<VV> Neutral Safety switch

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/13/2010 5:48:17 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
airvair at earthlink.net writes:

The  cable we're going to use is an adaptation of a heater cable. I don't
yet  feel certain enough that it would operate a dash-mounted neutral  
safety
switch in a positive enough manner to allow the switch to  operate
precisely, so I am still advising relocating the switch to the  tunnel. But
it appears to be good enough to suffice for a gear  indicator.





I always wondered about the usefulness of a neutral safety switch - the  
actual requirement. Of course, all new cars, sticks or automatics, have  
something you have to do in order to let the engine crank. Beyond that, the most  
obvious is the newer "Audi switch". That is the interlock which requires 
you  push on the brake pedal to allow the automatic trans to be placed into  
gear.  Thank You to the numb-nut Audi drivers! As far as the Corvair-era  
cars, did the car companies think that automatic transmission drivers were  
stupider than manual transmission drivers? Is that the reason for the neutral  
safety switch? That era had no "depress-clutch to crank" switch. That didn't 
 show up until the 80's or so.  I guess the companies assumed the stick  
drivers would push in the clutch. Now our newest cars will be saddled with  
another electronic big-brother circuit - closes the throttle when the brake is 
 fully applied, or something like that. Should we call it the "Toyota 
switch"?  Thank You to the numb-nut Toyota drivers! 
 
 
Seth  Emerson

C's the Day! - Corvair, Camaro,  Corvette