're moving engaged in first, ready for second - OK? You can preselect at any time, up or down. It takes getting used to but is great when you use it all the time. Only real problem, never preselect/select "R" when car is rolling forward - it won't explode the box, but will shred differential teeth! Riley also had a "silent third" manual transmission - 1st and 2nd were not synchronized and made a terrible recket that only subsided in 3rd and 4th.
@@fuzbat Three years late... but, this isn't a Wilson gearbox system. The Cord's transmission is basically just a normal manual transmission, but with the gear select being electrically activated, and vacuum operated. The clutch pedal is still a normal clutch pedal, operating a normal clutch with pressure plate and the like, the gear changing is still done with forks and syncromesh and sliding engagement. (A Wilson uses planetary gears instead.) There's an electronic switch connected to the clutch pedal that initiates the gear change after you set the preselector, that's why it doesn't shift until the clutch pedal is depressed. But otherwise, it's a normal clutch pedal. Which is a long way to say, no, slamming the clutch pedal back and forth is not good for it, the same way it's not good for the clutch in a regular manual.
But in such a nice restoration, it kind of detracts from the overall presentation. Would also help for this video to demonstrate how it shifts as well. Not to mention : how many cars back in 1936 even had a tachometer?
Interesting. However, instead of saying "clutch it", he should have said, "de-clutch it". A clutch is called a clutch because it transmits power by clutching friction members together. Thus, clutching is engaging and de-clutching is disengaging.
+Frank Eggers Actually it’s not a clutch pedal at all - at least not the way we know it. This whole set-up looks remarkably like the Cotal pre-selector gearbox that many French (luxury) car makers used between roughly 1935 and 1955. Some British car-makers used them too. With the little lever one selected the gear that was to be used, but nothing happened yet - or so it seemed. When however the “clutch” pedal was pressed the clutch was disengaged, the gear actually selected and the clutch was engaged again. This system enabled one to keep the hands on the steering wheel when required. The gear would be “preselected” at a convenient moment and was engaged by foot. Remember that power steering wasn’t invented yet.
+omepeet2006 It's a clutch pedal exactly as we know it. No similarity to the Cotal, which was an epicyclic transmission. The Cord was a pretty conventional four speed with a unique selector mechanism
+omepeet2006 I have read that article. My point is, the Cord transmission bore no resemblance, whatsoever, with the Cotal......none. I am aware that it was not absolutely conventional when placed next to, say, a 36 Ford trans, but it still had gears, selector forks, synchros input, output and layshafts and so on whereas the Cotal and the Wilson were epicyclic units that employed planetaries, much like a modern automatic. Additionally, the Cord clutch pedal was just that. It operated a conventional flywheel, disc, pressure plate style clutch. The only similarities shared by Cord, Colal and Wilson was that they were all preselectors
+Carl LaFong You’re somehow contradicting yourself: in your first line you state there is no resemblance between the Cotal gearbox and that of the Cord, whereas in the last line you say both are pre-selector gearboxes. A little further reading revealed that in both transmissions the gear-shifting was electromagnetically controlled. If the Cord gearbox is a pre-selector, the clutch pedal can’t be “just” a clutch pedal. It has to activate both the clutch and the gear-changing mechanism. Furthermore you might appreciate that I never mentioned the box’s internals; I merely hinted at the driver’s controls and how he manipulated them - indeed quite similar to how one would operate a Cotal pre-selector. Your latest entry in this thread therefore leaves more questions than answers.
Pretty much all old cars are like that. Very limited shock absorbers, and simple suspensions overall, as well limited or nonexistent vibration deadening motor mounts. Terrible for trying to film in, but it's not really that uncomfortable to be in as long as the seats are nice.
Fun fact, she has a LLLLRRRR firing order. I find this unique
One of my dad's favorite cars. He always said Cord was way ahead of its time in design and engineering. Thank you for posting this!
An absolutely gorgeous machine.
All I can say is that is is magical to drive one. In 1936 they were the world's most moder car and still turn heads today. Terry Cockerell, Australia
This is so mechanical! Even the engine turned dash is art. No start/stop engines, connected cars with an I-pad for a dash, and puny 4 cylinder turbo pieces of crap! This was a real car and an engineering masterpiece. Thanks for sharing a piece of history.
