Gear shift lever on a Model A

[kqa3637]

I have a 1930 Fordor Town sedan... I was waiting in a parking lot for my wife to come out of a store... This elderly gentleman came up to me, and told me that in years past he has owned 3 model A's... He seemed very knowlegable... He told me to get into the car and put the gearshift lever in neutral... And then to pull straight up on the gear shift lever... He said it would disconnect from the transmission and then I could move the lever way out of the way if I chose to do so... My car does not do this... Has anyone ever heard of this??? Or was he pulling my leg...

Thanks ahead of time for your reply's...

[Charlie Stephens]

My '31 RDPU does this and I assumed they all did. It doesn't need to be in neutral when doing this, any gear will do. You can be driving down the road in 3rd and get the lever out of the way of the passenger. You need to remember to be careful when returning it to the normal position, hold the lever and let it down slowly, don't just let it bang.

Charlie Stephens

[Bob C]

It should move out of the way, maybe you did not pull it up high enough.

Bob

[Terry, NJ]

My Friend , Rick, showed me this "Trick"the first day I owned my town sedan. He said his father told him that it came in handy when you were on a date. I can't imagine what exactly he meant by that, maybe you can figure it out.
Terry

[quickchange]

Yes , Down under its know as the courting gear?? out of gear , Both hands on it ( the gear lever ) pull up & fold too one side , That gives you much more room in the front seat when ???

[jim galli]

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If you're really talented you can get it in reverse and second at the same time which effectively locks the transmission.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by quickchange

Yes , Down under its know as the courting gear?? out of gear , Both hands on it ( the gear lever ) pull up & fold too one side , That gives you much more room in the front seat when ???

The original idea behind this designs stems more from when you notice which side the keyed door handle is on. It was customary in the day for the driver to enter/exit from the curb side passenger door. Moving the shift lever out of the way allowed the driver to easily slide across the seat.

[1955cj5]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

The original idea behind this designs stems more from when you notice which side the keyed door handle is on. It was customary in the day for the driver to enter/exit from the curb side passenger door. Moving the shift lever out of the way allowed the driver to easily slide across the seat.

Maybe that's why the spare tire is on the left side?

[Gunmetal blue2]

Henry made it that way so when you park by the curb, you get out on the side walk that is on the passengers side. It does not matter if you are in gear or in neutral. I have had 5 model a's and one AA and they all will do it. This is for only 3 speed transmissions. The ones that don't want to pull up, is because the spring in the shifter tower is real strong. Trust me it works. I learned that in the 70's.

[daveymc29]

A good friend of mine learned to drive in a Model A in the 40's. He was getting lucky on a date and she instructed him to pull the lever up and get the shifter out of their way. Funny what girls knew about cars that we dummies never thought of. That works best if the car is in neutral and is an early 28 with the brake on the other side. A very proper looking elderly lady came to look at my rumble seat when I first bought my roadster. She told me, "I lost my virginity in one just like that." So much for prim and proper

[kd4lok]

Have owned the A since 1960 and never knew of this feature.

[Beauford]

I have to go into the garage now and try this!

[updraught]

I thought it was a design "feature" to add a third killer spring after the rear spring and the multiple clutch plate spring.

It is where the term "third time lucky" came from.

[Y-Blockhead]

Altho I have never tried it, I was told by my friend I bought my Town Sedan from that you could rotate the shifter in this fashion and lock it to the parking brake handle for added security.

[patnmand]

Has anyone got a video of this? I think I'd like to see it before I try it!

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

[DougVieyra]

The "League of Decency" has tried in vain for over 85 years to stamp out this information. And it must be noted, that since most have forgotten this 'shift lever slide', the birthrate has dropped down amongst Model A owners.

[marty in Ohio]

My father-in-law told me about this long before I owned a Model A. He said they called this the "dating stick."
Marty

[jhowes]

In the 50's we called it the "honeymoon gear" Jack

[Hoogah]

Originally Posted by daveymc29

A good friend of mine learned to drive in a Model A in the 40's. He was getting lucky on a date and she instructed him to pull the lever up and get the shifter out of their way. Funny what girls knew about cars that we dummies never thought of. That works best if the car is in neutral and is an early 28 with the brake on the other side. A very proper looking elderly lady came to look at my rumble seat when I first bought my roadster. She told me, "I lost my virginity in one just like that." So much for prim and proper

She must have been a gymnast!!

[captndan]

Originally Posted by patnmand

Has anyone got a video of this? I think I'd like to see it before I try it!

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

Me too. Seeing is believing.

[Railcarmover]

So that's why my father winked at me when he showed me that..he also said something about footprints on the mohair..

[jdupay]

Originally Posted by captndan

Me too. Seeing is believing.

Me three. Never knew this, but I am a little nervous to try it.....

