<VV> Push Button Gear Selection Re: Dont knock those chrysler products

[frankcb at aol.com]

    I certainly agree that push-button gear selection is the best way to go, especially as we get more and more gears in our automatic transmissions.  My experience with them came when I bought my used 1958 Plymouth Belvedere Convertible on April 10, 1961.   Those cars came with 2 OR 3 speed auto transmissions (Powerflite and Torqueflite, respectively).  Since the average owner didn't really know what he/she had, and I wanted the 3 speed model the only way I could identify it for the owner was to ask them to COUNT the number of buttons.  I wanted the 5 button model (Reverse, Neutral, Drive, 1 and 2)   I remember one idiot who told me his car had the 5 buttons and when I went some miles to see it, it had only FOUR.  He got insulted when I asked him if he had trouble counting large numbers!!
    Anyway, unlike many later transmissions, a quick glance at the internally-lit buttons easily told you which gear you were in whereas many of the later cars had poorly lit transmission gear indicators that made it difficult under poor lighting conditions to ascertain just which speed you had chosen.  Even TODAY when I drive my friends 1992 Ford station wagon, it's sometimes difficult to tell if I'm in overdrive (4th) or in "regular" drive (3rd).  So I just shift the control indicator one notch to the left and if the car goes into neutral, then I know I WAS in overdrive (4th) position and can quickly shift it back one notch right.
    The Plymouth push-button gear selector functioned perfectly for the 13 years I kept the car.  The only time it malfunctioned at all was when my son Jim (displaying an early interest in automotive technology)  managed to push TWO of the buttons at the same time and jammed both of them in together.  (I believe he was 5 or 6 years old at the time)  I solved the problem by simply removing the cover off the selector box and working the buttons free.
    I still think that the push-button gear selector is the BEST way to control an automatic transmission.  Here's what it looked like on my 58 Plymouth:
    http://blog.id.com.au/wp-content/uploads/DSC_0022.jpg

Thanks for reminding me of one of my favorite cars and the only 8-cylinder I ever owned.  Largest engine, too (318 cu.in.)
    Frank Burkhard
    Boonton, NJ    
    
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Sethracer--- via VirtualVairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
To: hmlinc <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net>; Rnojunkmail <Rnojunkmail at aol.com>; VirtualVairs <VirtualVairs at Corvair.org>
Sent: Sat, Jan 17, 2015 11:26 pm
Subject: Re: <VV> Dont knock those chrysler products


After 65 - no more pushbuttons for Chrysler. Aspen/Volares were way after  
that. Edsel had the pushbuttons in the steering wheel.
 
 
In a message dated 1/17/2015 7:42:38 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
virtualvairs at corvair.org writes:

You sure  that wasn't the Ford Edsel?  How long did that last?  3  years?
Later, JR
----- Original Message ----- 
From:  "Rnojunkmail at aol.com via VirtualVairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
To:  <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2015 9:32  PM
Subject: <VV> Dont knock those chrysler  products


>
> Say what you will about those volares and  those aspens, but remember 
those
> dodges, plymouths, and chryslers from  the 60's all had the coolest thing
> PUSH BUTTON TRANMISSION!  How  come nobody makes those anymore?
> Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE  Smartphone


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