@donjohnson3701 yeah & it’s a 100# death trap & a lot of work to just drive! It’s pretty but sure wouldn’t want to drive also neither did the people at the time being it didn’t sell good.
Not only a beautiful car, it sounds gorgeous. And talk about advanced for its day
the deep sound of the supercharged Lycoming V-8 is reallly something.
810s weren’t supercharged. The 812s were.
This gearbox is the cutest thing in the world. I'd love to drive one of those.
Sure beats the needed double clutching needed on non syncro transmission's of the day .held my breath though first auto start .😁
Thank you for posting this wonderful ride in a Cord. I had no idea that gear shift was designed in this manner.
It increases the fun of driving even further.
Beautiful condition - inside and out
Also impressive was the engine was installed backwards,transmission up front.
Lol couldn't stop smiling while watching this is my dream car. One day I'll hopefully have one
that shifting meganism is very nice! dint know it exist and that for a 80 year old car!
This was a great car, far beyond time
I can watch this forever. 😁
One of the coolest cars ever!
One of my dream cars. Thanks for the demonstration !
I always loved the "coffin nosed" cords. Way ahead of anything made. And such a beautiful interior. Those preselect gears would be awesome even today too. I assume that you can't hurry a change.... Nearest to driving a preselect I have is my ishift civic, but couldn't hold a candle to this.
... not to mention "front wheel drive" a half century before it became commonplace.
Well, well, well, what an amazing car! In 1930s it must have looked like a spaceship to most people.
The car is indeed aircraft inspired. Movie stars at the time loved Cords. Beautiful cars and way ahead of it's time.
It's also one of the few cars today that you can still get a speeding ticket today with from that time period.
COOL Thanks Tom.My first car was a 1939 Buick 8 that had the clutch start, Im 38 years old now and regret selling the old beast Gr8 video.
It's funny. Jalopnik brought me here, and I was watching the video, thinking how strangely similar the light was to the light where I live. Sure enough, I get to the end, and my suspicions where absolutely correct - this was filmed no more than 10 minutes from my house.
This is very cool! Seems like the transmission pre-selecting was ahead of its time. Great video!
Great demo ! Thank you indeed.
Thank you. That was a good video demonstration of the Cord pre-select transmission.
Thank you for the great video. Does preselector transmissions I always thought were so cool. I was born in 1979. I used to help a great man work on these
Great video. Thanks for sharing a terrific piece of automotive history with your viewers.
The clutch starter is very cool.
Beautiful car.
Facinating and really COOL! Neat,neat, neat CORD 810!
I am fascinated with this. The selector is a work of art. The operating pedal, is is like the Model T where the clutch is the brake bands gripping?, or is it a plate clutch? In England we had high quality cars using a fluid flywheel and epicyclic 'box, like the Daimler, and Armstrong Siddeley, as well as many thousands of London Transport buses, some the STL type with the pedal linked directly to the gearbox, and many more, the RT type, with the operating pedal using a compressed air valve to shift the gearbox brake bands..
Also, the British Army had the Saracen, Saladin, and Ferret armoured cars, with mechanical pre selector. They also had Lockheed power hydraulic brakes, also found on the Routemaster bus.
That car is a work or art
On British cars with Wilson pre selector transmissions, the left hand pedal is a gear change pedal not a clutch.
They also aren't required to be held in while stationary either. A Fluid Flywheel prevents them from stalling.
Indeed
Thanks for the demo. Never would have known what to do without you !
Preselecting transmission is awesome
cool car with distinct styling...cutting edge in the 30's...
WOOOVV!!!This is almost unreal....something like that in far 1936.....
What a gem
I had know idea that such technology existed pre war. Great video. Thanks for posting.
Amazing technology
This Pre-selector type of transmission that was used on the Cord and the Tucker cars appeared to be a way of making shifting gears easier on a manual transmission before automatic transmissions were developed. The main problem with this type of transmission is all the extra electrical and vacuum items needed to make it work, that could malfunction and cause gear shifting problems.
I'm really surprised motorcycles never adopted a transmission like this...it would take all the fumbles out of learning a manual transmission vehicle!
Why would you want a transmission like this on a bike? Shifting a bike is as easy as moving your foot a little bit while instinctively pulling the clutch with your left hand
The transmission even sounds like the Tucker.
