EasyShifter wrote:sussex2 wrote:The Fiat was by far the best and you could do clutchless gear changes with ease.
I had to do that for a few weeks in a 1980s Hillman Imp when the clutch thrust bearing went at the start of the school term. Poor as church mice, we couldn't afford to pay for the work to be done so I just had to keep using it until I got a free weekend to do the work myself (not difficult as it turned out on an Imp).
So for those few weeks I was driving around Wolverhampton town centre and surroundings doing clutches gear-changes. I gave a a lift to a 6th form student who'd just passed his driving test and he was intrigued. "How d'you do that? Can I have a go?'
'Very carefully, and no,'I replied. 'Ask your dad if he'll let you try it in his.'
'I don't think he'd let me'
Well, surprise, surprise.
One thing about that kind of experience - it's a great way to learn to do silky gear changes with a working clutch.
I had Imps, again, very easy to work on, engine out in no time.