neutral coasting oddity

[whc03grady]

So Gertie (1971 Squareback) was parked nose-up on a slight incline. I got in, started her up with the clutch depressed even though the car was in neutral. I let off the pedal to just let her coast backward and she coasted more slowly. I depressed the pedal again and she coasted more freely. And so forth.
So why would a car in neutral coast more easily with the clutch in than with the clutch out? Note: it was pretty cold out.

[RSorak 71Westy]

With the cold temps the gear oil in the tranny was thick....Backing up w/ the pedal pushed in keeps the input shaft in the tranny from turning, but when you let out the pedal the input shaft starts turning (*thus hampering the effortless backup) and the drag of the thick oil slowed you down.

[whc03grady]

I figured it was something like that, I just couldn't wrap my head around the mechanics of it. I didn't mention that there was a little strange squeaking noise at the pedal end (?) when the clutch was let out. It went away as I drove.