An episode about radio antennas embedded in the windshield would be nice

The floor switch made turning your high beams off/on fun. The click was very satisfying, so I would flash my high beams alot when I was alone on a rural road.

I still remember my dad repeatedly mashing his left foot into the floor of our 1974 Ford Torino whenever someone cut us off. A twitch reflex that is now lost to the ages. Like slamming an old phone back on its hook whilst angrily hanging up on someone.

My 87 F150 has floor-mounted high beams. It makes a satisfying-ass click whenever you turn them on

On some newer cars, they have a feature called automatic high beams. This is part of the safety package. When the car detects a car in front, the high beams will automatically turn off. Of course you need to have you light switch turned to automatic for it to work

I've always been curious what happened to crank windows, slide windows, basically anything that wasn't a power window nowadays

The 1970 Dart Swinger in my garage has a floor-mounted dimmer switch... also a pair of ashtrays in the backseat area for the kids!

I'm actually adding a floor high beam switch to one of my cars, but as the master switch for the aux light switches. Easier to hit the floor switch vs a row of rocker switches in the case of oncoming traffic. (got the little foot shaped thing to go on it as well, just because)

My grandfather’s 1964 Nova with three on the tree had floor mounted high beam switch. Military vehicles still have them. Great subject!

So much more convenient having the switch on the floor imo, especially in auto's. My first few cars were manual transmission and had floor switches and I never had a problem. I assumed they were phased out because short people couldn't reach them. 😂

Believe it or not, I briefly owned a UAZ 452 4x4 bus, made in 1986 or even earlier. It had a floor switch for what you call "high beams" in America. It was kind of fun to use, actually, with the only problem being me unable to blink the lights. The vehicle also had a number of other strange features, such as manual (fixable) throttle and a turning wiper control on the dashboard. An absolutely exotic piece of tech by modern standards.

I really enjoy this series of videos you make, I can't help but feel this one was a bit short and less detailed than your others. None the less it puts a smile on my face to see a new video of this series on my sub box.

My 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 has of course a floor mounted high beam switch.

Had an 87 F-150 with floor mounted high-beams. I miss that feature so much.

They didn't dissappear in the 70's, my 1990 Ford has one

Short and sweet video! Straight to the point... 👍

Love your video essays!

These videos about old features are all awesome

Lol, I never heard of, or seen those foot shaped pedals. That's pretty cool, but I can see how they weren't very practical. Thanks for covering this subject ✌️

The sad truth is the majority of drivers drive unaware of what their car is doing especially at night. As long as the dash light ups, they think they are fine. Never mind they don't notice that the headlight on indicator is off on the dash so all they have is their DRL and no other lights on at night, can't figure out why the car behind them keeps turning their headlights off then on to gain their attention(if they even pay attention at all to their surroundings like checking their mirrors on a regular basis like say every 5-10 seconds as most driving instructors will teach!) or that the high beam indicator is on in their dash and blinding everyone oncoming to them, wondering why they keep getting flashed at and honked at as those driver pass by. ARGH!!

Could you do an episode on the differences between the North American car market regulations vs the rest of the world? e.g symmetric headlight beams, amber parking lights, red turn signals, side markers, and other points of difference and the reasons for these?

Interesting trivia: city transit buses still have floor mounted high beam buttons like this one but they also have the same type of buttons on the floor for the turn signals, one for right and one for left. The turn signal buttons don't latch on so you have to hold them for as long as you need the signal to stay flashing.

Fun fact: The foot shaped gas pedals actually make it less comfortable to drive in bare feet.

ZACK,,,,,, YOU HAVE ANSWERED MY QUESTION, THANK YOU MAN I APPRECIATE IT👍👊

Could you maybe talk about removable radios? ( the ones where the radio is internal but all the controls are on a little plastic rectangle that can be removed with one little press?

i’m really liking these videos

Great video

I've got a 68 Malibu, this is probably my favorite feature.

Especially interested in this episode since I have a floor mounted high beam button and it’s the best thing in the WORLD.

I love the novelty of my Volvo 122s to hit the high/lo switch on the floor.

I love this series

Ooooooh. Always wondered why these went away. While always odd the switch was on the floor, it took me a while to stop smashing the left floorboard w my foot.

Aussie 70's (GM) Holdens had these also. What about door side mounted handbrakes? The ones that would tear you a new one if they got stuck in the up position.

A floor button on the side can be brights, horn or the starter depending on the era or make.

You're churning out content like crazy. They're all great too

I've, for years now, driven automatics and my right foot still works efficiently both the brake and throttle but my left foot just lays there with nothing to do. I'd love to have the floor switch back where it belongs, on the floor ! No more flashing the high beams when using the turn indicators or hitting the high beams and accidently activating the the turn indicator. This comment has been brought to you by my left foot.

History of the hidden gas cap. I’ve offered a case of beer on occasion to some people if they could find the gas cap on a 1956 Cadillac

I really miss that floor high beam switch! Today i get into a car and can't find the switch! Let alone all the other hidden things. Yes , I'm a dinosaur! LOL

My dad's '89 F-150 manual still has a floor mounted high beam switch but my '90 Toyota pickup has it on the steering column

I love these serieses...seriises...seriouses...things! You should do one on car radio antennas.

Dodge full-size pickups had the floor mount dimmer and dash mount wiper switch up till 1987

Like the pic of the mini with the 1275cc engine

My 1960 International Scout had the floor switch.

Yup, my 55 GMC TRUCK and 80 Dodge Van has em!

My 1984 F 100 had a Floor mounted Hi Beam.

😏👉🏼 how about another Essay bout turn signals 🤔 or windshield wipers just an idea 💡

I agree with the last sentence!

Nice

I took me "forever" to get used to the high beam switch mounted on the stalk. Muscle memory had my left foot mashing at NOTHING for longer than I care to admit, LOL.

I had those in my K5 Chevy Blazer. I have a video on it in my channel.

Ford ran floor mounted dimmers on their f series trucks until 1991. They didn't even ditch wing windows until 97/98.

All that research just to tell people to turn off thier high beams. Respect.

The first time I saw floor-mounted high-beams was in a '69 Camaro (I think it was a 327). You hit that bad boy at night and the lights literally dim themselves.

In mexico you must drive with the high beams, because if you don't do it, nobody watches you (even people) and anyone can crash with you. Yes, we don't have driving culture/courtesy

Most North American transit buses (Gillig, New Flyer, Proterra) still use foot mounted high beam switches. They also have foot mounted turn signals, mounted to the left and right of the high beam switch.

A episode about power antennas that they automatically raise when the radio turns on and they retract when the radio turns off and a episode about smokers windows

I really wish this is still a thing

I have LED head lights and I may have forgotten to flip them off... a time or two... I may have blinded a few people... But a lot of times people think I have had my high beams on when I didn't. I keep like a 10 car distance between me and the person in head of me at night because I know how bright those lights are.

2:51 I do have a hemi, but I'm having a footprint gas pedal installed

what a beautiful music on 1:00?

How about sealed beam headlights? That's a good wormhole to dive into.

In the early 1970s, I went for a ride in my neighbor's BMW. He kept clicking something on the turn signal handle. He told me he was flashing his high beam (this was during the day) at other BMWs. It was a way to say "hello" to fellow Beemers (yes, to be smug about their "exclusive club"). I admit I was impressed that he could do that but now all new cars have that feature. I wonder if Beemers still do this?

