My SUs arrived yesterday. A decent set of 4 screw round-tops on E88 manifolds. After searching and studying old posts and pictures, I think I've got it all figured out - what connects where and such. But I noticed that the center linkage between my carbs doesn't look like other pictures, it seems to have an extra lever near the front carb. (See pics below.) Would this have perhaps been for the optional hand throttle?

The hand throttle was a manual fast idle mechanism.

For those of you who live in California, that is something that holds the engine idle at an elevated speed so that it will stay running in very cold weather until the engine gets warm.

I hear that in the U.S. most cars had that lever removed by the dealers because Americans couldn't understand what its function was. On most cars of that era the choke was automatic, and the fast idle was controlled by a cam on the throttle linkage. But personally... automatic chokes suck.

Can someone tell me what purpose the hand throttle served anyway?

Please do a quick search...this has been discussed in GREAT depth a couple times and there is already a lot of good information on the subject. Makes for interesting reading.

The hand throttle was a manual fast idle mechanism.

I hear that in the U.S. most cars had that lever removed by the dealers because Americans couldn't understand what its function was. On most cars of that era the choke was automatic, and the fast idle was controlled by a cam on the throttle linkage. But personally... automatic chokes suck.

Hand throttles were legislated out of existance by 1970 and they were removed by the dealer supposedly for that reason. I will have hand throttles in both 26th and 27th.

Chokes in most import cars of the era were manual. Most American cars had automatic chokes.

Going to restore the emissions, eh Mark? Good on ya!

CW-

Hand throttles were legislated out of existance by 1970 and they were removed by the dealer supposedly for that reason. I will have hand throttles in both 26th and 27th.

Chokes in most import cars of the era were manual. Most American cars had automatic chokes.

Going to restore the emissions, eh Mark? Good on ya!

CW-

And there was a hand-throttle in #215 when I got it, although the cable between the pedal and the lever was gone. I now have an NOS setup, and a rounded choke and throttle handle .

I have most of a new or nice condition air injection system to use. NOS air gallery, check valve, the big hoses, and a fairly nice pump from Zola. I have a few AB valves, although the NOS one I have is not correct. Should look nice if I ever get it done!

The hand throttle was a manual fast idle mechanism.

For those of you who live in California, that is something that holds the engine idle at an elevated speed so that it will stay running in very cold weather until the engine gets warm.

...snip...

That says it best.

Another way of saying it: You Choke the engine to get it started, once started you no longer need to choke it, you just need to keep the RPM's up. So you can put a foot or a brick on the accelerator pedal or use the hand throttle.

E

Do all 240's have the linkage on the pedal for the hand throttle cable?