First gear and reverse are occasionally unsynchronized on old cars. And should you ever get into a Trabant: in 4th gear you get no engine brake, it's freewheeling!
That's common on cars with 2-stroke engines that are lubricated by oil in the fuel (like a chainsaw). If you don't freewheel it, there's not enough oil coming through the fuel system to lubricate the engine properly.
Old Saabs with 2-stroke engines were like that too.