and also the radio antenna aerials that would move up and down whenever you turn the radio on or off I have two cars with those style of aerial antennas and 96 Buick Park Avthat works flawlessly because I clean it regularly and a 1997 jaguar XJ6 out of it still has its original Ariel in China which I love those things a lot. We need an episode about that as well that would be pretty cool and sidenote if you go through a car wash with any cars with these Ariola antennas turn the radio off I have yet to have a problem with a car wash because I always turn the radio off before I enter with that car it’s standard procedure for me I’ve seen many Buick, Park, Avenues, and 90s cars that used to have aerial antennas that they’ve been either broken stuck in the up position or completely replaced by stupid cheap AutoZone rubber ones that definitely do this car is a disservice to me because they don’t look as good but yeah, we need an episode dedicated to Ariel radio car in tennis as well I always thought they were pretty fascinating

Interesting

My '78 Grand Marquis has this feature and I hate it in the twisty mountain roads. You can't flash to pass and it isn't responsive when you want high beams immediately after the other driver passes. They also get sticky with salt over time. Still better than the Ford Police Utility's weird stalk.

Have this in my 66 Triumph TR4A

My 71 Chevy 4x4 truck has that floor switch.

This switch was in the Ford f-150 250 350 all way up to 1996

Floor switches are great... until a car comes around the corner while you're shifting and you have to dump the clutch so you can hit the button to stop blinding them. Flashing lights was hard too. Clunk-clunk-clunk-clunk. In the daytime I just leave the switch on high and pull the light switch on and off. Another consideration for the floor button was that clunky primitive foot switches could handle more current than the dainty column switches. I can't stand people who drive with their high beams on. Does no one know what that blue indicator light means? I always beam them back to let them know. I really hate the people who put blue bulbs in their old car or truck and drive with their high beams on all the time to show everyone how bright they are. If you flash them, sometimes they'll make the lights even brighter or turn on a second set of high beams. And can we all agree that if you need to drive with your high beams on in the daytime to see, you shouldn't be driving?

I have an 88 ford bronco that has the floor button high beams.

In the early '80s insurance companies tried suing car manufacturers to put the light switch back on the floor. Too many accidents from people getting their foot caught in the steering wheel trying to dim lights. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

👍💯💯

How about the push button selector on 60's Torqeflight transmission

My 2020 Chevy Equinox has those auto high beams, and it is so comfortable... set and forget... Works very well both for oncoming traffic and same direction traffic... Very nifty...

You left out a major cause for eliminating floor mounted switches. In cold weather areas where salt was used on highways, the switches corroded with regularity. As a college student in Buffalo NY. I worked as a mechanic and replaced about a dozen a week. Auto owners were more than ready for a better method.

I cant see the reason being lack of room in the front. The switches are extremely small, they might stick out an inch or two past the firewall, and its on the side, not where the engine is. I wish they’d go back to them, I preferred it

My 73 jeep commando had floor switch

These floor-mounted switches would also overheat and cause the headlights to shut off. The only option was to switch off the lights at the dash, click the floor button back to low beam and then turn the lights back on.

They went away because it’s hard to clutch in, brake, honk and stab the switch as someone cuts you off. 😅

I wanna add a floor switch to my current vehicle.

My late dads holden ute had one

I replaced one eS Est. Easy to do my kids HAVE HAVE NO IDE idea what it is

Great setup but there needs to be more substance

I should send Doug D. this video. It boiled my blood that a car enthusiast, journalist, clearly making bank, was confused and befuddled by the floor switch for high beams. It was at that point I wrote him off and stopped watching any drivel he puts out. He can take his features and quirks and put them in a sock. Zack Pradel forever!

nice little video my friend keep up like that from quebec canada 🔥 if your around someday hit me up i got a hyundai accent 2011 with 300xxx km in the counter base trim if you want to try it and make a video ( i dont remember the model name xd )

They shouldn't have went away. They make way more sense than being on a stalk. Something else that also should still be on cars - vent windows!

Ford trucks used them until 90s

Floor buttons are superior. Both hands on the wheel, and your left foot isn't doing much when cruising anyway.

Quit Right

Why are tire measurements so goofy. The mm width measurement is good so is the diameter (although mixing mm and inches is stupid) but the percent/ratio of the sidewalk is just dumb.