It is the same transmission.
Very cool way of shifting. Have never seen anything like it. Might not be convienent but it was super modern back then I guess.
ok
His right what?
No denying he's from New England. "Just press down the clutch and thah cah will staht."
This is the Pinnacle of engineering back in those days
Another great car bit the dust
Fantastic video, learnt a new thing today!
amazing
Amazing car. American ingenuity
wow that car was ahead of it's time
here a classic Cord.......check out the video
Nicely demonstrated and explained. Thanks!
Fantastic machine!
yea the 810, 812 cords were way ahead of their time too. my dad always wanted a cord 810, or 12 but i didnt have the money to get one for him, but If i could of hed be exstatic
sadly I lost him in 2000 so all i have is memories of the car day's together him and Me.,
Very cool. How does downshifting work? I assume you pre select, clutch, and feather the gas a bit and try to time your throttle blip with the delay in shifting?
Downshifting is exactly the same. If you're in 4th, preselect 3rd then push in and release the clutch. No need to "blip" the throttle - if anything, that would only complicate things on this system as the shifter uses both vacuum and oil pressure to do the shifting. So, you'd want a high vacuum situation (like, idle) to accomplish the 'best' shift.
On a Wilson pre-select, you blip the throttle during down-shifts. Not sure about this one though
Thank you!
.....the shifting Looks realy easy, WOW....this car is from 1936, crazy! How does the "SHIFTING" run ???
They had to use a remote-control system of some type because the transmission was ahead of the engine. Earlier Cords had a more reliable sliding rod through the dash using a mechanical linkage.
i envy people who have these cars.
este tipo de trasmision le llamabamos de Cambio adelantado Fue usada tambien en omnibus ACLO (AEC) y en los autos Lanchester Maravilloso automovil ,
Just watched the Canadian shop program "The guild" having major issues with that system. They explained there was a "cutoff switch" under the clutch pedal so you don't start the car throughout the gear selections. They disabled the factory clutch starting mechanism and put a rubber starting button under the dash to bypass. Must of been a unreliable system.
That shifts like my 18 spd Kenworth
Great vedio and in details
This is awesome!
So what do you do when you are stopped on a hill ?
Very interesting
Are the roads where you drove the 'Cord' especially bumpy, or was it difficult for your camera-man to hold the camera steady?
Interesting that the clutch had to be depressed to select 1st and move off. I assume these didn't have a fluid flywheel, like Daimler and AEC Vehicles of the time?
Almost like a Wilson pre-select. Only difference is you take off with the gear change pedal released on a Wilson and you blip the throttle between down-shifts
Can you change the gear like regular manual transmission cars? I mean you do that in same time.
If it's a preselect there's no clutch pedal, it's a gear change pedal.
thanks for this video. very surprised at how loud and shaky it is. Makes a 37 packard super 8 seem like a RR. (I guess the independant suspension helps, plus the fact that RR copied their independent suspension from the 37 Packard). But even the engine of the Cord sounds very loud and the the driveline pretty clunky. Perhaps it is just an an anomaly of the recording microphone. I can't imagine the prestigious Cord of the ACD group could have been so popular if my impression here is what the car really gives... In any case, I always wondered how the preselector works, and interesting to see the "Startex" which was not common again on cars until after 2000. (some MB had it in 1999), for this I mean the car knows when it has begun to fire and when to disengage the starter.
great car i love!!!
Am I the only one that got scared the shit out of when he first quickly zoomed in on the guy in the car? I thought it was a manican at first.
Why can't you change gears the moment you press the clutch?
The Same as a Tucker; I used to have one...
awesome
It's not all that different to operate than the British pre-selector used in Daimlers, Lanchesters, Rileys etc. except in the British system, the clutch is only used to engage gears, as there is an early type of torque converter (fluid-flywheel) that connects the engine and gearbox.
Ummmm no its a Lycoming V8.
How do you know when to release the cluch again?
Based on the video he does it by feel he waits 2-4 seconds
Perhaps you can actually recreate Amelia Earhart's trick trip from Purdue through Towanda and up to New York state for a political rally for FDR that took she came to Towanda on September 23rd 1936
Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club
1600 S Wayne St, Auburn, IN 46706
Dear ACD Club.
