Floor shift to collum shift reasoning?

[Buick35]

After learning that cars in the thirties  (maybe earlier) had certain city or state laws that prevented people from entering their vehicles from the drivers side,I was wondering was moving the shift lever to the colum a result of that law. I could see it being easier to slide across the seat without the shifter on the floor.Just a thought.

[TerryB]

My 1937 Dodge pickup truck had its only door key lock on the passenger side. If you watch old movies or TV shows you see people entering their vehicles from the passenger side.  It would for sure be a pain to have to negotiate around the floor shifter to get to the driver’s seat. 

[Buick35]

4 minutes ago, TerryB said:

My 1937 Dodge pickup truck had its only door key lock on the passenger side. If you watch old movies or TV shows you see people entering their vehicles from the passenger side.  It would for sure be a pain to have to negotiate around the floor shifter to get to the driver’s seat. 

Same as my 35 Buick.

[Rusty_OToole]

One big reason for getting rid of the floor shift was that as car bodies got wider, it became possible to seat 3 on the front seat. This made it desirable to get the gearshift and hand brake out of the road. Different companies experimented with gearshift on the column, on the instrument panel, even electric or vacuum shifters. The column shift turned out to be the most practical and popular.

[Jack Bennett]

I can’t date it, but I think my dad’s 1947 Chevy fleetline was the 1st car I seen with a column shift. Maybe there was many cars before that with column shifts, I just remember dad commenting on being able to seat another person in the front seat.And, air conditioning then was a swamp cooler you sat on the center hump, and plugged into the cigar lighter. Moving the shift lever to the steering column made this easier to do.

Jacl

[zepher]

Both of my prewar cars only have a single door lock, one is in the front passenger door handle and the other is just above the front passenger door handle on the door itself.

 

All four doors can be locked from the inside by moving the door handle in the opposite direction needed to open the door.

Edited February 28 by zepher (see edit history)

[1935Packard]

The sales brochure for the 1939 Plymouth offered this explanation of why Plymouth had switched to a column shift.

 

 

 

 

[8E45E]

10 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

One big reason for getting rid of the floor shift was that as car bodies got wider, it became possible to seat 3 on the front seat. This made it desirable to get the gearshift and hand brake out of the road. Different companies experimented with gearshift on the column, on the instrument panel, even electric or vacuum shifters. The column shift turned out to be the most practical and popular.

With very few exceptions, column shifting became an industry standard for the 1939, just as sealed beam headlights did for the next year, 1940.  Prior to 1939, Studebaker had their 'Miracle Shift' vacuum-operated transmission, with the control mounted on the dash:  Picture of a horn button for 1938 Commander? - Studebaker Drivers Club Forum

 

Craig

[playswithbrass]

4 speed on the floor- bench seat- girl at your side- life was good

[Brass is Best]

More room for a third front seat passenger. 

[Lee H]

I found it interesting to note that the last cars to have 3 on the tree available was the 1979 Nova, Omega and Phoenix. Or so claims Autoweek. I would have thought later.

[28 Chrysler]

The old cars I have had with floor shifters, putting the shifter into reverse was the way to get the most room. Bench seats helped but I rarely locked the doors.

[CChinn]

Here is the 3 on the tree column shifter of my 40 Chevy. Drove it this am. Always fun to take it out!  Get lots of looks and friendly waves

[Pfeil]

 Floor shifters became popular again when drag racing stock cars became popular in the late 50's and early 60's. Take two identical cars, one with three on the tree and one with three on the floor and see who gets to the end of the quarter mile first.

 I had a friend who won the 1960 U.S. Nationals who told me the 59 car they used the year before was so troublesome and slow with three on the tree, that they ended up starting in second gear and going from a 4.10 rear axle to a 5.13(aftermarket) (factory lowest 4.30?) and hoped the engine wouldn't explode through the traps in third.

[Dr B]

1 hour ago, Lee H said:

I would have thought later.

I am surprised but for the opposite reason. I am shocked they offered a column shifter as LATE as 1979. I would have guessed for cars late 60's, early 70's at the very latest.

