[TR] My worst car ever

[Joe Curry]

Having worked for a Saab dealership in the 60's when the Ford V4 engines
were being used, I can attest to how neat they were.  But the real
interesting innovation was the free-wheeling device that they used.  It was
a simple roller/ramp affair that allows the roller bearings to roll freely
in one direction but have to climb a ramp in the other direction.  That
caused them to lock down when the ramp became too tight for free travel.

One side was attached to the engine and the other side was attached to the
transmission and when the thing was engaged, as long as the engine rpm was
lower than the transmission rpm, the thing would free-wheel.  It was a great
fuel saving device.  When the engine rpm rose above that of the gearbox, the
engine power was then transferred to the drive train and normal operation
was resumed.  In free-wheeling mode, you could shift the entire gearbox
through the entire range of gears without ever engaging the clutch.

Disengaging the device would return the car to a normal arrangement.

Joe C.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Marr" <mmarr at notwires.com>
To: <pethier at comcast.net>; <DLylis at aol.com>; <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 11:33 AM
Subject: Re: [TR] My worst car ever


> >> Oddly, the worst car I ever owned, I loved.  1968 SAAB 96.  It  started
>
> Following all the sob stories about Worst Cars, we finish, appropriately
> enough, with a couple of SAAB stories...
>
> Mike
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