Is anybody using an Edsel Teletouch system on their rod? Do you have to use it with the original Cruizomatic? ~Jason
I thought the original Batmobile ( Lincoln Futura) had it but the wheel center was the speedo and warning lights on it. Teletouch shifting was a done with an electric motor. That is probably what gave it a reputation for being unreliable as electric motors hanging under the chassis probably wasn't very good. I think there is one on ebay at the moment. Stu
Yeah, I was thinking that because it was an electric shift, it wouldn't be any harder to incorporate one of the steering wheel/button setups than it would to install a paddle shifter like the ones these guys sell: http://www.retrotekspeed.com/ And yes, those are the infamous Mooneyes Stromberg 97 look-alike fuel injection guys. ~Jason
Damn, dude - you're right. It DOES look like the Mach 5's steering wheel! http://www.speedracer.com/cars-mach5.htm "The hub of the Mach 5s steering wheel features seven lettered buttons, each of which activates a customized accessory designed by Pops Racer." ~Jason
must of been problematic, its 58 only, my 59 is regular column shifted automatic..they tried to be so different, new and innovative, so much on the car is 58 only. Hell, the wheel bolt patterns are different 58 to 59.....
I'm sure it would work on any trans it could be mounted on if the positioning on the shift lever can be matched. It was originally on a three speed so a two speed may be an issue. I'm sure there would be better modern ways of doing it but if you have to be totally period correct then I say why not. Stu
i parted one out (dont ask me for the parts i sold them) and it was just a shift motor added to the side of a regular fordomatic and a set of relays. it really isnt that complicated.
DO NOT BUY ONE OF THOSE FROM RETROTECH!!! it took a year to get one from those guys. i paid in full and was told it would be shipped out next day, after tons of calling.....i got it almost a year later, and it was different than the one advertised. they suck!!!! that said, it's just a solenoid with limiter switches controlling it. anybody talented in electronics could build one.
mY 58 Doesnt have it equpped. Thank god. they are problematic. September of 57 was the last of the 58 Edsels with Colum shift. everything else had the teletouch.
You know, I've emailed them back and forth a few times, and they seemed like nice guys with what seems like some nifty product. But as much as I want to believe in them, stuff like this keeps coming up. I even heard that this is why Mooneyes dropped 'em, and their Stromberg 97 look-alike fuel injection. What gives? Do they have manufacturing problems, or they just A-holes? I've read where they eventually made good with that guy in the UK, but I'm still on the fence and hate to think the latter is the fact. They redid their website recently, too. ~Jason
I heard a story about this shift-setup and its contribution to the demise of Edsel. Now, we've all heard about Edsels being pieces of shit, though I've not heard anything specific about the Mercs or Lincolns from the same era that they shared basic drivetrain with, so I've always wondered what made Edsel different. The story goes that the initial offering of this shift setup from Edsel was problematic and, with a few months of its introduction, significantly redesigned. The real problem came in when Edsel dealers were unable to get the parts fast enough to keep their edsels sold and started cannibalizing new cars for the parts leading to new Edsel buyers being shown a lot full of cars that were unsellable due to waiting for parts to fix em from FoMoCo. I always believed this story, especially given the relative novelty of auto trannies at that time and the size of the cars...
Ford AOD's have O/D in the normal D position. If you want to shift it back to 3rd then you drop it into #2 position after it goes into O/D. So it will work. Somewhat fittingly the AOD design is based on the FMX which is an evolution of the original Cruis-o-matic three speeds. This would not be the same as an AOD-E which is computer controlled. Stu
Awesome info, Stu! I think this setup could be equally cool no matter which transmission it's hooked to, be it GM, FoMoCo or MoPar, and I'd love to see 'em in more rides! ~Jason
Probably the ticket is to adapt the steering wheel buttons to a Mooneyes pushbutton shifter - theirs is basically the same idea, I don't know how well they work, but I kind of assume they made the motors for them with the idea you might actually drive in the rain.
Rolls-Royce has used a similar system for years; servo motor to shift the transmission. Rolls also used TH400s for years. Granted, that system might be hard to find in a 'yard ('round here, anyway, dunno 'bout the land of fruits and nuts), but the point is that the system can be reliable. One of the problems with the earlier systems (Packard also used this in '56), was that if you parked on a hill, the motor could not shift the trans out of Park. Owner's manual recommended the use of the P brake, but who reads the owner's manual?!? Still, the whole idea is great, and opens up the door for a really neat shifter. And it's perfect for anti-theft (Rolls points this out in their literature). P.S. The reason that there are no new ideas in shifters: our government requires the use of a PRNDL pattern, and effectively outlawed the pushbutton shifters due to that. This was one of the first mandates for rationalisation in control layout; GM had more clout at the time ('65) than did Ford or ChryCo. Cosmo
You can but remember(I do ), Ford had one of thier first majior recalls,due to fires started in the shifter buttons.. I think it had somthing due to the grease used,and sparking.. Good luck....
DaBirdguy said his 58 would kick out of gear once in a while by a short in the wiring. I've not had MANY problems with mine . . . but it has been problematic. It is an electric solenoid that does the shiftting and it connects to the trans with a pin. This is where my problem lays . . . there is a metal-lined rubber bushing that the pin mounts through, but good luck getting one. Without this bushing the pin isn't snug and the shifter won't shift into all of the gears. Going from park to low is fine because it is the full push of the solenoid, but going from Park to Reverse won't happen at all . . . you have to go to low to go back to reverse. So I used a pcv valve grommet from a SBC and trimed it down to get it to slide through the hole and this fixed the problem I was having. Its small, but it somethin unaccounted for in most cases. If you can find an original shifter motor and relay set there is a guy in NY that will rebuild them for under $200, a pm to me and I could get some contact info for anyone that may need the service. on a sidenote the teletouch was standard on a 58 and optional on a 59. but a column shift was also an option for the 58.
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