I do not get this skit. It was funny but still, don't get the underlying detail.

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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,210
28,916
136
I know about the parking break pedal, but what is a dimmer switch pedal? Did it control the headlights?
They toggled between regular and high beam headlights. The floor switch was more convenient than the later steering column mounted switches.

The switch is the silver dot under the parking brake pedal.
1639515217868.jpeg
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
64,208
12,528
136
I know about the parking break pedal, but what is a dimmer switch pedal? Did it control the headlights?

4-hi-beam-switch-old-school1.jpg


And it's BRAKES, not breaks for stopping your car.


LOL...out of all the pics on teh intarwebs, IronWing and I chose the same one.
 

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
25,479
3,976
126
One can buy floor switches on ebay but the thought of tearing apart the steering column to rewire the high beams is a bridge too far for me.
I think I need to buy a floor switch for my wife's vehicle. Then when I am driving the car, I can tap that floor switch to light up a sign that says "That noise was a rock hitting the car, there was no damage". I imagine that wouldn't be too hard to install and would save me countless frustration while driving with her.
 
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Mermaidman

Diamond Member
Sep 4, 2003
7,987
93
91
Ooo, i just thought of an awesome idea!!
A capacitive touch, force-sensitive pedal. Instead of 3 pedals, there's just one long "pedal" with 3 zones - clutch/brake/accel. It doesn't have to move, so the "pedal" will actually be flush with the floor. It'd look so cool, all lit up in your choice of pulsating colors and shit. What could possibly go wrong? (Although...I've never heard of an electronic clutch - do those exist?)
:p
 

Meghan54

Lifer
Oct 18, 2009
11,684
5,222
136
Guess everyone’s too young to remember the “other” “button” on the floor you pressed with your foot…except this one was under/beside the gas pedal and was the starter switch. You’d press it with the gas pedal to engage the starter. Old times!!!!
 
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Charmonium

Diamond Member
May 15, 2015
9,985
3,171
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I agree that it strains credulity that someone wouldn't know what a manual transmission is. But in terms of how it works, that's a little more believable.

I mean even Ferrari and Lambo have mostly switched to paddle shifters so presumably "Ghost" would know how to drive one of those.

I've been looking for a new entry level car with 200-300 hp and a traditional manual shift and they're pretty rare.
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,316
10,814
136
One can buy floor switches on ebay but the thought of tearing apart the steering column to rewire the high beams is a bridge too far for me.


I always hated the high-beam button on the floor personally.


Guess everyone’s too young to remember the “other” “button” on the floor you pressed with your foot…except this one was under/beside the gas pedal and was the starter switch. You’d press it with the gas pedal to engage the starter. Old times!!!!



I believe the last American cars with foot-starters were phased out in the mid-1950's so not THAT old!
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
64,208
12,528
136
Guess everyone’s too young to remember the “other” “button” on the floor you pressed with your foot…except this one was under/beside the gas pedal and was the starter switch. You’d press it with the gas pedal to engage the starter. Old times!!!!

ahem...
aaf.thumb.gif
 
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Spacehead

Lifer
Jun 2, 2002
13,067
9,858
136
Never drove anything with a starter on the floor. Learned to drive when my parents had only manuals so that's stuck with me over the years. I've only owned 1 car that was a manual though.
Never driven anything with the shifter on the column either. By the time i was old enough to even try driving everything they had was on the floor.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,210
28,916
136
With modern drive by wire transmissions, the shifter could be buttons you push on the belly of a teddy bear mounted on the dashboard.
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
2,359
297
126
Amol S, yes. It is most common today that the switches for controlling parking and healights are incoporated into the left-hand stalk beside the steering wheel, which also is for turn signals. By pulling that stalk towards you, you can switch headlights between high and low beams. Decades ago the parking / headlight switch was on the dashboard, and the High / Low beam switch was a button on the floor to the far left to be used with your foot.
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
2,359
297
126
"foot pump operated windshield washer"

Oh yeah! The install-it-yourself aftermarket devices you could buy for an older can that did not have windshield washers installed.
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
2,359
297
126
How about a passenger foot-operated device? In the early 1960's I had a universtiy buddy with an old Edsel station wagon. It had a leak in the hose feeding the heater core, so he'd rigged a small pail under that in the front passenger foot well. He had to drain it pour into the rad from time to time. Everybody getting in was warned, "Don't kick the Bucket!"
 
