[Jacquerie]

Manual chokes back then too. Using them and how to apply the accelerator during start was indeed an art.

[Kenny Bunk]

Back in the early foreign car days, some European auto manufacturers took a long time to learn not to use a choke and a throttle on their export models. Americans customers had forgotten how to operate these handy controls, which had been common on American cars in the 20's and 30's. But the Euros did include such handy instructions as these:

For extreme cold weather start, follow this E-Z 10-step process:

(1) Turn on headlights for 30 seconds to warm battery
(2)Fully depress clutch and hold
(3)Depress accelerator 1 time and release
(4)Hold accelerator down less than half way. Hold steady, do not pump.
(5)Pull choke out, rotate to lock.
(6)Operate starter in short bursts
(7) When engine catches, slowly push in choke gradually as RPM increases, while gradually pulling out throttle
(8) With throttle, set RPM a 1500-1800
(9)With gear selector in neutral, slowly release clutch.
(10)Push choke all the way in and idle in neutral at 2000RPM, reducing RPM with throttle to hold 2000 RPM for 5 minutes, or until satisfactory operating temperature is indicated.

Repeat as needed, or until battery fails, or buy American with an automatic choke. Or use a block heater. Or curse helplessly. Eventually the automatic choke reached Europe.