How does a manual transmission and clutch work? #video

| February 6, 2024

While looking for an excuse to modify and add this automotive humor meme to a post … Below the break there’s an animagraff that details a front wheel drive manual transmission and clutch assembly on YouTube.  It’s well done and rather mesmerizing.

Picked a warm sunny day for the Packard Hawk to come home

| November 7, 2020

After a long time in a repair shop, I brought the 1958 Packard Hawk back from some transmission repair work. It came back very dusty, but I didn’t notice any damage to the paint or body (yet). The entire process from initial quote to final bill and slowness was a bit disconcerting.  It was not […]

Made a new car guy connection when discussing the Packard

| August 29, 2020

On Friday afternoon I stopped in to talk with Rick Benhase, the guy looking at the Packard transmission for me. He is a truly old car nut and can’t seem to get rid of his “fleet” once he buys or fixes them. This applies to more than just cars, too (read below if you must […]

Sent the Packardbaker out for some transmission work

| August 21, 2020

My dad’s 1958 Packard Hawk, mine for the last 5 years, has hardly been touched since it was flatbed delivered from Sidney, Ohio. I moved it once … and then covered it up with a battery tender after I noticed a pool of transmission fluid all over the floor. So on the 5th anniversary of […]

Transmission cooler hose? Once again, AAA pays for itself!

| September 29, 2016

While coming home from work at 9:30PM Tuesday night, Brenda called and said something didn’t feel right about our 2006 Honda Pilot. No unusual warning lights besides the "wrench" indicating we were due for an oil change, but the RPM were revving high. I stayed on the phone until she turn down our street and […]

Fans of Manual Transmission Can’t Let Go

| November 9, 2015

I’m in “sync” with Alan Macey and the minority when he says, “we find joy in those fleeting moments between ratios; the crescendo of rpm, the gentle click of the gate, the building inertia in our chest as the drivetrain becomes whole again.” Let’s save the manual transmission! No matter how tightly the clutch, stick-shift […]

A few more updates on the 1982 Mercedes 300D

| May 21, 2013

  Learning, learning, learning. After spending the weekend putting a few things back together on the old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel, after taking too much off,  it is back on the road again with four new rotors, brakes and both bearing and races pressed into the hubs. I’m waiting for a few new AC parts […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog