Tim wrote:
On Dec 12, 3:58 pm, HK wrote:

I think my mothers 53 Desoto had pushbuttons in the steering wheel.
I recall the buttons first appearing in the 57' DeSoto.

Didn't the '53 (like most Chrysler products) have a "cluthflite"
transmission, where you could use it as an automatic OR push a clutch
pedal to disengage it?



The 1948 Chrysler product on which I took my Connecticut driver's
license test had something like that, but I don't recall what you are
mentioning on my father's 1953 Dodge. It was a fully automatic. I have
no memory of a "standard shift" Chrysler product from those days.

I do remember a buddy's father getting a shiny new '57 DeSoto and on it
was the first push button shifter I had ever seen.

"HK" wrote in message
...
Tim wrote:
On Dec 12, 3:58 pm, HK wrote:

I think my mothers 53 Desoto had pushbuttons in the steering wheel.
I recall the buttons first appearing in the 57' DeSoto.

Didn't the '53 (like most Chrysler products) have a "cluthflite"
transmission, where you could use it as an automatic OR push a clutch
pedal to disengage it?



The 1948 Chrysler product on which I took my Connecticut driver's license
test had something like that, but I don't recall what you are mentioning
on my father's 1953 Dodge. It was a fully automatic. I have no memory of a
"standard shift" Chrysler product from those days.


Chrysler had a "semi automatic" transmission in 1941. It had a clutch, but
you used it only to select a range, High, Low or Reverse. Once you put the
shifter in High, you released the clutch while keeping your foot on the
brake. When you wanted to go, you pressed on the gas pedal and the car
would start moving. If you then lifted your foot slightly, it would shift
into a higher gear. Two forward gears only plus reverse.

Eisboch

On Dec 13, 7:45 am, "Eisboch" wrote:
"HK" wrote in message

...





Tim wrote:
On Dec 12, 3:58 pm, HK wrote:

I think my mothers 53 Desoto had pushbuttons in the steering wheel.
I recall the buttons first appearing in the 57' DeSoto.

Didn't the '53 (like most Chrysler products) have a "cluthflite"
transmission, where you could use it as an automatic OR push a clutch
pedal to disengage it?

The 1948 Chrysler product on which I took my Connecticut driver's license
test had something like that, but I don't recall what you are mentioning
on my father's 1953 Dodge. It was a fully automatic. I have no memory of a
"standard shift" Chrysler product from those days.

Chrysler had a "semi automatic" transmission in 1941. It had a clutch, but
you used it only to select a range, High, Low or Reverse. Once you put the
shifter in High, you released the clutch while keeping your foot on the
brake. When you wanted to go, you pressed on the gas pedal and the car
would start moving. If you then lifted your foot slightly, it would shift
into a higher gear. Two forward gears only plus reverse.

Eisboch- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I think my bud had a Beetle that had sort of semi auto transmission...
I had a neat car, It was a lime green bug that came stock from the
factory with a black box and ornimental wind up key on the rear deck.
Got a lot of laughs at the campsites and bluegrass festivals. One time
I pulled into Preston and had half the field of drunks chasing my car
around the lot, after I had about twenty of them running after me, I
hit the brakes..Frekin' beer all over my car...

On Dec 13, 8:20 am, wrote:
On Dec 13, 7:45 am, "Eisboch" wrote:





"HK" wrote in message

...

Tim wrote:
On Dec 12, 3:58 pm, HK wrote:

I think my mothers 53 Desoto had pushbuttons in the steering wheel.
I recall the buttons first appearing in the 57' DeSoto.

Didn't the '53 (like most Chrysler products) have a "cluthflite"
transmission, where you could use it as an automatic OR push a clutch
pedal to disengage it?

The 1948 Chrysler product on which I took my Connecticut driver's license
test had something like that, but I don't recall what you are mentioning
on my father's 1953 Dodge. It was a fully automatic. I have no memory of a
"standard shift" Chrysler product from those days.

Chrysler had a "semi automatic" transmission in 1941. It had a clutch, but
you used it only to select a range, High, Low or Reverse. Once you put the
shifter in High, you released the clutch while keeping your foot on the
brake. When you wanted to go, you pressed on the gas pedal and the car
would start moving. If you then lifted your foot slightly, it would shift
into a higher gear. Two forward gears only plus reverse.

