You can speculate at you want, but I've driven it! My brother was a Ford engineer and brought one home to show us. It was a blast to drive, worked very well. I kept hoping some other driver would notice I didn't have a steering wheel, but it didn't happen. My 13 year old brother drove it too, it's one of those memories that we'll always share. Safety concerns kept them from marketing it.
in highschool my girlfriends dad wrote car articles for ap and brought home cars to test drive and he let me take her out in 1 of these and for my 66 prom i got to take her in a 67 charger
Geezus... shows how sexist society was back then. I'd love to send Glenn Beck back to those "golden days" as a woman and let him see exactly how perfect things were back then...
I looked this up because I remember ads for cars wrist twist steering when I was a kid watching Superman on Saturday. They always had Barens car ads showing a car on a turn-table. Always wondered what happened to it. Did they ever sell any cars with this steering?
Looks like he has the ol' VHS tape, Dream cars of the 50's and the 60's. I remember this from when I was watching that video as a kid, and I remember thinking "why two? does each ring control each wheel? Or both?"
I don't know how this would feel in normal driving, but in a panic, it would be way too easy to get disoriented, especially if the car were swerving. My favorite layout is that of a car (or truck) with a column shifter. It's much easier to steer with one hand and rest you other hand on the shifter, especially if the steering has any play. I can't do that in my Honda, it has no grab handle on the door and a big stupid floor shifter; a useless waste of space with an automatic transmission.
I agree. I HATE floor automatic shifters. It's so pointless. It's much easier to have it on the column where you can actually see the shifter without looking down.
I've always suspected that they were there to sooth the egos of people who were self conscious about the fact that they couldn't work a manual transmission.
@ablrcklnthewall In most newer cars, my leg hits the center console, though they made some cars in the past with just a lever there but no console. Late model cars seem to feel confining (for the driver, at least) no matter how big they are. It also seems like a waste to no longer have the option to fit a 6th passenger. Of course, that middle position was not particularly comfortable; you might have wanted to save it for someone you disliked a little (or liked a lot).
Unfortunately, a lot of them feel as if they were based on a Z80. Most of the minor controls in my car have at least a half second delay. The cruise control waits more than a minute before it jerks and surges its way to the preset speed.
All this assumed the power steering system would not fail...if it did, you would have an almost impossible task to move the little wheels to steer the car!! Oh well, back to the missle drawing board...maybe he Martians will appreciate! :D Jack
yes, i have that tape----love the color 1955 motorama film and the 'how to run your gas station' film-flying 'a' service i think--but definitely if the steering went out---not much leverage to put it mildly
Now that is something i have never heard of before. And I am with roush, its ugly, obviously back in the days when auto makers were still trying to find their mark to keep their business afloat. Later down the road auto makers learned they did not have to work so hard, just put out a good product and people will buy it.
No need for the lil red button for the ejector seat.
Why didn't this take off?
busessuck1 8 months ago
That is so cool!!
67RcodeFairlane 11 months ago
You can speculate at you want, but I've driven it! My brother was a Ford engineer and brought one home to show us. It was a blast to drive, worked very well. I kept hoping some other driver would notice I didn't have a steering wheel, but it didn't happen. My 13 year old brother drove it too, it's one of those memories that we'll always share. Safety concerns kept them from marketing it.
whitewaterlady1 1 year ago
in highschool my girlfriends dad wrote car articles for ap and brought home cars to test drive and he let me take her out in 1 of these and for my 66 prom i got to take her in a 67 charger
lilbear47 1 year ago
Geezus... shows how sexist society was back then. I'd love to send Glenn Beck back to those "golden days" as a woman and let him see exactly how perfect things were back then...
EcrossH 1 year ago
This shows women drivers as good looking and clueless !!! Damn, I miss the good old days. Ha ha
racer500gp 2 years ago 2
"Most women will agree that parking is the most taxing part of driving." Some things never change.
avi8tor4fn 2 years ago 10
I looked this up because I remember ads for cars wrist twist steering when I was a kid watching Superman on Saturday. They always had Barens car ads showing a car on a turn-table. Always wondered what happened to it. Did they ever sell any cars with this steering?
avi8tor4fn 2 years ago
Looks like he has the ol' VHS tape, Dream cars of the 50's and the 60's. I remember this from when I was watching that video as a kid, and I remember thinking "why two? does each ring control each wheel? Or both?"
creepingnet 2 years ago
what the hell??!!comon!!!
