If you’ve never driven an old car, they’re very similar to modern vehicles, but also completely different in countless ways. Classics fitted with manual transmissions still have clutch pedals and H-pattern shifters – just like you’d expect – but that is where many of the similarities end.
These early gearboxes have some quirks that the uninitiated will have no idea about. To maximize your driving pleasure – and minimize any costly transmission damage – AutoEsoterica’s host and cofounder Craig Cole explains how he rips through the gears in his flathead V8-powered 1936 Ford sedan… rips through the gears gently, that is.
To learn how the synchronizer in these transmission works, the reason some gears clash if you’re not careful, and why you should have a “soft” touch, make sure to check out the video below. For more content like this – and much more – subscribe to the AutoEsoterica YouTube channel.
AutoEsoterica is home to the under-appreciated and fantastical in car culture. Frontman Craig Cole is a life-long car enthusiast whose videos range from the restoration progress of his vintage Fords to design analysis and industry insights from contributors Jason White and Jim Hall.
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