[daveymc29]

Just get a motel room. cheaper than the Chiropractors bill in the long run. Pay cash and burn the receipt if necessary.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

On a warm evening, a Neighbor Gal sat in Minerva with me in the garage, "BOY, couldn't do SERIOUS makin' out in here"!!!-----"Here, lemme' SHOW You"!!!!----------
Bill Opportunist

[Tacoma Bob]

I tried this in my first Model A in the late 60s. Was this feature a Ford design or did other makes have it too?

[KGBnut]

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I've known about this "feature" since I was a kid, but in every car I've tried it in it takes a helluva lot of force to lift that shifter up enough to turn it out of the way. I can't imagine moving it while driving.

Anyone else?

Ken

[29Cabriolet]

Originally Posted by captndan

Me too. Seeing is believing.

Yeah, before I would try this I want to see it the lever returned to its natural position. My luck, it would disconnect completely and forever!

[PC/SR]

When my pal Jerry first had this happen in his 30 coupe, by accident, we thought something was wrong with the transmission.

[jimalabam]

Hey fellas: IT WORKS. I prefer dating gear, dating stick and honeymoon gear. Also, once with my car at a retirement center, a roadster was parked beside Elmer, a lady was inspecting the Roadser's rumble cushions and said to me with a large smile - "Hmmmm, that was some good times". Out of courtesy, I just smiled back. Jim...

[JDupuis]

Check with your insurance company first.
Most companies won't cover accidents that happen in the back seat. nudge nudge wink wink....Jeff

[d.]

please don't overthink this...yes, it works, just pull up on the gearshift lever and when it pops, push it forward, toward the dash, out of the way.
Really, that's all there is to it, no big deal, no damage.
When you get ready to resume using the car for what it was built to do (i.e. drive down the road), just flick the gearshift lever back towards center and it will snap back into place, and off you go.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

I agree, what's all the worrying?? Look how many posters have done it, me included.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by Hoogah

She must have been a gymnast!!

Or a contortionist!!

Yeah, it works although it takes some muscle unless your spring is weak (no, not THAT spring - the one on the gearshift ). Fortunately I found less cramped places than a Model A to do my "sparkin". So I told gullible passengers that pulling up and turning the shift lever engaged the overdrive.

Was this feature intentional or just a consequence of the design otherwise? I don't recall seeing anything about it in A documents from the period. Does it also work on 30's V-8 Fords?

[Chris Haynes]

Back in '62 I bought a '31 Sport Coupe that had had the shift lever shortened. I could lift it and spin it 180 degrees to make more legroom when parked.

[old31]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

My Friend , Rick, showed me this "Trick"the first day I owned my town sedan. He said his father told him that it came in handy when you were on a date. I can't imagine what exactly he meant by that, maybe you can figure it out.
Terry

Terry, what Ricks father meant is that he dated fairly large women. This would help them ease into the car without out them bumping against the gearshift.

My old 29 sedan would do the shift trick.

[captndan]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

On a warm evening, a Neighbor Gal sat in Minerva with me in the garage, "BOY, couldn't do SERIOUS makin' out in here"!!!-----"Here, lemme' SHOW You"!!!!----------
Bill Opportunist

Tut Tut !

[captndan]

I still want to see a video.

[Ted Duke]

ANYONE considering posting a video should read the obscenity statues first. LOL

[Roadster Rich]

Ask my wife. She learned how to do that at 17!

[Terry, NJ]

Originally Posted by old31

Terry, what Ricks father meant is that he dated fairly large women. This would help them ease into the car without out them bumping against the gearshift.

My old 29 sedan would do the shift trick.

Ahhh So that's what he meant!

They all do it! Just look at a cross sectional view of a shift tower and you can see that spring that most guys have a little trouble getting in or out. That's the one you're compressing. Even I found it easy!
Terry

[captndan]

Wait until you're my age. You won't be so cocky.

[37 Coupe]

Back in 1964 I had a '30 Model A and it was easy to swing the gear shift outta the way with one hand.I will admit I was a lot stronger back then at 18 years old but I can barely move the lever now with two hands pulling up no way I could do this under speed.Only thing I can figure out besides being a lot weaker is the top shifter part is from Snyders rebuilding so it may be a lot stronger spring.

[DD931]

Bock in the late 50's/early 60's I drove a '30 Tudor as regular transportation. Including dating. Some things you can't do in the front seat of a Model A no matter how hard you try, but many you can! That feature got the shift lever out of the way and made life a whole lot easier - and more exciting!!

[d.]

This is no big deal...all the 3 speed Model A transmissions will do this.
When stopped and in neutral, just grab shifter stalk towards the bottom, pull straight up and the stalk will pop up; then push it forward, sideways or wherever, no problem.
When you are ready to proceed into normal driving mode, just move the lever to its normal position and it will pop back into place all by itself.
not all this stuff is in a book, talk to an old guy.

[jimalabam]

I thought ALL Model A'ers knew this. One of the first things I was told...

[noyo55]

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When I found this out in the 60s it was explained, to me, that was to make it easier for a third passenger to have knee room. It does work Well for that use. It also did make romance easier also.

[daveymc29]

Then she said; "Just pull the seat cushion out of the car and lets go sit over there behind the bushes."