ShikamaruVash 2 years ago
looks terrible, she had to keep on shufling her hands to do a turn, that would make quick tight turns extreemely hard to do with such a system.
stangrits 2 years ago
LOL! "A driver that is about as non-technical as they come"
theotherserge 2 years ago 13
I don't know how this would feel in normal driving, but in a panic, it would be way too easy to get disoriented, especially if the car were swerving. My favorite layout is that of a car (or truck) with a column shifter. It's much easier to steer with one hand and rest you other hand on the shifter, especially if the steering has any play. I can't do that in my Honda, it has no grab handle on the door and a big stupid floor shifter; a useless waste of space with an automatic transmission.
lrd9999 2 years ago
I agree. I HATE floor automatic shifters. It's so pointless. It's much easier to have it on the column where you can actually see the shifter without looking down.
LynolsOffice 2 years ago
I've always suspected that they were there to sooth the egos of people who were self conscious about the fact that they couldn't work a manual transmission.
lrd9999 2 years ago
@lrd9999 Meh. The floor auto shifter doesn't bother me, what was I going to put there anyway?
ablrcklnthewall 8 months ago
@ablrcklnthewall In most newer cars, my leg hits the center console, though they made some cars in the past with just a lever there but no console. Late model cars seem to feel confining (for the driver, at least) no matter how big they are. It also seems like a waste to no longer have the option to fit a 6th passenger. Of course, that middle position was not particularly comfortable; you might have wanted to save it for someone you disliked a little (or liked a lot).
lrd9999 8 months ago
You'd smash your car up so fast with one of those weird things.
zephmont 3 years ago
I'd actually like to try it out.
Ajaces 3 years ago
haha, thats some weird steering wheel...lol
TheCubanMan728 3 years ago
Wow, that's weird!
I'd still prefer a steering wheel though...
chevykid94 3 years ago
Never heard of it. Would be intersting but I prefer the steering wheel. Lol you should put that on one of your tractors. That would be a great movie.
Lol
5 Stars
-Stlouissux9119
stlouissux9119 3 years ago
I think I prefer the steering wheel, thanks.
Very cool video!
ForgetfulCollector 3 years ago
that Power Steering system would have to be EXTREMELY Powerful to make that Mercury Move!
digitalrailroader 3 years ago
The steering on Fords of that era was notorious for being too light; it was like a video game controller. People complained that felt numb.
lrd9999 2 years ago
well, it looks like the cars of today are GOING the Route of Video Game controls...
digitalrailroader 2 years ago
Unfortunately, a lot of them feel as if they were based on a Z80. Most of the minor controls in my car have at least a half second delay. The cruise control waits more than a minute before it jerks and surges its way to the preset speed.
lrd9999 2 years ago
More than Likely, you have Drive By Wire, as well as completely electronic Cruise Control, where the Actuator is a part of the Drive By Wire system.
digitalrailroader 2 years ago
I bet I know what they have around the corner... I'm prediciting these wrist twist thing's won't catch on :p
CSAKvids 3 years ago
All this assumed the power steering system would not fail...if it did, you would have an almost impossible task to move the little wheels to steer the car!! Oh well, back to the missle drawing board...maybe he Martians will appreciate! :D Jack
raconter1 3 years ago
Hey this is cool, where did you find this video?
youtoobe169 3 years ago
On a 1980's VHS tape of vintage car commercials.
LynolsOffice 3 years ago
yes, i have that tape----love the color 1955 motorama film and the 'how to run your gas station' film-flying 'a' service i think--but definitely if the steering went out---not much leverage to put it mildly
renofirvine 2 years ago
wow thats wierd!
1944johndeerel 3 years ago
:43- " A driver as non technical as they come..."
So when you get in a front collision you dont get a steering wheel in the face- it goes into your groin..... your face hits the windsheild.....niice.
:29- notice how the dude that made it swerves all over- easy to steer? Ex missle engineer? He couldnt build missles either?
Things that make y go hmmmmmm.....
dangeroustoys56 3 years ago
It looks a little freaky, but I wouldn't mind trying it out!
wilkes85 3 years ago
Now that is something i have never heard of before. And I am with roush, its ugly, obviously back in the days when auto makers were still trying to find their mark to keep their business afloat. Later down the road auto makers learned they did not have to work so hard, just put out a good product and people will buy it.
No need for the lil red button for the ejector seat.
Peace :)
1G0TP1NK8C1DB00TS0N9 3 years ago
I think windy roads would be a bit more challenging with this type of steering control.
jefferyb304 3 years ago
This is something that I am glad didn't catch on. That looks horrible.
Roushfan5 3 years ago