It is a good idea regardless of how trad it is. Look at it this way. Some day you sell the car. New owner isn't as smart as you. Tries to start the car one day w/o pushing in the clutch or checking neutral. Now, like those books in grade schools with multiple endings I will lay out TWO scenarios. The first is tragic, that gorgeous 32 ends up lurching forward and gets t-boned by a passing car. The second option prob will not make you feel any better. While at a car show the same thing happens only this time the car lurches forward and over a mom pushing a stroller with her toddler in it. Now, how cool are you? Remember Don Dillard, who is the penultimate car guy had a similar thing happen at the Ego-Rama a few years back. He was lucky, minor injury to his self and the Model A.
I still think if you dont know how to drive a standard then get the hell out of the drivers seat. Its second nature.
I'm gonna be a "naysayer" on this one, as twice I have been able to get to a place of parts availability because of not having an "idiot proof" clutch and shifter setup. First was about 40 years ago in NC, on remote, coastal back roads in a Jeep truck with sbc and hyd. clutch linkage. A line burst, clutch release inop of course. Able to start in low and carefully shift to higher gears, get into a town and purchase enough stuff to fix it. Second was in Costa Rica on a remote peninsula on West coast, driving a rented OT small import SUV. Cable clutch release hsg on cable went thru firewall and secured on frt side by horsehoe clip which failed and the clutch wouldn't release. Only way off peninsula was by ferry, as the tip of pen. was where all the beach towns were and the rest of pen. back to mainland was rocky and jungle with NO roads. Called rental co. and they agreed to meet me at ferry dock back on mainland, although they didn't understand me on how I would get there. At the ferry dock I explained the situation successfully to the crew, who loaded me first, using the technique I used on the Jeep, and I left the ferry last after all others were offloaded. Guys from the rental co. met me there and we swapped vehicles and off I went. Neither of these episodes would have ended so well if I had been forced to deal with a bunch of "idiot proof" crap.
If a guy worried about accidents all the time you would be bed ridden because god forbid you get out of bed and fall down and break your neck. Check to see if its in neutral or push in the clutch. Like I said it should be second nature. If you dont know how to drive a standard maybe you should take up sewing or something of that nature.
Not getting into the pro or con, but the old chevy mechanical brake light switch from NAPA installed under the floorboard so the clutch pedal activates it could be wired into the key to solenoid wire.
maybe you could adapt a neutral safety switch from a 1970 chevelle. readily available the reason i know is i had to put one on my chevelle as the person that had it before me took it off. just a little plastic switch with a pull rod on it.
I had no intention of including a neutral safety switch on my hot rod with a manual transmission but the safety inspector said he wouldn't pass my vehicle without one. I'm being forced to idiot proof. Can someone give me an idea on what contact switch to use? I was thinking about a push button starter switch mounted to the floor which would be activated by pressing the clutch pedal all the way down. Thoughts? Red
In the new Eckler's Classic Chevy catalog they offer a clutch activated neutral safety switch for various applications. Part #: 57-131172-1 Chevy Clutch Safety Switch Conversion Kit, 1955-1957 just $49.99 Plus a Gazillion Dollars in shipping charges.
A simple fix is to use a hydraulic brake light switch. Wire the start circuit from the ignition switch, through the hydraulic switch, then to the starter solenoid. Install it on the slave cylinder, and the clutch must be pushed in to achieve a crank. With an automatic transmission the brake must be applied to achieve a crank. Simple....
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