Pushbutton Shifters?

[mopardug]

Good evening sportsfans.
These were with some parts that I recently picked up.
Any ideas on their application?

 

[Ron H]

Looks like the '64 era vertical buttons and the boxed are I'd say '57 or 58. All models had this setup I think excluding Imperial...

 

[Ron H]

Imperial had slanted-vertical arranged buttons; the 'boxed' style still had a starter button under N ya pressed to start the car after turning the ignition key to on. I'll add these buttons were NOT Plymouth of the era - they were Dodge, Chrysler, Desoto...

 

[Ron H]

Sorry to post another post. If you might have intentions of restoring the buttons rather than sell them, or sell them after doing refurbishing...do not use any alcohol-solvent based cleaners. Use mild dish soap and water and plan to spend some time doing this. I've restoed buttons and have had some trial & error having mule buttons. I found some nice tricks to make them looking pretty nice...just sayin...

 

[mopardug]

Thanks for the info. I don't think that I'd ever use these even IF I won the lottery

 

[Ron H]

Thanks for the info. I don't think that I'd ever use these even IF I won the lottery

LOL, an interesting part of mopar history they are...from '56 to '64, including a couple drag racing legends preferring them from '62 to their demise. One equipped his '65 racer with the buttons from a '64 and that was the end of that.
Rental car companies and fleets didn't want them - too confusing I gather as people were looking for a gear shift lever. Lol, how does this compare to getting into a rental today trying to figure out all the electronic gizmo's?

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

I always got a kick out of watching the young guys at the tire shop get into my 63 Belvedere to put on the lift and see the look on there faces trying to figure out where the gear shift was.
Most had never seen a typewriter transmission and they all thought it was amazing.

 

[Ron H]

I always got a kick out of watching the young guys at the tire shop get into my 63 Belvedere to put on the lift and see the look on there faces trying to figure out where the gear shift was.
Most had never seen a typewriter transmission and they all thought it was amazing.

Yeah – I’ve had a lot of fun with it at car shows as well. Some older guys will point to the buttons to show their kids or grandkids who never saw them before. One time an attractive young gal, buddy’s girlfriend, asked to sit in the car. Eventually she got curious about the shifter “Say, where’s the gear shift thingy?” I told her back then transmissions were optional and my car doesn’t have one. “Huh, how does the car move then?” I said well you have to open the door and put your left foot out to give it a push forward or back and then it’ll just go. Wish I’d a taken a photo of the look on her face.

One thing I’m cautious with, if anyone drives the car, mechanics, others…I say do not pull the parking lever down until the car is fully stopped. One time that happened and had to replace the parking sprag. Glad I had a spare one then that I don’t have now.
Another quick story: When I was a kid our neighbor across the street had a '62 Dodge. His driveway was on a hill that sloped down toward our house. One morning I walked out to head for school and his car was sitting angled in our front yard. lol