Originally Posted by spasm3
Usually first was toward you and down. Second was up and away and third was away and down. Reverse was toward you and up.
On the 50,s cars I drove, you had to be completely stopped to downshift back into first from second gear.
On some of the early 70's ford and Chevy trucks, the linkage would wear and you could get stuck in reverse. You would then have to set the parking brake, turn off the engine and work the linkage from under the hood.
^ This. That's how it is in my 63 Valiant Signet. No synchro on first and still a common thing well into the '60s.
The linkage was the worst part of the car which had who knows how many miles on it [113,000, 213,000?] when I bought it until I replaced the torque [Z] bar with the more stout one from '67 and up. The original cracked from metal fatigue and was awfully spindly in the first place.
Even my parent's new 63 Dart 270 wagon had to be towed back to the dealer from our own driveway because the linkage hung up.
I love em.