Buick35 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Bennett Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1935Packard Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 The sales brochure for the 1939 Plymouth offered this explanation of why Plymouth had switched to a column shift. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playswithbrass Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 4 speed on the floor- bench seat- girl at your side- life was good 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass is Best Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 More room for a third front seat passenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee H Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CChinn Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr B Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hook Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hook Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Wasn't there a baby boom when the shifter went from the floor to the column?...........Bob 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 (edited) 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) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 (edited) 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) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodge28 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 I had a 3 on the 3 on a 1969 Buick Century with a Chevy 6 cylinder engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 (edited) 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) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlestown Mike Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 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!😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kelso Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Some folks will just never understand subtle humor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif in Calif Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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