Eisboch- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I think my bud had a Beetle that had sort of semi auto transmission...
I had a neat car, It was a lime green bug that came stock from the
factory with a black box and ornimental wind up key on the rear deck.
Got a lot of laughs at the campsites and bluegrass festivals. One time
I pulled into Preston and had half the field of drunks chasing my car
around the lot, after I had about twenty of them running after me, I
hit the brakes..Frekin' beer all over my car...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I remember the kind-of-automatic that VW had. My brother had a sedan
looking VW with that tranny in it. They called it the Autostick if I
remember correctly.

wrote in message
...
On Dec 13, 8:20 am, wrote:
On Dec 13, 7:45 am, "Eisboch" wrote:





"HK" wrote in message

...

Tim wrote:
On Dec 12, 3:58 pm, HK wrote:

I think my mothers 53 Desoto had pushbuttons in the steering
wheel.
I recall the buttons first appearing in the 57' DeSoto.

Didn't the '53 (like most Chrysler products) have a "cluthflite"
transmission, where you could use it as an automatic OR push a
clutch
pedal to disengage it?

The 1948 Chrysler product on which I took my Connecticut driver's
license
test had something like that, but I don't recall what you are
mentioning
on my father's 1953 Dodge. It was a fully automatic. I have no memory
of a
"standard shift" Chrysler product from those days.

Chrysler had a "semi automatic" transmission in 1941. It had a clutch,
but
you used it only to select a range, High, Low or Reverse. Once you put
the
shifter in High, you released the clutch while keeping your foot on the
brake. When you wanted to go, you pressed on the gas pedal and the car
would start moving. If you then lifted your foot slightly, it would
shift
into a higher gear. Two forward gears only plus reverse.

Eisboch- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I think my bud had a Beetle that had sort of semi auto transmission...
I had a neat car, It was a lime green bug that came stock from the
factory with a black box and ornimental wind up key on the rear deck.
Got a lot of laughs at the campsites and bluegrass festivals. One time
I pulled into Preston and had half the field of drunks chasing my car
around the lot, after I had about twenty of them running after me, I
hit the brakes..Frekin' beer all over my car...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I remember the kind-of-automatic that VW had. My brother had a sedan
looking VW with that tranny in it. They called it the Autostick if I
remember correctly.

They may have come out in 1973 or later. (model years with pizza pie rear
taillights)
Don't believe the auto was available when I purchased a brand new 1972 Super
Beetle in December 1971.
This was my first new car and I was darn proud of it.... but 5 years of
traveling on salt saturated roads in the winter had it starting to look a
bit rough.
Those light duty running boards were the first to rot out, and the darn
heater control cables froze up every night. The gas heater took care of the
interior but drove many mornings into the sun with a frost caked windshield.

On Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:55:56 -0400, "Don White"
wrote:


Those light duty running boards were the first to rot out, and the darn
heater control cables froze up every night. The gas heater took care of the
interior but drove many mornings into the sun with a frost caked windshield.

I put 4" fiberglass batt insulation on the floors of my '64 bug,
replacing it every winter for a few years. It really helped retain
enough heat to keep from shivering. Still had to scrape ice off
the inside of the windshield as I drove.
The gas heater worked well in my '67 Squareback, but it really sucked
gas, and I was always waiting for it to explode and incinerate me.
The '64 rotted out. The '67 steel held up well.

--Vic

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:55:56 -0400, "Don White"
wrote:


Those light duty running boards were the first to rot out, and the darn
heater control cables froze up every night. The gas heater took care of
the
interior but drove many mornings into the sun with a frost caked
windshield.

I put 4" fiberglass batt insulation on the floors of my '64 bug,
replacing it every winter for a few years. It really helped retain
enough heat to keep from shivering. Still had to scrape ice off
the inside of the windshield as I drove.
The gas heater worked well in my '67 Squareback, but it really sucked
gas, and I was always waiting for it to explode and incinerate me.
The '64 rotted out. The '67 steel held up well.

--Vic

Say what! Fiberglass insulation? I would have been iritated to hell..from
sneezing and scratching.