What on earth IS this?

[Jon Cole]

Yeah, I can see that it's a shifter... err, make that shifters. That submarine running through the middle... iirc that may be a Lenco transmission(?), but a shifter for each gear?

And what was that Olds 442 (from the eightees?) with two shifters? I never understood that.

[Len Woodruff]

The Lenco's were "progressive" transmission so each shifter increase (decreased) the reductions until it was 1 to 1. The 5th shifter was reverse.

I used to watch the end of the runs and the drivers would push all of the shifters forward to get to 1st gear.

Each cylinder was a different gear.

They used automatic clutch packs and transmission fluid.

[Eshaver]

This would only apply to some of the big truck drivers out there but I learned how to drive an old Brockway with a Tri Plex stick . That means you have two shifters . The first shift sicck goes 1-5 . The second stick is for "Splitting each gear three times ". Litterly, one reached trrough the steering wheel shifting one stick and stirring the other to keep the revs up on those ole worn out engines . I havent seen a Duplex box or a triplex box since I lived in South Oregon back in 1974. I liked my old 1959 G M C "Crackerbox" with it's 5spd and a electric splitter on the shifter . Of course these transmissions had their limitations too. Ed Shaver

[MikeMc]

This would only apply to some of the big truck drivers out there but I learned how to drive an old Brockway with a Tri Plex stick . That means you have two shifters . The first shift sicck goes 1-5 . The second stick is for "Splitting each gear three times ". Litterly, one reached trrough the steering wheel shifting one stick and stirring the other to keep the revs up on those ole worn out engines . I havent seen a Duplex box or a triplex box since I lived in South Oregon back in 1974. I liked my old 1959 G M C "Crackerbox" with it's 5spd and a electric splitter on the shifter . Of course these transmissions had their limitations too. Ed Shaver

A real man could drive one of those w/o clutching ....or grinding...been there

[MikeMc]

Yeah, I can see that it's a shifter... err, make that shifters. That submarine running through the middle... iirc that may be a Lenco transmission(?), but a shifter for each gear?

And what was that Olds 442 (from the eightees?) with two shifters? I never understood that.

I don't get the speedo.......with all that shifting how are you gonna look???

[george 53]

I remember readin in Hot Rod, back in the day, where some nut ACTUALLY drove one in his STREET car!!! Of course it was all Pro'd out kinda Rick Dobbertin style, but it showd a pic of him DRIVEIN it to the strip, racein, an comein home!

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Jon...don't believe I've ever seen a 442 with 2 shifters as you mentioned....here's a link to perhaps what you asked about.

http://hrst79.tripod.com/79hrst/id11.html

[george 53]

Don, Didn't Hurst make an automatic shifter with 3 shifters? I think it was called "Lightning Rods" or some such thing. I do remember them in the last 442's built.

[CAL]

A Lenco is basically an automatic transmission.

It has a plantary set a automatice clutch pack and the lever is connected to a servo or actuator that locks that particular ratio. I don't remember what it was patterened off of but it was some standard automatic transmission parts that were used. Each gear is one unit and you can stack as many together as you think you need. The reverser was a seperate unit. They were running 6 speed Lencos about the time I was getting out in the 1990s.

I am not sure what ever happened to G-Force but that looked like a regular 4 or 5 speed manual box, only they turned it on it's side and gave each gear it's own lever.

[CAL]

Don, Didn't Hurst make an automatic shifter with 3 shifters? I think it was called "Lightning Rods" or some such thing. I do remember them in the last 442's built.

Yes

[1320wayne]

I don't get the speedo.......with all that shifting how are you gonna look???

The driver in this case is most likely doing four things. He/she is looking straight ahead, catching the shift light out of the corner of his eye and listening to and feeling what the car is doing on each pass. I doubt (as you have hinted towards) that he/she will have any time to look at the speedo..

[Peter Lombardo]

I can understand the speedo...I guess, but I don't get the passenger side window crank and the windshield wiper.....does he take this car to the Friday night burger joint?

[Jordan White]

The Hurst Lightning Rod Shifter wasn't too complicated.