A few days ago I came across an article mentioning the fact that
Ameila Earhart drove with George Putnam from Purdue University thru
Portland, Ind, New Castle , Pa, St.Marys, Pa Towanda, Pa and then
Newburgh,NY. She brought her plane back from California and I can
only imagine that George Putnam drove his White Cord Convertable down
from NY and met her and she drove home. She was returning to help
FDR get re-elected. She was a member of the ninty Nines which she
founded and there is a national chapter and local chapters.. If one of
your members or several members could drive her route and stop along
the way to promote this great Lady and the Cord it would be
newsworthy.
I'm still putting the various news articles on this together...
contacting the news papers in the towns she stopped. But think think
a recreation of this might be intereting. I understand that the car
carried 17.5 gallons of gasoline and got 14 -15 MPG which should
give us an idea how many times they had to refuel. Several such gas
stops are noted. Amelia lived less thatn 220 days after she stopped
in Towanda.. and 14 of those were campaigning for FDR who gave her a
lot of logistic support on her flight around the world. Her campaing
was called the Women's Caravan which she used her own car. Whether it
was the Cord or not I don't know.
Please think about this project. If someone does it I'll put them
up in our local comfort in.
I think that as we get more specific data from the towns she stopped
or passed through and get the 99's involved it will take shape and
be a media event. If you are intereted in helping to recreate such a
car journey I would let the 99's know and I'm sure they would like to
participate. Maybe even having members fly the route. Amelia said
that this was the first time she drove through Towanda although she
said that she had flown over towanda before.
Sincerely,
Joseph Dupont
Miata’s grandfather
Same transmission as the Tucker!
How reliable was the transmission system in general?
When things were working properly - quite reliable. Hudson used this system, as did several other manufacturers in the 30's. It was born-again so to speak in the Tucker 48, where Tucker engineers improved upon the design of both the transmission (The Tucker Y-1) and the shifter mechanism. From my experience with them, though I'll admit it is rather limited to Hudson's, is that the most important thing is to ensure the selector stays clean so the electrics make good contact and that no wires get rubbed-through. 1930's electronics are not the easiest to take care of, but if you treat them well, they return the favour.
that's manual shifting an automatic........almost
That isn't actually a clutch pedal is it? I forgot the term for it, but it's not a clutch pedal. Works almost like one, but it isn't
+rezza rafee It's very similar to the Fluid-Couple mechanism that Dodge used in some of their cars, circa 1950 or so.
+Alonzo Branson Nope. The Cord used a conventional single disc clutch. Even though it was front drive, it was also a conventional four speed transmission. All that was different was the pre selector shift mechanism. There were no similarities with the Chrysler transmission
Did he call it a Ford?
O mesmo sistema de câmbio do Tucker....
Can you shift it faster? Or does this damage the gearbox?
Wilson boxes were incredibly sturdy, thus popular for hill-climb speed-shifting : after starting in first, move the lever immediately to second position then, when needed, slam the gear change pedal home, sliding your foot off at the same time; the pedal pops out and the effect is immediate!
We had a 1934 Riley Kestrel with a Wilson pre selector for 15 years that my wife and I drove almost daily. Never had a problem. My Riley specialist had recuperated a dozen boxes in his garage he never touched. Trad London busses had similar Wilson boxes and the same peculiar "whine". B McClure
Thank you! had no idea these gearboxes were used for hill-climb. You can pretty much abuse the gearbox and it'll withstand. Amazing, specially for something from the 30s. However, you always have to do two movements in order to shift, right? (pre-select and then clutch). You cannot change without clutching, can you?
No, but that is an advantage. Important feature to remember, the, clutch is centrifugal, and "clutch-pedal" is a gear-shift actuator. The quadrant shaped selector lever is a mechanical linkage lying close to the steering wheel arc and falls quite easily to hand.
At a stoplight preselect first, then select (let the centrifugal clutch pedal out), car is stationary but ready, put the preselector in second, then accelerate : you're moving engaged in first, ready for second - OK?
You can preselect at any time, up or down. It takes getting used to but is great when you use it all the time. Only real problem, never preselect/select "R" when car is rolling forward - it won't explode the box, but will shred differential teeth!
Riley also had a "silent third" manual transmission - 1st and 2nd were not synchronized and made a terrible recket that only subsided in 3rd and 4th.
