Shifter made from light switches is less batty than it sounds
 

Filed under: Truck, Videos, Chevrolet

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When Skynet becomes self aware and takes control of all the autonomous cars and The Internet of Things and anything else with a computer, the resistance movement will want to track down guys like YouTube user Dan Mann for lessons in post-apocalyptic living. Mann has a 1979 Chevy C30 dually, and its SM465 manual transmission didn't agree with a herniated disk in his back. So he grabbed a General Motors 4L80E automatic transmission off his brother's truck and fitted it to his truck, jettisoning the computer controller and instead using light switches and a floor shifter to change gears.

Yes, light switches. The 4L80E has four solenoids, two for shifting, one for torque converter lockup and one for line pressure. Mann couldn't control the line pressure without the computer, so the transmission always runs at maximum line pressure which causes slightly harsher shifts. He installed one switch on the dash to control the torque converter, and two more - one of them black - for shifting. The speedometer? The transmission has an electric speedo output, so Mann picked up an Android off Craigslist and he uses an app for the display.

When he puts the floor shifter in drive, he flips the light switches to change gears. Or he can set the switches and change gears with the floor shifter. It's kooky to read about - and kinda kooky to watch, frankly - but it's neat and it works. Check it out in the video below.Shifter made from light switches is less batty than it sounds originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jun 2014 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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