History Film of a "twist" steering prototype for Ford '65

[AustinThunderbird]

came across this and thought some people here might want to see it. A strange twist steering prototype.. looks like a wreck waiting to happen


This is a film made by Ford Motor Company from 1965, demonstrating an experimental new device that replaces the steering wheel called the Wrist-Twist steering control.



http://youtu.be/PWWYkxQCFfQ

[AustinThunderbird]

also a link to a Popular Science article on it...

http://books.google.com/books?id=AiY...0wheel&f=false

[Zombie Hot Rod]

"Most women will agree that parking is the most taxing part of driving."

How are you gonna drive up the road looking cool with one hand on the top of the wheel in that thing?

[Hdonlybob]

Neat....only slight question would be how it performed when wearing large winter gloves ??
I like it though...
Cheers......

[squirrel]

I remember reading that article when I was a kid....my grandpa gave me a bunch of back issues of PS, MI, PM, etc

[porknbeaner]

Originally Posted by AustinThunderbird

came across this and thought some people here might want to see it. A strange twist steering prototype.. looks like a wreck waiting to happen


This is a film made by Ford Motor Company from 1965, demonstrating an experimental new device that replaces the steering wheel called the Wrist-Twist steering control.



http://youtu.be/PWWYkxQCFfQ

And that my friends is whay aerospace engineers do not design cars.

[I Drag]

The proverbial answer to the question nobodys asking.

[AustinThunderbird]

Originally Posted by iwanaflattie

The real question is:
Can you order it with double mini-chromed chain steering wheel thingy?

close thread.. we have a winner

[Fourdy]

I actually drove one. While in the Washington State Patrol I was asked if I would like to drive a ford experimental car that was loaned to the state for trial. It was in '67 or '68 and was a (mind gets a little foggy here) Mustang something 500 I believe. The steering was of course unique but I wouldn't want a t-bar getting in the way all the time.

I was more impressed with the power in that car. My patrol car was a plymouth 383. Don't know what was in the Mustang but on the freeway doing 50, when I punched it I burned a strip of rubber. The patrol didn't order any because there was no room to transport those that required a trip to the county facilities. LOL

"I swear this is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth"

Fourdy

[seb fontana]

It would hinder cell phone use?

[Dreddybear]

That's awesome. It's weird, I like weird.

[gatz]

Pontiac did something similar in '64 or maybe '65.
However, in this version, the steering was done by 2 smallish wheels that were mounted on either side of the driver's bucket seat. There wasn't anything between the driver and the dash but open air. (with only lap seatbelts, this was downright scarey, to say the least!)
The Popular Science magazine (might've been Popular Mechanix) that ran the article had a very good color picture of the car on the front cover. IIRC, it was a convertible too.

I kept that magazine for many years, but don't know where it is right now.

gatz

[gwhite]

Where the heck is "DeerBURN" Michigan?

[Rocky]

I'd want one with a mini, 2 finger "brody" knob.

[VirgilHilts]

Replace a simple device with a complicated one syndrome. Still kinda neet!

[oldgrezmonke]

Can you imagine steering with that when the power steering fails ?

[Kustom Komet]

That compact lady couldn't have done that in that 4,200lb Merc with a regular steering wheel.

-KK

[fredeuce]

Originally Posted by porknbeaner

And that my friends is whay aerospace engineers do not design cars.

I think the designers had been watching too much of the "The Jetsons".

[Rusty O'Toole]

Believe it or not this was supposed to be a safety feature, getting the steering column out of the way so it couldn't spear the driver in an accident.

[Jonnie King]

For many years I've had a group of VHS Tapes & DVD's with Classic Car Commercials & Industry Clips, including this one. Every few months they're fun to pull out and see how the Industry viewed itself back in that "Golden Age" of Detroit iron.

Some of my faves include the Chrysler Corp. videos showing how superior the Torsion Bar Suspension is to GM's coil springs in '57 - '58. The Buicks & Cads wallow all over the road, while the Chrysler suspension tracks clean.

And then there's GM's '58 Chevy Demo showing "ramp jumping", "Joey Chitwood-style" daredevil driving and time after time landing solid with Chev's new suspension. Ever see any "ramp jumping" videos of the 2013 Malibu...not a chance !

And then there's a full-size Chevy truck, a '65 I think, vertically winching itself up the side of a mountain...very cool indeed, and it worked !!

Ah, ya gotta love our Early Iron !

Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net

[hlfuzzball]

I too got to drive a prototype Mercury Coupe with wrist-twist in 1967. Can't say it was any better than a normal wheel. Faster reacting yes; less effort yes; weird- definitely!