What to look for on an '80 twin-stick Colt?

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/1672752436.html

I'm thinking of picking this little bugger up to supplement my Subaru while it's down for an EJ22 swap. Does anyone know anything about these? I'd expect them to get incredible fuel economy.

Id buy it just because it has a twin stick. Thats cool as hell.

2 sticks = twice the ZOMGyoujustgotcrushedbyacolt!!!

I had a Colt twin-stick in college. Learned to drive it like a 6 speed. As I recall--Start in 1 low...shift regular shifter to 2nd (low)...then twin stick to 2nd high...then both sticks up to 3 low...then 4 low...and finally 4 high. Cool.

4cylndrfury wrote: 2 sticks = twice the *ZOMGyoujustgotcrushedbyacolt!!!*

I suppose it's a lot of stick, but not much carr-olt!

Anyways, are these interference engines? If not I'll probably just bring a battery and some starting fluid and see what it does.

thats awesome

My college girl friend had one. She launched us about 5 feet in the air once and the sunroof popped out when it landed. Strong car to survive her driving! I remember her getting the mid to high 30's around town.

I remember those twin sticks. Cool feature for the time. I found this link to a Popular Mechanics article on them: http://bit.ly/bfgY1w

I had never heard of such a thing... is that like a two speed diff on a big truck?

JeffHarbert wrote: I remember those twin sticks. Cool feature for the time. I found this link to a Popular Mechanics article on them: http://bit.ly/bfgY1w

cool article. I'd never heard of the twin-stick

So is that the rwd colt or the fwd colt? Cant tell...

I think its FWD

It's FWD. I had a friend who had one. His was the turbo as featured here. (1984 Colt Turbo $800 CL) It was poorly driven and abused and set itself on fire after an apparent botched accident repair (an abuse-weary suicide, I think). It was a great car while it lasted, though.

carzan wrote: It's FWD. I had a friend who had one. His was the turbo as featured here. (1984 Colt Turbo $800 CL) It was poorly driven and abused and set itself on fire after an apparent botched accident repair (an abuse-weary suicide, I think). It was a great car while it lasted, though.

Uhm. That. Is. Awesome.

(Google maps annapolis.)

One stick was the actual gear level, the other put it in power or fuel economy mode. Nothing spectacular, it was a turd on either setting. It's probably a novelty now, but it was one of those cars that when you were a teenager, you really didn't want. Your parents bought it for you instead of the Mustang you were really after. Small, slow, poor driving and decent fuel mileage, and a hatchback to get all of your stuff to school; exactly what I'd buy my kid now!

I keep going back to this ad for a Colt near me........

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/1668664308.html

just the shell.it has a cross member from a rx2 ready for rotary engine.has all its windows and a good body for its year... call manuel at 608-446-0390 $800

Don't they go through clutches like crazy?

I learned how to drive stick on one of those. Seemed nearly unkillable.

I think they use a variation of the motors used in the later Mitsu turbo products.

Mom had one, she used to drive the piss out of it and it moved along okay. They rust like crazy and are essentially tin cans on wheels (more so than even Geo's so don't wreck it!)

Car got sold out from under me while I was at work $300 :(

so it is like the "economy/power" buttons that came out on autotrans cars in the 90s?

It's like a transfer case with a high and a low range labeled "power" and "economy", only it powers just the front wheels.

I may be wrong, but an engineer friend back in Oz who worked for Mitsubishi, advised me that the twin stick was to make up for the fact that the engine was in backwards and it adapted the drive to the transmission via the twin stick extra gear, it is basically a hi/low extra.

Yes the engine was installed backwards, or so I was told

the turbo ones were NOT slow for the time.

Marty! wrote: I keep going back to this ad for a Colt near me........ http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/1668664308.html just the shell.it has a cross member from a rx2 ready for rotary engine.has all its windows and a good body for its year... call manuel at 608-446-0390 $800

A small block Chrysler will fit in there too. I'm glad it's not near me or that spare 318 in the shed would have a new home.

-Rob