"Axel-Ripper" (Axel-Ripper)
12/08/2014 at 19:03 • Filed to: None
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"Axel-Ripper" (Axel-Ripper)
12/08/2014 at 19:03 • Filed to: None | 2
| 9 |
Was having a discussion with some fellow Opponauts about the fact that some manufacturers had been using cable driven clutches until the mid-2000's. This brought up the question: What was the first car (or bike even) with a hydraulic operated clutch? I know 80s BMWs had them, but there must have been something before that as well. So what say you, Oppo? What was the first vehicle with a hydraulically operated clutch?
If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
> Axel-Ripper
12/08/2014 at 19:09 |
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I feel like the answer might actually be a truck instead of a car. With huge engines come huge transmissions and heavy clutches, so you'd want the power boost that you can get with a hydraulic system. I wouldn't be surprised if it was an army truck or something, the military has always been a source of major technological developments.
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If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
> Axel-Ripper
12/08/2014 at 19:25 |
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Btw thank you for not spelling it "hydrolic".
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> Axel-Ripper
12/08/2014 at 19:25 |
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Oh, it's been since probably the 20s. It was already ubiquitous in some uses by the 50s, particularly Brits.
6shelBfan6
> Axel-Ripper
12/08/2014 at 19:26 |
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The 280Z also had one. Not sure when they started using it though.
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/08/2014 at 19:39 |
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The Land-Rover Series II had a hydraulic clutch from the beginning, in the late 50s. I don't actually know when the Series I picked it up -whether it started with one in the late 40s or switched on the jump to the 107 in the mid 50s. There would definitely have been heavy vehicles a very long time before that, though.
I was expecting to find a picture of a 30s Cadillac with one or something, but so far I haven't had any luck.
RallyWrench
> Axel-Ripper
12/08/2014 at 19:43 |
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BMW went hydraulic in '68.
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If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
> RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
12/08/2014 at 20:25 |
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Likely because Caddy has historically been a premium brand, they were probably automatic only pretty quickly after auto boxes were invented.
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/09/2014 at 09:11 |
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Well, I looked in the prior to auto trans era, but still couldn't pin it down. I found an encyclopedia citing the first vacuum operated clutch in '32, so the first hydraulic in an auto was probably after that.
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> Axel-Ripper
12/09/2014 at 09:19 |
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One more piece of information I can give you this morning: the circa '58 World Book encyclopedia I have on the shelf cites a vacuum operated clutch as an innovation for '32. I'd like to think the appearance in a car of a hydraulic clutch would have deserved a mention had it been first, so that gives us a window: ~'32 to ~'55 (present in the MGA). Some time in that span would be the historic first you're looking for.