Kind of shifter

[Maarchk]

I tried to google but i dont know what the word is to describe what i'm talking about.

I've seen a few cars and i thought they were racing cars like drag racing street cars, and the shifter had like a button or level running down the front of the shifter. I dont know if it was like a hand clutch or something else but i was wondering if anyone knew what i was talking about and or could send me a link so i could know what it was i was trying to explain.

Thanks :)

Mark

[mechmike0034]

What you describe could be a reverse lock-out in an auto trans car with a manual valve body.

It could be a "line lock" which locks the front brakes so that a burnout can be done to heat the tires just before staging.

It could also be a nitrous button.

http://hurst-shifters.com/e-images04-350//3162020.jpg

This Hurst automatic shifter has a lockout, and the red button on top can be wired to either a nitrous system or to a line-lock solenoid.

Here's the Hurst catalog - have a look at the racing shifter section: http://go.mrgasket.com/pdf/HURST.pdf

[thresher]

Hey mech mike, you remember the old vertigate shifters? We thought those were hot stuff in the 80s boy! :)

[mechmike0034]

Hey mech mike, you remember the old vertigate shifters? We thought those were hot stuff in the 80s boy! :)

I never owned one personally, but they were the shiznit (long before that term originated...)

They are still available:

http://hurst-shifters.com/e-images04-350//4118156.jpg

http://hurst-shifters.com/ProductDetails.aspx?brandId=2&productID=6478575&majID=800&minID=8029&selection=2&minselection=14

[Maarchk]

What you describe could be a reverse lock-out in an auto trans car with a manual valve body.

It could be a "line lock" which locks the front brakes so that a burnout can be done to heat the tires just before staging."It looks like it was a reverse lock-out. Which i dont even get how that works. Is that like a clutch working with the shifter so there is no foot pedal?

I like the line lock and i've seen those in use before.

Thanks for all your help.

[mechmike0034]

It looks like it was a reverse lock-out. Which i dont even get how that works.

A reverse lock-out, as the name implies, is designed to mechanically prevent the driver from inadvertantly selecting reverse while changing gears. It can be found with both automatic and manual transmissions. Some racing automatics are modified to require manual gear changes.

Imagine what would happen if you accidently put the transmission in reverse while driving forward at 50-60 MPH or more...