Ralph mentioned that a six cylinder engine and two speed transmission should work well together on another thread. Below are three YouTube links showing our Model K:
1. Beginning on the flat at idle in low, then shifting to high with no acceleration.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lww1fyC2UM&feature=youtube_gdata_player&rdm=14ti54 18m&client=mv-google&layout=mobile
2. The same scenario, starting on a slight hill.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=KzI6YQbBbGM
3. Beginning on the level, at idle, in high gear.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LANpHfHnSHY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
In all three videos I immediately snap into high gear (over center) just allowing natural clutch slippage.
I was impressed with the results. I know I would have to slip the clutch on either of our T or N cars to start in high gear, however the six cylinder seemed to handle the start on high with little effort.
This all done from my iPhone (alone) with one hand holding the phone/camera, one hand shifting and one hand steering (you get the idea) so I apologize for the poor quality
Very nice Rob.
Thank you Frank.
Ford was mentioned in articles concerning gearless, planetary and sliding gear transmissions during this period. below is one article discussing the merits of a gearless car with Ford and Napier six cylinder cars mentioned:
This 1906 article quotes Henry Ford on his opinion about the sliding gear transmission:
Bob,
I drive our 1910 2 cylinder REO the same way. It has a 4-3/4" bore x 6" stroke and is a real thumper. I have out pulled numerous stock model T's on hills.
We got our REO in Nebraska in 1973 and had it restored by 1978. In addition, my Great Grandfather who was German settled in Glenville Nebraska.
I enjoy your posts!
If I remember correctly, a Stanley Steamer only has one gear.
LOL -
"Many designers predict that the Napier company will entirely discard the transmission gear in the near future, depending only on the clutch for all forward speeds and a reverse mechanism for backing"
Rob, thanks again for a hilarious example of a newspaper writer making it up as he goes.
OK so Napier tried a prototype and then figured out it was not a sound marketing plan. Very interesting I guess, a weird idea that didn't work out so well.
No, not a prototype, Napier offered the six cylinder chassis as a standard production feature.
As did Simplex for the 1909 model year:
Great Info Rob. Keep it coming. Mark
OK Mark
This is how "The Automobile" magazine responded to a letter from a reader regarding the Ford six cylinder car and two speed planetary transmission in January 1907:
What we think of as a weakness in early Fords may not have been considered a liability at the time, at least according to some sources.
They didn't have syncromesh back then. The planetary is infinitely easier to master than the grinder box.
It's a good bet that the planetary sold a lot of Ts to first time buyers.
Ralph,
I've had the good fortune to own both planetary drive and sliding gear early cars. My longest experience with a cone clutch/3speed sliding gear transmission was with our 1913 Buick Model 25. It was a wonderful car, well appointed and plush when compared with our 13 T (that I owned at the same time). However, the Buick was much less fun to drive (my opinion) as the turning/steering was more cumbersome with a larger turning radius, and the transmission/clutch were much less forgiving. Usually I would start out in 2nd gear because low gear was so low that after a few feet I needed to shift to second anyway, and by the time the shift was made (waiting for the engine speed and ground speed to "mesh") I had lost the momentum from the low gear start.
Of course there are times when I was happy to have a low and second, but my preference was almost always to drive the T, show the Buick.
Rob