1st Replaced By 2nd

Status
Not open for further replies.

Daniel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2004
Messages
2,336
Location
Stavanger - Norway
Ok, I know that some cars, like Porsche's and so on, have the ignition on the left side of the steering wheel. That makes it easier for LeMans drivers to start their cars quickly.

SO thats why sports cars for the road has adapted this trick. Its a cool sporty touch.

Now, I hope some of you know this, Ive been wondering for like a decade:

Why does som sporst cars have 1st gear placed where 2nd is?

Why do they have 1st on the left-down and not on the left up, how it normally is?

If one of you know, Im grateful. ;)
 
I've driven a Van with that sort of arrangement... where you have to go up, across and up to go from 1st to second, I have no idea though... maybe it is more important to shift quicker from second to third?... and when you are racing on the track, you barely get down to 1st as well.
As for the ignition on the left, most of the 90's Mercedes have it as well... never thought of why and since were on the topic... I've always wondered why Saab's have theirs in the center console
 
I guess the more important shifts (in number, at least) you make are 2nd to 3rd, so why not put them on the same line?
 
andyhui01 said:
I've always wondered why Saab's have theirs in the center console
That's because they think about safety way before we do. That way our knees don't colide with the keys.
 
ah... so whats next... we control the steering wheel with buttons near our thighs like star wars so we don't hit our head on the steering wheel when we crash :lol:
 
I dunno... I wanted the Ford GT strip from the side of the ford GT but I can't find a sideview of it to cut it from... any other suggestions?
 
Hmm, I guess, its just a matter of how you arranged the gearbox while constructing it...

I read that the M5 Gearbox would have a layout where you would go like 3-5-1-4-7 and so on... No Problem for electronics, but drivers would get confused...

Buba
 
I'm nt sure, but I think Buba is on the right track... I think it's more of a construction thing than a "shift gears between 2nd & 3rd quicker" thing.

Anyway... My Maserati has it that way and, if for no other reason, it really feels cool to have a car with a gear box like that!! 8)
 
My friend, who lies alot and creats info outta his ass told me that the tranny is stronger that way, i duno but its for racing.. you rarely see them on road cars.
 
but they are very common on buses though... I have a feeling it would make the transmission stronger
 
The saab thing may also have something to do with the security thing they have wherein you must put the car into reverse before you take the keys out and it's locked in reverse until you put the keys back in, so it may be easier to have the ignition area and the gears close together. I may be talking bollocks though :D
 
It's called a "dog leg" gearbox...you don't see them on too many cars these days but back in day that's how Ferrari's gearboxes were.
 
The BMW 635 csi (M6) also had 1st below Reverse, to confuse people who put custom shift knobs on their cars! :p
 
Cubits said:
The BMW 635 csi (M6) also had 1st below Reverse, to confuse people who put custom shift knobs on their cars! :p
Really? A friend of mine had an M6, but its gearbox didn't seem any different from other cars and he never mentioned it having first gear like that. Was that only on the European model or something?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top