[TR] My worst car ever

[John Herrera]

>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.

Sounds like the sprag clutch on a helicopter that lets the engine drive the 
rotor but allows the rotor to autorotate when the engine quits.

Er... if.

John