1965 Ford promo film- Experimental 'Wrist-Twist' steering control on a Mercury Park Lane convertible

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.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• ford
• mercury
• lincoln
• experiment
• prototype
• dearborn
• michigan
• proving
• grounds
• test

[lrd9999]

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.

[LynolsOffice]

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.

[youtoobe169]

Hey this is cool, where did you find this video?

[LynolsOffice]

On a 1980's VHS tape of vintage car commercials.

[theotherserge]

LOL! "A driver that is about as non-technical as they come"

[avi8tor4fn]

"Most women will agree that parking is the most taxing part of driving." Some things never change.

[lrd9999]

@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).

[busessuck1]

Why didn't this take off?

[ablrcklnthewall]

@lrd9999 Meh. The floor auto shifter doesn't bother me, what was I going to put there anyway?

[67RcodeFairlane]

That is so cool!!

[whitewaterlady1]

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.

[lilbear47]

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

[EcrossH]

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...

[racer500gp]

This shows women drivers as good looking and clueless !!! Damn, I miss the good old days. Ha ha

[avi8tor4fn]

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?