Column shift?

[Battles]

Any recommendations on a car, van or truck with a column shifter?
Manual or auto, I'm not really fussy.

I was trying to think of where I'd seen them fitted and, apart from US cars, some old Vauxhalls and some Previas, I couldn't think of any.

Big US pickups and SUVs have to be out of the equation because my Wife may need to drive it at some point and she's already turned her nose up at a few fine vehicles in that ballpark.

We need a second car and have been looking at big-ish, comfy Benzes which are mostly autos and I'd like the novelty value of a column shifter.

Some column shift porn to get your juices flowing...
<MASSIVE IMAGE DELETED>

The W116 is too big, in size and budget for me. I don't think the column shift was standard, anyway.

[Battles]

Crikey, I didn't expect it to be so big.
Sorry.

[retrowagen1234]

citroen ds... Wanna buy one? lol

retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=FSW&action=display&thread=96819

[chevazon]

Do you want a column shift or an auto which is shown in the pic ?
This would be easier for the guys to suggest if they knew what you wanted.

[retrowagen1234]

Feb 7, 2011 17:12:21 GMT chevazon said:

Do you want a column shift or an auto which is shown in the pic ?
This would be easier for the guys to suggest if they knew what you wanted.

His initial post says manual or auto not bothered.


Oh and to the OP . get rid of that huge pic

[datman]

Some JDM pickups (I had a '95 D21 recently with 5 speed column)
Bedford Midi (some)
Old Toyota Hiace
Column shift auto is ace, MUCH prefer it to floor shift.

[chevazon]

This could range from a 1950`s Ford Consul up to a modern(ish) Chrysler Voyager.
A column shift in my world is a proper gear lever which will change gears. An auto is a different kettle of fish.
I am only trying to narrow things down a bit.

[datman]

The Americans used to have nickname 'three on the tree' for a three speed column shift manual. (Along with four on the floor)
I had a 58 Hillman minx with column shift manual once.
Vauxhall Viscount / Cresta had column auto, not sure about manual.

[Fennec]

Chevy Celebrity has a column shift.

[DavidB]

Toyota Lucida's/Estima's use column shifts. I loved driving with those things!

[composimmonite]

I had a 1976 Saab 95 with column change. Joints were worn so unpleasant to drive. In the end it managed to select two gears at once so gearbox locked up and damaged internals.

Paul H

[claymore]

Trabbi

[Seth]

I've had tow vehicles with column shifts.

A60 Sun-Tor



and Saab 95 as already mentioned by compo /\

[Battles]

Thanks for the great suggestions, particularly the Saab, there's a proud history of Saab driving in my family but that's maybe too old for a daily driver.

Feb 7, 2011 17:29:12 GMT chevazon said:

This could range from a 1950`s Ford Consul up to a modern(ish) Chrysler Voyager.
I am only trying to narrow things down a bit.

Agreed, I might've left it too wide but I didn't have a clue how recently column shifters, whether manual or auto, were in use. I knew that a fifties or sixties machine is too old so I should've said so.
I am suitably chastised...

And sorry about that maaaaasive pic.
I thought I'd already deleted it, hence my second post.

[petetong]

my hiace has column change..
and its for sale to

[PhilA]

For an automatic... over here in the States it's common still to have column shift. My '07 Silverado doesn't even have a floor-mount shift option. Up until last year my Impala would have had column shift, this model year floor shift was introduced.

As for manual shift, only ever driven one, and that was a four-speed 'box in a 1947 Humber Super Snipe.... takes a bit of getting used to, especially as the gate in more elderly vehicles is either worn or ill-defined int he first place (in the case of the Humber, second and reverse gears were in pretty much the same place so a large GRRRRIIIND was part of learning the gears in a hurry)

A gearbox which is already designed for cable operation could technically be operated by a column mounted linkage though.

--Phil

[gouldygtr]

honda CRV's are column change in auto form ,
also Honda SMX as well
old vauxhall wyverns

[Battles]

Feb 7, 2011 22:06:27 GMT petetong said:

my hiace has column change..
and its for sale to

Manual tranny?

[bortaf]

I used to have a hiace truck with a column shift manual change, right pain in the where as mu lucida a nice but that's auto ;D

[spacekadett]

How about a Wartburg for some eastern Bloc Some had floor shift but almost unheard of for a column shift the linkage was better on this than the floor shift iirc