Remember when ?

**Iowatech** · 12-06-2015

Yeah, remember when a car's automatic transmission only had two or three gears? On most cars you can't get one with less than four gears now, at least around here anyway.
A while back, the Chevy two gear automatic transmission was prized by drag racers.
How about engines you had to crank with your hands to start? Granted, I'm far to young to have experienced this when it was the main way to start an engine, but I have come across a couple of them. God help you if the thing backfires while you try to start it (especially old John Deere tractors that you actually had to turn the flyweel to start). Magnetos powered the spark plugs on those, no battery needed.

**subaro** · 12-07-2015

Originally Posted by KenB

Back in the '70s, my first job was at an electronics store, a competitor for Radio Shack at the time.

We carried, by special order only, some of the first cordless telephones.

The price? $750. That would be like paying $5,000 or more today.

Ah, yes the days of landline only. When the shout, bob phone and you had to leave what you doing, even if you were under the car and run upstairs only to hear some salesman wanting to sell you some thing. rotary dial too. misdial a number, do it all over again. what about your sister using the phone and the whole set of noise to get here off, cause only one line and don't disturb her gossip. not to long ago.
the fights for the phone, or waiting for an expected call and the phone always busy, one of the siblings on for ages.

**ZOOTECH** · 12-07-2015

I remember my dad told me "do not crank the handle" with your thumb around the handle; a back fire would take your thumb off!

**KenB** · 12-07-2015

Originally Posted by Iowatech

Yeah, remember when a car's automatic transmission only had two or three gears? On most cars you can't get one with less than four gears now, at least around here anyway.
A while back, the Chevy two gear automatic transmission was prized by drag racers.
How about engines you had to crank with your hands to start? Granted, I'm far to young to have experienced this when it was the main way to start an engine, but I have come across a couple of them. God help you if the thing backfires while you try to start it (especially old John Deere tractors that you actually had to turn the flyweel to start). Magnetos powered the spark plugs on those, no battery needed.

My friend's Dad had a '64 Pontiac Bonneville back in the day.

It was considered really special to have an automatic transmission that actually had four forward speeds.

My first car was a '63 Chevy Impala, and it had the two speed automatic in it, along with a 283 V8 engine.

**subaro** · 12-07-2015

I am not as old to remember hand crank engines working, though i have seen a few. [15 yrs or so behind you guys] I have seen one zepher automatic car where the driver change functions of the drive by push buttons on the dash.

**fixthecopier** · 12-07-2015

I remember when you pulled up to a store, pumped your gas then went in and paid for it.

I remember when you wrote a check, and then you still had about 3 or 4 days to get the money in the bank.

I remember my mom eating this diet candy called Aydes. pronounced aids

I remember taping a nickle to the end of the arm on a turntable to play records that were badly scratched.

**KenB** · 12-07-2015

Originally Posted by subaro

I am not as old to remember hand crank engines working, though i have seen a few. [15 yrs or so behind you guys] I have seen one zepher automatic car where the driver change functions of the drive by push buttons on the dash.

I had a '64 Dodge Dart with a push button tranny.

You flipped a small lever to the right to put it in Park.

**subaro** · 12-08-2015

Originally Posted by fixthecopier

I remember when you pulled up to a store, pumped your gas then went in and paid for it.

I remember when you wrote a check, and then you still had about 3 or 4 days to get the money in the bank.

I remember my mom eating this diet candy called Aydes. pronounced aids

I remember taping a nickle to the end of the arm on a turntable to play records that were badly scratched.

Talking about turntable. we had an old philips tube radio,turtable combo. Whenever our cousin will come over, she would just play this record over and over and over. this is how i still remember the name. who remember this tune.