DAMN! This makes me feel ancient...

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

What year did they come out with power steering?

Very old invention, first made commercially available in early 50s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_steering

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

Very old invention, first made commercially available in early 50s.

Power steering - Wikipedia

I would've thought it was much earlier than that. Looks like car air conditioners preceded power steering in the 1939 Packard.

[86RAG]

I bought a 1980 Chevy van new that was a six banger three on the tree. The linkage used to get hung up from time to time. It was a pain in the ass to straighten out. Same thing as the 1963 Chevy pick up my father had. I don't think they ever did refine that shift mechanism!

[Sea Six]

My dad told me that the very earliest power steering units were undesirable because they gave little or no road feedback. Made it difficult to keep steering in a straight line.

[Milton Fox]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

I learned to drive on such a beasty. Non-power brakes as well.

....drum brakes all around. You had to learn how far to coast before the brakes would work.

[Dan Dlabay]

I remember driving my grandpa's 51 chevy with 3 on the tree.

[VatorMan]

Took my driving test in a 68 Bel Air with 3 on the column, No power brakes or steering.

[Ol Timer]

My first car was a '54 Chevy Bel Aire with 3 on the tree, manual steering, manual brakes, manual windows, manual radio.

I worked through school as a manual laborer, so it all fits!

[Ryan Bell]

A kid last week told me he couldn't imagine a world without iPhones.

Totally serious.

[snide]

Originally Posted by Ryan Bell

A kid last week told me he couldn't imagine a world without iPhones.

Totally serious.

What's an "iPhone"?

[Fasglas]

Originally Posted by snide

What's an "iPhone"?

[WalkerInTN]

^^^^^^Had one.

Originally Posted by Milton Fox

....drum brakes all around. You had to learn how far to coast before the brakes would work.

Ah yes, drum brakes. That's where the expression "pump your brakes" came from.

[SQUIRMIN VERMIN 84]

I learned on a 3-on-a-tree on my folks' 51 bullet-nosed Stude back in 1960/61
when I was 15. After I got my license, they sold the car to me for $1.
It was a 3-speed with overdrive and was my first big rebuild project.

[Aerovette]

What does that linkage look like? It would seem there is a lot going on in all those changes in direction from column to transmission.

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by polarbear

I learned how to drive on one of these (column shift version).

My friend Elliot had a 196? Peugeot that was four on the tree like that.

Would have been a lot easier to drive if it wasn't a total piece of crap

[chevyman_ky]

I learned to drive in a 64 chevelle 3 on the tree. my buddy just bought a 68 chevy pickup last week 3 on the tree. my late sister had 2 63 Mercedes benz one gas one diesel both 4 0n the tree.