Why is it called a "dog-leg first"?

Maybe because in the diagram, the R would be the dog's head & 1 & 5 would be the legs?

 

Because if you look at a dog's leg (Rear leg) it has a bend in the middle of it. So if you were to draw a line from first to second, it goes up, bends to the right and then continues up, just like a dogs leg.

 

I think it refers to the pattern of movement from the central position of neutral to first gear. To the left and then down. Like a "dog-leg" hole in golf. I have no proof to back it up, but that would be my guess. Similar to a "dog-leg" left on a golf course. A colloquialism.

 

Taken from golf. Figure the center position is the tee box and first is the green. All dogleg holes either have a bend to the right or a bend to the left. I think on the fcar it is a par 5 from first to 2nd. : )

Ooops, just reread and golf thing already mentioned.

 

I thought that it might have to to with a "dog-leg" in the terms of a race track. It curves as well..then I guess the question is, how did the dog leg in race track terms got its name. Maybe from golf, maybe from dogs legs. Just my two cents.

Craig

 

Meaning the zig zag from first gear to second gear as opposed to a straight shift inline from first to second. (The crooked hind leg of a dog)

 

This is funny. For the golfer's out there why do you think the term dog leg came from. The dog same as the shift pattern. It is because it resembles the hind leg of a dog.

Cheers,

 

I think Spasso's definition is correct.

As far as "the last" model Ferrari to have a dogleg 1st gear, 5-spd.... I think it was probably the 1995 F512M.

That same year, 355s came out with 6-spds (and a regular shift pattern).

 

Don't ya just love it?

 

for 10 more points, what does the term "dog box" mean re: certain transmissions? and why?

 

hmmmm....interesting, I had never heard that term before. you learn something everyday......
I do love that transmission setup....

 

I think "crash box" can refer to any transmission that doesn't have synchromesh.

 

A dog box is a gearbox that does not have synchromesh not a gearbox with straight cut gears.

These dog boxes are used in serious race cars and require much more skill in changing gears. The reason they are called dog boxes is because the 'dogs' are what engage the gears ... silly term but if you look at a gear in a constant mesh gearbox they the gear teeth (straight or otherwise) and then they have the engagement teeth (the dogs) which the selector hub lock together with.

In a synchromesh gearbox the teeth are differently shaped and also have the synchro's to synchronise the input and output shafts.

Refering to crash box ... I think this term refers more to the vintage gearboxes where the gears actually moved and thus were not constant mesh. You had to choice but to crash from one gear to the next because synchro's were not even in the equation.

Pete

 

10 points for Pete - the 'dogs' are the nubs on the sides of the gears themselves and the gear selector ring in the older racing transmissions.

 

Pleasure

Pete