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BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
Depends on the transmission.... some are designed to shift with the clutch every time although they usually can be driven without it.

Heavy trucks and many older manuals OTOH would actually prefer you use the clutch as little as possible! (I learned to drive with 3-on-the tree in an old POS Chevy pickup)
My 2nd car was a Galaxy 500 with 3 on the tree, brother gave it to me because the compression was so bad it struggled to climb any hill, you needed a running start. Neighbors would give me their old drain oil and Jesus did that thing smoke, burned between 1.5-2 qts/day.
 
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BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
I agree that it strains credulity that someone wouldn't know what a manual transmission is. But in terms of how it works, that's a little more believable.

I mean even Ferrari and Lambo have mostly switched to paddle shifters so presumably "Ghost" would know how to drive one of those.

I've been looking for a new entry level car with 200-300 hp and a traditional manual shift and they're pretty rare.
Since it cost's the manufacturer more $$ to offer it both ways and the market is small with modern automatics offering 5-8 speeds and really fast switching they are fading fast. Probably still offered on Mustangs and camaro's though since some old boomers won't buy one with an auto no matter how good it is.
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,316
10,814
136
Since it cost's the manufacturer more $$ to offer it both ways and the market is small with modern automatics offering 5-8 speeds and really fast switching they are fading fast. Probably still offered on Mustangs and camaro's though since some old boomers won't buy one with an auto no matter how good it is.


Some people also like shifting their own gears regardless of age believe it or not.... its more a matter of wanting full control of the car.

There are still some advantages in handling with a manual no matter how good automatics get and also they're more fun provided you know how to drive!
 

Charmonium

Diamond Member
May 15, 2015
9,985
3,171
136
Since it cost's the manufacturer more $$ to offer it both ways and the market is small with modern automatics offering 5-8 speeds and really fast switching they are fading fast. Probably still offered on Mustangs and camaro's though since some old boomers won't buy one with an auto no matter how good it is.
Some people also like shifting their own gears regardless of age believe it or not.... its more a matter of wanting full control of the car.

There are still some advantages in handling with a manual no matter how good automatics get and also they're more fun provided you know how to drive!
Yup. I'm always down shifting. Whether coming into a sharp curve or getting down into a gear where I can readily hit the sweet spot at around 6500 rpm (8k red line). The problem with that sort of control though is that it's easy to seize your engine if you downshift and immediately exceed the redline. For acceleration though, you definitely lose time with a full manual. But since I don't do any drag racing, I'm fine with that.
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,316
10,814
136
Yup. I'm always down shifting. Whether coming into a sharp curve or getting down into a gear where I can readily hit the sweet spot at around 6500 rpm (8k red line). The problem with that sort of control though is that it's easy to seize your engine if you downshift and immediately exceed the redline. For acceleration though, you definitely lose time with a full manual. But since I don't do any drag racing, I'm fine with that.


See the part where I mentioned knowing how to drive! ;)
 
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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,210
28,916
136
The “know how to drive “ trope that manual fans love to throw around amuses me. Shifting is such minor aspect of driving that to elevate it to the determining factor in “knowing how to drive” is silly. Even more amusing was a former coworker who insisted that one cannot down shift an automatic, know how to drive indeed.
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,316
10,814
136
The “know how to drive “ trope that manual fans love to throw around amuses me. Shifting is such minor aspect of driving that to elevate it to the determining factor in “knowing how to drive” is silly. Even more amusing was a former coworker who insisted that one cannot down shift an automatic, know how to drive indeed.


Driving a car with a dual-clutch automatic equipped with paddle-shifters (or ANY automatic) is much easier then doing your own shifting, especially in heavy traffic having done both many times. (that's "Captain-Obvious" level stuff lol)

Sorry to disappoint.... I'm sure there's somebody over in P&N right this very moment just spoiling for an argument though!

;)

main-qimg-bf99ee98f527bcc0be63a0820458b4a5
 
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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,210
28,916
136
Driving a car with a dual-clutch automatic equipped with paddle-shifters (or ANY automatic) is much easier then doing your own shifting, especially in heavy traffic having done both many times. (that's "Captain-Obvious" level stuff lol)
I agree, manual is a poor choice for driving in heavy traffic. It's also a poor choice for off roading. Manual shines in the open road, twisty sections beloved of car marketing and that we so rarely get to enjoy.