 

Robert

[hook]

53 minutes ago, 28 Chrysler said:

The old cars I have had with floor shifters, putting the shifter into reverse was the way to get the most room. Bench seats helped but I rarely locked the doors.

In a Model A Ford you could pull up on the stick and rotate it completely out of the way. Of course, just like putting a floor stick of other cars in reverse, this operation was for extra curricular actives which I won't mention.

[hook]

My brother had a 1953 Jowett Jupiter that had 4 speed on the column. It had a button in the end of the handle to press in order to go into reverse.

[Bhigdog]

Wasn't there a baby boom when the shifter went from the floor to the column?...........Bob

[dictator27]

53 minutes ago, hook said:

My brother had a 1953 Jowett Jupiter that had 4 speed on the column. It had a button in the end of the handle to press in order to go into reverse.

Four speed column shift transmissions were very common on English and European cars in the 50's and 60's.

[John348]

I recall reading somewhere many years ago there were laws against exiting and entering onto the traffic side or the drivers side the vehicle in some of the major cities. It was to be viewed as a selling feature at the time. Safe egress to the passenger side of the car away from traffic.  Again, I am going off something I recall reading over 30 years ago. 

Edited February 28 by John348 (see edit history)

[Buick35]

3 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

Wasn't there a baby boom when the shifter went from the floor to the column?...........Bob

I don't know about that but I heard that when they moved the dimmer switch to the steering column women were getting their foot caught in the steering wheel.

Edited February 28 by Buick35
Spelling (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

49 minutes ago, Buick35 said:

I don't know about that but I heard that when they moved the dimmer switch to the steering column women were getting their foot caught in the steering wheel.

Haw haw haw. Good one.....bob

 

[Rusty_OToole]

I give you Hudson's Electric Hand, the latest thing in 1935. It was developed by Bendix and used by Hudson and Cord. Postwar Tuckers with Cord transmissions used the same system. It combined electric switch gear with a vacuum powered shifter and clutch. Note the advantages - easy and convenient shifting, no gear lever or brake lever cluttering up the passengers' leg room.

 

Edited February 29 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[dodge28]

I had a 3 on the 3 on a 1969 Buick Century with a Chevy 6 cylinder engine.

[Harold]

I sold new Fords in the '80's and we had a 1986 F150 with three on the tree in inventory.  One of the younger salesmen had no idea how to drive it.

Edited February 29 by Harold (see edit history)

[Littlestown Mike]

17 hours ago, dictator27 said:

Four speed column shift transmissions were very common on English and European cars in the 50's and 60's.

I had several Peugeots that had 4 on the column.  I was told that since they designed it for column shifting, the linkage was very direct.  They had problems when they moved the shifter to the floor--I suppose to be able to sell "sporty"--No family sedan with less than 100 HP could be considered "sporty" regardless of the rest of the spec sheet--rack and pinion steering, disc brakes at all 4 wheels and independent suspension front and rear, 9 stage shock valving and a annual wins at the East Africa Safari race.

[8E45E]

10 hours ago, Harold said:

I sold new Fords in the '80's and we had a 1986 F150 with three on the tree in inventory.  One of the younger salesmen had no idea how to drive it.

I had a customer who owned a 1986 GMC or Chevrolet half-ton, also with a column shift.   As I recall, it wasn't even the base trim model, either.  

 

Craig

[Frank DuVal]

On 2/28/2024 at 11:39 AM, Dr B said:

I am shocked they offered a column shifter as LATE as 1979.

The car was the same basic design as the 1973, so no need to update the shifter from the column three speed of 1973!😉

[Pfeil]

On 2/28/2024 at 10:49 AM, Bhigdog said:

Wasn't there a baby boom when the shifter went from the floor to the column?...........Bob

No, when all the guys came home after the war. 

[John Kelso]

Some folks will just never understand subtle humor.

[Leif in Calif]

On 2/28/2024 at 5:56 AM, playswithbrass said:

4 speed on the floor- bench seat- girl at your side- life was good

My old SAAB had 4 on the column. I think it was also considered a safety advantage because your hand was off the wheel a shorter amount of time.