[Zenmervolt]

Originally Posted by joyride1031

when you drive @ 12 it blocks it.... and when you have to spank someone off the line you need that tach... LOOKS like Zenmervolt must granny shift if you never drive your car hard enough look at the tach.... Plus when your @ 12 you have more control.... its an even distance to move to any side.

What the hell, I'll take the bait kiddo. I'm bored anyway.

When driving hard you should have both hands on the wheel, generally around 9:30 and 2:30. You have much less leverage with one hand at 12:00, not to mention that you have only one hand instead of two (less strength). Add to that the fact that the only way to be comfortable and have reasonable strength on with your hand at 12:00 is to have the seat adjusted improperly for proper foot placement on the pedals or proper reach to the shift lever. There's a very good reason that you never see Mario Andretti or Michael Schumaker driving with one hand on the wheel at the 12:00 o'clock.

The only people who argue in favor of the 12:00 position are people who have never set a tire on a real race track and who couldn't even dream of managing a 5th to 2nd double-clutched, rev-matched, heel and toe downshift while still managing to clip the apex properly on that turn at the end of the back straight.

Then again, some people race and actually know how to drive, and some children just street "race" and watch "The fast and the furious" where they pick up moronic terms like "granny shift".

[pumpdoc]

I'm glad you posted that, I figured if I post it that it wouldn't be as good.
Just a side note, look at old F1 footage and you'll see drivers with the hands at the 9 and 3 position take the right hand off to flick the shifter and make a turn, you never see a real race driver with their hands 'on top' of the wheel.....

[joyride1031]

you dont need 2 hands when your driving a straight line... plus indy and f1 now have paddle shifters...

[joyride1031]

I dont ever recall John Force using 2 hands... and its whatever makes you comfortable... Settle down Zenmervolt... I am sure you drive fine, just having a little fun

[Zenmervolt]

Originally Posted by joyride1031

you dont need 2 hands when your driving a straight line... plus indy and f1 now have paddle shifters...

Straight line ain't driving. (Yes, I'm sure you're faster than I am in a straight line.)

F1 has paddle shifters (note that they are located at 9 and 3, not at 12). CART and IRL still use a lever attached to the sequential gearbox (think motorcycle).

Who's John Force? (Just messing with you.)

[vantage]

I've been to 2 Porsche driving sessions at Mosport (where the Canadian F1 GP used to be long ago) and Shannonville. I went in the car with experienced driving instructors and the recommended hand placement on the steering wheel was always 9 and 3. Also you should never take your hands off the wheel even when taking a turn but rather keep them in the '9 and 3' position on the wheel, ie just above the spokes, when taking a turn. The instructor said NEVER to drive with your hand at 12 o'clock incase the airbag were to deploy, hence the 'punching yourself in the face' idea.

[bnkrtoy]

Would have to agree that Ford should flip-flop the speedo and tach. If you ever take the car to the track you'll know why..

[whatisee]

Originally Posted by Zenmervolt

There's a very good reason that you never see Mario Andretti or Michael Schumaker driving with one hand on the wheel at the 12:00 o'clock.

Huh...i always thought they used paddle shifters off the stearing wheel.

[Zenmervolt]

Originally Posted by whatisee

Huh...i always thought they used paddle shifters off the stearing wheel.

Schumaker, yes, but they put the paddles where the drivers have always put their hands, it's not that the drivers put their hands there because of the paddles. You're confusing the effect with the cause.

Andretti drove CART cars, which did not have paddle shifters. They still don't have paddle shifters actually. CART and IRL cars use a true manual with a clutch pedal. Not all sequential transmissions are semi-auto.

[joyride1031]

Hey guys I know when you are banging corners that you need two hands... But on the strip its a different game...

Back to my question... Can these boys be swapped or is there an aftermarket gauge out there?

[fin1]

For drag racing, the location and setup the of the stock tack is not the best. It sits too deep to read if the sun is bright on the dash. and it also should have be placed on the right side due to arm blockage. For those with sticks, racing on the strip is a one-hand event. At least through the first two gears. Given Ford didn't build this car with only drag racing in mind and since most street cars have them on the left, I can understand their reason for the current location. A shift light is the best option for drag racing even if they were swapped.

[stangcrosser]

joyride1031 -
I am in no position to say it can't be done. However, I suspect that nobody has answered your question because the gauges are hooked up to a printed circuit board in the dash which would make relocation of the gauges very difficult.

[rancherochido]

Originally Posted by joyride1031

when you drive @ 12 it blocks it.... and when you have to spank someone off the line you need that tach... LOOKS like Zenmervolt must granny shift if you never drive your car hard enough look at the tach.... Plus when your @ 12 you have more control.... its an even distance to move to any side.

Its a circle....the distance is the same no matter where you put your hands.

[2horseowner]

When I launch and get wheel spin the car always pulls right due to engine rotation and other torque issues. If my hand was at 12 to begin with it would be hairy to recover. I hook my hand just above the left spoke to give me added grip.

[69stang]

The left arm has better leverage advange when turning right with the hand at the 9:00 position vice the 12:00 position.

I like 9:30 and 2:30 positions. I am a road course driver. Both driving schools I went to to obtain my liscences taught 9-9:30 and 2:30-3:00 positions.