*** Origina post edited - Dash gear shift knob vs. handle

colliehauler wrote:
I remember the early sixties Dodges a had a push button transmission shifter in the left hand corner of the dash.

My 1965 Coronet had a 3 speed column shift for the manual transmission.
It had a black round ball.

In time converted to a 4 speed with floor shift. Had a white ball on the factory Hurst shifter we found.

I do remember driving a Chrysler Imperial with the push buttons. Pretty sure they were vacuum operated.

colliehauler wrote:
I remember the early sixties Dodges a had a push button transmission shifter in the left hand corner of the dash.

... and the 58-60 Edsel had buttons in the hub of the steering wheel. Mash the "horn button" on that car and you'll get PLENTY of noise :-)

The OP has a point tho. Years ago my mother borrowed my Pontiac Tempest with the lever on the dash and went shopping. When she came back out the car had rolled back into the aisle and blocked all the traffic. She called it a stupid car.

As others have said, most transmissions these days are electronic, and shift when a computer tells them to, not via a mechanical linkage as in the old days.

But even if they were mechanical, console shifter linkages were always more reliable than a column linkage.

So don't worry about reliability. Instead, think about whether you want a console, and if you have a console, do you want some of it to be occupied by a shift lever. Or would you rather have space there for cup holders, cell phone well, storage, a middle seat, etc. I like console shifters, but I also like storage and the more the better. So it is something you have to compromise on.

I remember the early sixties Dodges a had a push button transmission shifter in the left hand corner of the dash.

A tranny has not be connected by a mechanical like in years. They used to have a big rod or a cable; not any more. They just have a big bundle of wires.

Handle or knob makes no difference now days. It's just a switch.

The knob gives you something to rest your hand on while you are driving.

What makes the difference is the transmission attached to whatever shifter you prefer. If the tranny is good, either way is just personal preference. Floor shifts handles are just a gadget for those that have just seen people actually shifting a manual, and think it looks cool. And probably cheaper than the linkages for a column shift. Probably most would have no idea how to actually work a floor shift.

The column shifter has been basically a mechanical link to a switch anyway for a long time. Real trucks have had push button touch pads for years and years. IMO a non issue.