Windows vs. Ford (Read 289 times)

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I have driven or knew of cars with the button to the left of the clutch pedal on the floor, one you had to push the clutch pedal to hit the button, one had the button under the top of the gas pedal but it wouldn't engage if he car was not in Neutral on the auto-shift lever or the cluth pedal pushed to the floor, one automatic you had to put in in Neutral, then pull the shift lever toward you, had one with no key, just an ignition switch and a push button on the dash (it also had a spark advance lever and throttle on the steering wheel), there were cars with push buttons on the end of the gear shift the engaged the starter.

Prior to the days of a Park position on the auto-shifter, it was possible to start some automatics with the car in gear, just like on a manual tranny.

Seems automobile manufacturers are always trying something "new" and "improved", to sell, or confuse the public.

The past three cars I have had, all had/have remote start.

Nice feature in the hot Texas parking lots, or in cold North Dakota parking lots.

I remember when you paid big bucks to get a remote starter installed on a car, now lots come with them as standard equipment.

I never had an Edsel with the push button transmission controls in the middle of the steering wheel, but did own a Chrysler with the buttons on the left side of the dash.

There are some cars built, maybe not one we could buy, that have voice control starting and all the other stuff.

Kind of James Bond-like, isn't it?

MOW, I understand Hyundai is making a Korea only car that has so many bells and whistles on it, you almost need an engineering degree to drive it. Some kind of ultra-luxury set of wheels.

Have you seen them?

However, when I look back at the cars we were predicted to be driving by car and science magazines back in the Fifties, I don't see much of what they predicted.

I also made it to some car shows, complete with the cars of the future.

Very little carryover.

GM had Futurama, with lots of great ideas, but no production.

The other car companies did the same thing.

As a kid, the most futuristic car I saw was the Tucker.

That was when Preston Tucker brought a car to San Francisco and showed it to the public for several days at a dealer, and on the street on Van Ness Avenue, Auto Row.

I guess Buck Rogers and the Jetsons will have to keep them.

Jim Too

:god_bless_usa