@@fuzbat Three years late... but, this isn't a Wilson gearbox system.
The Cord's transmission is basically just a normal manual transmission, but with the gear select being electrically activated, and vacuum operated.
The clutch pedal is still a normal clutch pedal, operating a normal clutch with pressure plate and the like, the gear changing is still done with forks and syncromesh and sliding engagement. (A Wilson uses planetary gears instead.)
There's an electronic switch connected to the clutch pedal that initiates the gear change after you set the preselector, that's why it doesn't shift until the clutch pedal is depressed. But otherwise, it's a normal clutch pedal.
Which is a long way to say, no, slamming the clutch pedal back and forth is not good for it, the same way it's not good for the clutch in a regular manual.
Is that a flathead v8? If so, any ties to Ford? Or perhaps Pontiacs flathead v8?
TO my knowledge Pontiac never had a flathead v-8.Flathead 6 and 8 then in 55 ohv v8.
It is a Lycoming 289ci flathead V8.
Has anyone taken one of these on a road trip?
Where's the throttle?
Jason Berg on the floor
Shame the tachometer doesn't work. Cable worn out?
But in such a nice restoration, it kind of detracts from the overall presentation. Would also help for this video to demonstrate how it shifts as well. Not to mention : how many cars back in 1936 even had a tachometer?
Neat!
Neat
incrivel carro uma jpoia de Louisianna
Take that paper off the windshield before you drive that thing on public roads!
Interesting. However, instead of saying "clutch it", he should have said, "de-clutch it".
A clutch is called a clutch because it transmits power by clutching friction members together. Thus, clutching is engaging and de-clutching is disengaging.
+Frank Eggers Actually it’s not a clutch pedal at all - at least not the way we know it. This whole set-up looks remarkably like the Cotal pre-selector gearbox that many French (luxury) car makers used between roughly 1935 and 1955. Some British car-makers used them too.
With the little lever one selected the gear that was to be used, but nothing happened yet - or so it seemed. When however the “clutch” pedal was pressed the clutch was disengaged, the gear actually selected and the clutch was engaged again.
This system enabled one to keep the hands on the steering wheel when required. The gear would be “preselected” at a convenient moment and was engaged by foot. Remember that power steering wasn’t invented yet.
+omepeet2006 It's a clutch pedal exactly as we know it. No similarity to the Cotal, which was an epicyclic transmission. The Cord was a pretty conventional four speed with a unique selector mechanism
+Carl LaFong Perhaps you might want to check out this link:
blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/03/14/tucker-cord-and-the-transmission-they-shared/
+omepeet2006 I have read that article. My point is, the Cord transmission bore no resemblance, whatsoever, with the Cotal......none. I am aware that it was not absolutely conventional when placed next to, say, a 36 Ford trans, but it still had gears, selector forks, synchros input, output and layshafts and so on whereas the Cotal and the Wilson were epicyclic units that employed planetaries, much like a modern automatic. Additionally, the Cord clutch pedal was just that. It operated a conventional flywheel, disc, pressure plate style clutch. The only similarities shared by Cord, Colal and Wilson was that they were all preselectors
+Carl LaFong You’re somehow contradicting yourself: in your first line you state there is no resemblance between the Cotal gearbox and that of the Cord, whereas in the last line you say both are pre-selector gearboxes. A little further reading revealed that in both transmissions the gear-shifting was electromagnetically controlled.
If the Cord gearbox is a pre-selector, the clutch pedal can’t be “just” a clutch pedal. It has to activate both the clutch and the gear-changing mechanism.
Furthermore you might appreciate that I never mentioned the box’s internals; I merely hinted at the driver’s controls and how he manipulated them - indeed quite similar to how one would operate a Cotal pre-selector.
Your latest entry in this thread therefore leaves more questions than answers.
H e could get the engine idle Down
this car must be very uncomfortable ride, the video image shakes badly...
Pretty much all old cars are like that. Very limited shock absorbers, and simple suspensions overall, as well limited or nonexistent vibration deadening motor mounts.
Terrible for trying to film in, but it's not really that uncomfortable to be in as long as the seats are nice.
Lo siento, muy mala forma de agarrar el volante. Así no debe hacerse nunca.