I posted that around 1m, not the time to try and research anything... but you just prompted me to look it up, it's a shifter lock, so, security, by Sperrwolf, VW Licensed equipment, and I'm adding those images to the post now... be there added to the car images in a momen
OK, some more research I'll have to do: is this sort of shifter lock the inspiration for (or inspired by) the floor mounted shift lock/ignition switch combination on Saabs? I'll report back...
Back already. Having no personal experience with two-stroke powered Saabs (92, 95, 96), I've just learned that their floor mounted ignition switch started with the 99 model in 1968 as a response to knee injuries from column mounted ignition switches. So obviously not before the aftermarket VW shifter lock you pictured but possibly inspired by it. Thanks for all the interesting stuff you find and post. ...And for occasionally sending me down the rabbit hole...
you are welcome! And I'm so often in the rabbit hole, I send others there to find and rescue me. If you knew how many times Steve B in Las Vegas has been sent down in researching something ridiculously obscure, you'd likely be amazed
I had one of those Saab 99's, and the shift lock worked pretty nicely, but my dad had one too and hated it, and managed over a fairly short time to break or wear down the locking mechanism so it didn't actually lock the transmission lever. Before that he had a couple of the two-stroke "cornpopper" Saabs, which were a hoot to drive with their freewheeling. You could pass going down a hill at idle. The freewheeling meant you could also downshift without the clutch. They understeered like crazy, and under power you could not negotiate a turn, but as soon as you let off the gas, it would pop back into line as if on a bungee cord. His '65 made smoke rings at idle too.
The early 99's were a beautiful design and an awful execution, using a Triumph Stag motor. You could replace the clutch without taking the engine or tranny out, but you had to too often because the thrust bearing ate into the diaphragm and snapped the lever. Mine, a '69, did not officially exist according to American dealers, and some parts were impossible to get. A thief broke a back window on mine, and because it had changed in 1970, I could never replace it, and endedup with a window glass makeshift. It had a full and non-removable aerodynamic floor under the engine, which meant you had to pull the engine to tighten the oil pan bolts, and to pry an extra bit out to change the oil if you'd bumped and dented it too much. ONe of its earliest innovations was a rear window defroster. It had an air duct that wend down the floor under the shifter, and came out in the rear shelf. Great until the plastic warped, whereupon the gearshift would become very hot in winter. The carbureted version (which I had) had an incurable hot stalling problem, which was recalled, apparently, after I sold it, by drilling a hole in the carburetor. There was a mechanical door on the air cleaner you had to switch over when the temperature went above 50 degrees. And they weren't kidding. It would ice up at 49 if it was open, and vapor lock at 51 if it was closed. My dad had the fuel injected 1970 version, an early Bosch effort, that mysteriously died in some places, which was finally traced to a police radio transmitter that resonated with its computer. It would be towed away, nothing found, and driven home. But the thing was lively, handled well, and it will forever be remembered as about the best two wheel drive snow vehicle ever made.
The old two stroke Saabs were incredibly well put together, and noted for never rattling.
that is a LOT of issues to get used to, in order to have a driveable and reliable car! Police X Mitter killed the car? WHOA! !st I've ever heard of that! Amazing! Thank you a BUNCH for typing all that out! Was a hoot to read!
"Gesichert" means secure. But I do not understand the meaning of this label.
ReplyDeleteI posted that around 1m, not the time to try and research anything... but you just prompted me to look it up, it's a shifter lock, so, security, by Sperrwolf, VW Licensed equipment, and I'm adding those images to the post now... be there added to the car images in a momen
DeleteOK, some more research I'll have to do: is this sort of shifter lock the inspiration for (or inspired by) the floor mounted shift lock/ignition switch combination on Saabs? I'll report back...
ReplyDeleteBack already. Having no personal experience with two-stroke powered Saabs (92, 95, 96), I've just learned that their floor mounted ignition switch started with the 99 model in 1968 as a response to knee injuries from column mounted ignition switches. So obviously not before the aftermarket VW shifter lock you pictured but possibly inspired by it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the interesting stuff you find and post.
...And for occasionally sending me down the rabbit hole...
you are welcome!
DeleteAnd I'm so often in the rabbit hole, I send others there to find and rescue me.
If you knew how many times Steve B in Las Vegas has been sent down in researching something ridiculously obscure, you'd likely be amazed
I had one of those Saab 99's, and the shift lock worked pretty nicely, but my dad had one too and hated it, and managed over a fairly short time to break or wear down the locking mechanism so it didn't actually lock the transmission lever. Before that he had a couple of the two-stroke "cornpopper" Saabs, which were a hoot to drive with their freewheeling. You could pass going down a hill at idle. The freewheeling meant you could also downshift without the clutch. They understeered like crazy, and under power you could not negotiate a turn, but as soon as you let off the gas, it would pop back into line as if on a bungee cord. His '65 made smoke rings at idle too.
ReplyDeleteThe early 99's were a beautiful design and an awful execution, using a Triumph Stag motor. You could replace the clutch without taking the engine or tranny out, but you had to too often because the thrust bearing ate into the diaphragm and snapped the lever. Mine, a '69, did not officially exist according to American dealers, and some parts were impossible to get. A thief broke a back window on mine, and because it had changed in 1970, I could never replace it, and endedup with a window glass makeshift. It had a full and non-removable aerodynamic floor under the engine, which meant you had to pull the engine to tighten the oil pan bolts, and to pry an extra bit out to change the oil if you'd bumped and dented it too much. ONe of its earliest innovations was a rear window defroster. It had an air duct that wend down the floor under the shifter, and came out in the rear shelf. Great until the plastic warped, whereupon the gearshift would become very hot in winter. The carbureted version (which I had) had an incurable hot stalling problem, which was recalled, apparently, after I sold it, by drilling a hole in the carburetor. There was a mechanical door on the air cleaner you had to switch over when the temperature went above 50 degrees. And they weren't kidding. It would ice up at 49 if it was open, and vapor lock at 51 if it was closed. My dad had the fuel injected 1970 version, an early Bosch effort, that mysteriously died in some places, which was finally traced to a police radio transmitter that resonated with its computer. It would be towed away, nothing found, and driven home. But the thing was lively, handled well, and it will forever be remembered as about the best two wheel drive snow vehicle ever made.
The old two stroke Saabs were incredibly well put together, and noted for never rattling.
that is a LOT of issues to get used to, in order to have a driveable and reliable car! Police X Mitter killed the car? WHOA! !st I've ever heard of that! Amazing!
DeleteThank you a BUNCH for typing all that out! Was a hoot to read!