Just checking in with my Oldsmobile friends,
Learning curve !! In this post I'm referring to my 34 Plymouth however this could apply to any vintage vehicle !! after several weeks of ownership ( and many trips around the block) of my 34 Plymouth I think I finally have it figured out, not mastered but figured out , I'm talking DOUBLE CLUTCHING and shifting, you see the 3 speed trans in the Plymouth is non synchro, as my luck would have it synchro didn't show up on Plymouth's until 1935 so I had to learn to double clutch an art not to familiar to people anymore except old timers and truck drivers. I had no choice but to learn because without learning the technique the trans is a coffee grinder !!!
What I have learned besides the double clutching is shift points, you see the old girl prefers low speed shift points as opposed to the higher shift points I was used to on my 5 speed Mazda. I'm finding I'm already in 3rd (high) gear by the time I hit 20-25 mph that's her sweet spot and to my surprise that's where that little 201 cid flathead likes it !! and she doesn't even lug at that low speed !!
So for you vintage guys or anybody else familiar with this I would like to hear your experiences Oldsmobile or otherwise.
P/S Merry Christmas !!!!

 

I learned to drive on our farm with a '39 Chevy 1 1/2 ton truck.
It had a 4 speed "crashbox".
Driven many crashboxes since.
Double clutching is OK for beginners, but when you really get good is when you don't use a clutch at all between gears
You simply let up, put it into neutral, and listen for the engine RPM to drop to just the right speed to drop it smoothly into the next gear.
Takes practice.

 

I'll work on that !! I had a 57 Chevy sedan delivery with a Muncie 220 that I got pretty good at speed shifting ( Different but similar) but this is a different kind of animal .

 

Sounds like fun actually!

 

Let's see some pics of that pre-war beauty!

 

It is an acquired talent that many do not easily grasp.
With a tachometer it is easier to see the desired engine RPM to create the proper mesh.

As you mentioned, the lower the rpm you shift at the easier it is. Revving twice as high gives twice the actual RPM difference per shift.
Close ratios are easier than wide ratio gear spreads & the time to wait for engine RPM drop is also less.
The lowest gear in many truck transmissions is a good example of this where RPM is nearly half of the next gear... waiting for the RPM to drop enough to shift.

One of the unique things I noticed was the longer you drive, the trans gets hotter thinning out the trans oil & making the gears spin easier.
I can shift like it is a fully synchronized trans as the oil slows the input down without double clutching when cold but not when hot.

One thing that may be of benefit is to get a feel for the amount of clutch travel needed. To determine this, try pulling with a slight tension on the shifter as you slowly push in the clutch.
This will give you a feel for how far you need to push the clutch in for it to smoothly release. Once you determine how far of a clutch press is needed (maybe add just a bit more for safety) & commit it to memory. The process can be sped up to basically a clutch tap (maybe 1/2 way or less to the floor as needed) to get into neutral, then release clutch, rev match & another partial press to get into the next gear.

Once you master the above, next you can find the balance point when, as you lift off the throttle, just between acceleration loads & coast, the trans will slip out of gear without any force. If you have to drag it out, you are putting unnecessary wear on the shift forks. Now you can accelerate, lift the throttle & simultaneously pull the trans into neutral without a clutch. Next press the clutch to get into the next gear at the proper rpm. You are now only "single" clutching if that is even a term.

Now, as mentioned above, you can get into neutral without the use of a clutch, then at the appropriate RPM go into the next gear without a clutch for a completely clutch-less shift.
Keep in mind, if done correctly it is harmless to the trans & should not make a sound, but partial tooth engagement under high load can result in gear damage. (large hills, pulling a load etc.)

All of this applies to up shifts but can be applied to downshifts with a little more practice, although using the clutch is strongly recommended.

 

I had posted pics in a previous post but since it was love at first site I’ll be happy to oblige.






the 34 and her stable mate The Olds !!

 

I have a 48 Ford. Driving the four speed takes some getting used to. I also occasionally drive big trucks with the eaton 10 speeds, so I get the process. Honestly looking at the tach is a distraction. It's more about timing and muscle memory.

 

That's a good-looking car!
I've never seen one in that color combination before.

 

Sharp looking car.
I knew that Cadillac introduced the first synchronized transmission in 1928.
By 1932 Fords and Chevys had one.
I didn't know that Plymouth waited until 1935 to go syncronized.

 

That is one gorgeous 34.. wow, love it

 

Yup like most of you I enjoy the history of these vehicles< Plymouth was a little behind on some things ( the were the bottom rung on the Chrysler ladder) but little ahead on some things , they were using juice brakes in 1928 and this 34 had independent front upper and lower control arms while most were using straight axels, they also boasted mostly steel construction while others were still using a lot of wood in doors and coach . interesting stuff !!

 

My first car that I owned, not my Dad's car that I drove, was a '71 Plymouth Duster with a 3-on-the-tree. It only had synchro on 2nd and 3rd. The shift linkage was all kinds of messed up so the shifter itself was a bit of a ouija board. After a while, I just got lazy and would only use the clutch for pulling away from a dead stop. I could slip it into 1st gear at almost any speed as long as the car was moving. After that, up-shift and down-shifts were all clutch free. My Dad couldn't even do it in that car. It is all based on knowing your vehicle and the sound the engine makes at any given speed. I once got so lazy, I would just shut the engine off, stick it in 1st and hit the starter to get moving.
That experience served me well when the clutch cable on my girlfriend's Chevy Chevette broke in downtown Phoenix traffic.