You would put the main shifter in 3, the middle in 2, and the right in 1.

While accelerating, shift the right stick forward, then the middle forward, then the main to D.

Edited July 25, 2010 by YJIslander

[Harry P.]

What was the point?

I mean, besides complicating something that was simple...

[Jon Cole]

What was the point?

I mean, besides complicating something that was simple...

By the look of the pic, it has a "Pay as you go" feature.

[GrandpaMcGurk]

What was the point?

I mean, besides complicating something that was simple...

I have to agree with you Harry, as you know the '80's weren't the best of times for Muscle Cars......pollution controls, horsepower ratings, gas shortages, crash bumpers, insurance hikes, unleaded gas and so on really put the brakes on factory street burners. I think they were doing everything they could to keep that muscle image going by adding "look fast" goodies to make up for the huge performance shortcomings.

Edited July 26, 2010 by GrandpaMcGurk

[Harry P.]

I have to agree with you Harry, as you know the '80's weren't the best of times for Muscle Cars......pollution controls, horsepower ratings, gas shortages, crash bumpers, insurance hikes, unleaded gas and so on really put the brakes on factory street burners. They were doing everything they could to keep that muscle image going by adding "look fast" goodies to make up for the huge performance shortcomings.

An automatic with three shift levers? It's hilarious!

Not to mention completely stupid...

I had a buddy back then who thought of himself as a real hot rodder... but he couldn't work a stick! His car had an automatic, and every time he would come to a stop he'd put it in neutral, then when starting off he'd "shift" through the gears from "L" to "D"... I never had the heart to tell him that he was being a complete idiot!

[vizio93]

An automatic with three shift levers? It's hilarious!

Not to mention completely stupid...

I had a buddy back then who thought of himself as a real hot rodder... but he couldn't work a stick! His car had an automatic, and every time he would come to a stop he'd put it in neutral, then when starting off he'd "shift" through the gears from "L" to "D"... I never had the heart to tell him that he was being a complete idiot!

:D :lol:

[Rick Schmidt]

Had a car that was auto that I had to shift. Was my 85 Shoveit For some reason it wouldn't shift itself up or down .... Oh wait it was a Shoveit that was probably the reason Hated that car

[charlzrocks]

Is that shifter the same as a "Planetary" system? I think named for the look of a bunch of planets in a row......

[Modelmartin]

I had a buddy back then who thought of himself as a real hot rodder... but he couldn't work a stick! His car had an automatic, and every time he would come to a stop he'd put it in neutral, then when starting off he'd "shift" through the gears from "L" to "D"... I never had the heart to tell him that he was being a complete idiot!

At least he wasn't pushing on an imaginary clutch pedal each time he shifted! Or was he?

[george 53]

I believe it was to help eliminate missed shifts.

But it's an AUTOMATIC, B, so it can't miss a shift! I agree with Harry, It serves no purpose EXCEPT as a novelty

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Well Harry, at least it had 3 speeds....remember the old GM peanut butter drives (2 speed power-glides), all you had was Lo and Drive, okay in Corvairs I guess...but they used it in Vettes and larger cars as well too. The early push button auto's in Mopars were a real joy too. LOL

[sjordan2]

I gave up my 6-speed C4 Corvette about two years ago, and now I have an Infiniti, my first car in 35 years with an automatic transmission. But I can't break the habit of keeping my hand on the shift lever, and my left foot still gets itchy to do something

And no, "Manual" mode doesn't do anything for me.

[1320wayne]

Since there is so many differing opinions as to "how stupid" it is to shift an automatic transmission let me add in my two cents. I don't know much about Fords and Chevys but I can tell you about Mopars and what was popular back in the day (and maybe even today for that matter). If you wanted better performance from a torqueflite you simply swapped in a manual valve body into an automatic transmission. This required you having to shift through the gears. You couldn't avoid it. You were basically reversing the shift pattern where high was now low and low was high. It was a performance edge and really served no other purpose. It was primarily a drag racing application but could also be utilized on the street if wanted. It gave a definitive advantage to racing the four speed cars as you didn't have to coordinate your left foot with your right hand.