Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site tekchips.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!tekcrl!tekchips!toma From: toma@tekchips.UUCP (Tom Almy) Newsgroups: net.auto.tech Subject: Re: Continuous Transmission Message-ID: <340@tekchips.UUCP> Date: Mon, 4-Nov-85 12:56:36 EST Article-I.D.: tekchips.340 Posted: Mon Nov 4 12:56:36 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Nov-85 04:47:25 EST References: <10878@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Reply-To: toma@tekchips.UUCP (Tom Almy) Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 45 Summary: In article <10878@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> carvalho@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Marcio de Carvalho) writes: > > Have anyone heard about this so-called continuous >transmission? ... > As it was described to me, it is basically a pair of >controllable variable diameter wheels linked by a belt; which >enables the driver to choose among any of the infinitely many >transmission ratio possible. These things have been promoted as something new, but my mother had a 1963 (nineteen sixty-three) DAF with one of those transmissions. The car, about the size of a VW Bug, had a 2 opposed cylinder, 30HP, air cooled front engine with a centrifugal clutch, with the transmission in the rear. By having two belts, one for each wheel, no differential was needed, and the resulting "limited slip" operation make it fantastic on snow and ice. But the car had many problems, mostly related to the transmission. (BTW, the cars basic model sold for about $1200, making it one of the cheapest cars available at the time, and by far the cheapest with an automatic transmission which at the time was only available on very few small cars). 1. Belt life was limited to about 8-10k miles. While the car could be driven with one belt missing, it would slip so much that you wouldn't dare stop on a hill. 2. Belt slippage was a problem, especially when wet. 3. Performance was awful, even compared with contemporary small cars. Top speed was about 60, and acceleration was worse than the 40hp VW Buses of the time! Gas mileage was about 30-32 in suburban driving. This car was no match at all for the popular VW Bugs and Renault Dauphines of the time. 4. The transmission (Forward--Neutral--Reverse) had to be shifted swiftly between F and R. Because of the lack of a manual clutch if you stopped in N you couldn't shift it into gear. In this situation you had to turn the engine off, wait about 10 seconds for the driveshaft to stop spinning, put it in gear and restart (YES, you always started the car in gear!). To be fair, I am sure they improved things over the years. After they stopped importing them in the late 60s, DAF switched to a more powerful 4 cylinder engine. The company was purchased by Volvo a few years ago, and the cars are now sold under the Volvo name in Europe. I may need to be corrected on this last statement, since I am not sure. Tom Almy