How fast have you double-clutched into low gear?

[Lionel Mandrake]

This post won't make sense unless you have driven an old stick shift. Low gear, unlike second gear and high gear, was not synchromesh. That meant that unless you wanted to strip your gears, you needed to get the RPMs just right before shifting down to low gear while moving.

The procedure is as follows. You press down on the clutch pedal, put the transmission in neutral, let up on the clutch, rev up the motor, press down again, shift into low, then let up on the clutch again. The higher your speed, the higher the RPMs needed for this maneuver. If you miscalculate, there goes your transmission.

As a smartass high schooler, I used to pride myself on my ability to double-clutch without making that horrible grinding sound. I once did this at 36 MPH, which in a 6 cylinder Ford required very high RPMs indeed. Not having a tachometer, I judged the RPMs by the sound of the motor.

[NYC_SKP]

1. My little gang of friends could drive without a clutch. 69 Firebird, for example.

I guess everyone who tries can shift though the gears, up or down, without a clutch by getting the revs just right, but my friend Brian could pop his Firebird into first from a dead stop on occasion without killing the engine, and then shift through the rest from there, always impressive.

[Tobin S.]

2. Most commercial vehicles have transmissions like that

Actually, you are supposed to double clutch for every gear shift up and down in semis. Ten speeds are pretty common. However, most drivers learn how to float shift through the gears in the early going, only needing the clutch for starting and stopping. It's not the proper way to shift gears, but it's a lot easier once you learn how to do it well.

[2naSalit]

6. Indeed.

I had the benefit of manual transmissions back in the day. My favorite was a 4x4 with 300rpm on the aux stick and 600rpm on the main, things could interesting on occasion but I was able manipulate the two rpm "sets" by sometimes grabbing a 900rpm change while using both sticks simultaneously (you literally have to reach through the steering wheel to do this, you could get a good rap on the knuckles if you miss!) and a jake brake was helpful in achieving the shift quickly. I kind of miss that part every once in a while...

[catnhatnh]

3. We called a transmission with a non-sychromesh first....

...a crashbox for the noise made if you shifted poorly. They were common in English sports cars in the late '50's and early '60's. Never checked how fast my best was...

[olddots]

4. if you were really good

You could shift without the clutch ....

[GGJohn]

5. The art is getting the engine to turn at the same speed as the wheels,

when you can master that, shifting without a clutch is easy peasy.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

7. My first car was an old MGA

It was a '61 that I got in '66 while in high school and it cost me $600, or every penny I had. First gear wasn't synchroed and so i had to double clutch if shifting down. I never drove it that hard and wasn't going very fast when i shifted down into first gear.