As the father of four girls, the youngest being 16, prayers sent.

Learned stick on a 1977 Chevy Monza.
I drive a 6 speed manual today with my Focus ST. I consider the manual an additional theft deterrent...lol.

Some of you older guys might remember these.

Try teaching these to someone with no synchro....








and the last one in action.

quote:

Originally posted by Il Cattivo:
Sometimes its good to have learned how to ride a motorcycle before being old enough for a driver's license. Stick was still a bit of a PITA initially, though.

I totally agree. I learned to clutch on a 1975 Honda XR-75. Then a couple of years later on a 1976 Datsun pickup. A Japanese vehicle was a beautiful transmission to learn on. It helps that in those days their drivelines were built like tanks. Much more intuitive feel than some others I've tried since.

I learned how to drive stick at 13, I've not driven one as an adult. auto's are smarter now and duel clutch's are faster. there's really no need for a manual.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
In my world, everyone would have to pass his driving test with a manual before he could get his license.

In my world, everyone would drive a modern car.

Had my daughter with yesterday fixing the mower in the barn lot. When we got done I told her she was driving around the lot in my truck. So glad I put it in D1...she put her foot to the floor. My brother and I started driving before we were double digits around the farm and on the back road.

I was 15 when I learned on my 92 Mustang. Grandfather taught me. We could get out permit at 15 and a half. We had a long side driveway. Everyday I got home from school I would drive up and down the drive way, 1st and 2nd up then reverse to do it all overagain.
When I hit the road at 16 it was freaking cake.

I then tried to teach my mother how to drive a stick. What a freaking nightmare that was nearly 20 years ago she still can't drive a stick!

I had my permit for about a week when my dad took me to an empty industrial lot on a Saturday. Once I kinda had the hang of it he made do a 20 mile backroad mountain loop in our area lots of up and down shifting. I was good to go after that. I've always had at least 1 manual trans and car/ truck. My parents insisted I take my DMV test in it to get my license. I'm sure I will do the same for my kids

In fact when I picked up my Tacoma a few months ago that I ordered with a manual trans, my first 'new' car purchase the sales guy even refered to it as a millennial theft prevention device

Fischtown7 thanks for the video.

Yes it brings back them old memories.

I have driven a 63 KW Conventional with a 262 Cummins and a 4X4 boxes hauling Christmas trees from Eugene Oregon to Los Angeles Ca. The truck repair shop owner would drive the flat land and then give me the hills. I was better shifting the splits then him for I drove the truck everyday hauling containers out of the Los Angeles Harbor. He even threw on a Coffin Box sleeper so we could haul almost nonstop from Thanksgiving Weekend to the week before Christmas. We did this four years in a row.

Has anyone heard from Fenris since Saturday??!!



-Rob

Learned to drive stick on the easiest vehicle to learn on. '67 VW Beetle. Don't actually remember being taught, just kinda knew from riding in them so much. Learned to get it up and down the driveway, the rest was easy. Didn't own an automatic transmission until I was well into my forties.


You'll be alright Fenris. Fenris?

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
One thing I don't know how to do with a straight drive is "double-clutching." This isn't necessary with a synchromesh transmission, but my brother has several antique cars that predate this, and until fairly recently (now they have semi-automated manuals), heavy trucks also don't have them. However, a driver skilled with a non-synchro transmission can shift them faster, or not even use the clutch (once moving) at all.

I learned how to drive a stick on a farm, driving an old dump truck around. To this day, I rarely use a clutch other than for stopping and taking off. Once I'm rolling, I synch revs and shift, especially on my motorcycle.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
One thing I don't know how to do with a straight drive is "double-clutching." This isn't necessary with a synchromesh transmission, but my brother has several antique cars that predate this, and until fairly recently (now they have semi-automated manuals), heavy trucks also don't have them. However, a driver skilled with a non-synchro transmission can shift them faster, or not even use the clutch (once moving) at all.

Double-clutching is just shifting into neutral, letting the clutch back out in neutral, putting it back in, shifting into the desired gear, letting it back out again. Not really a big deal, or useful with anything modern.

Shifting without the clutch takes a bit of feel for the vehicle. When you get to know it well you can feel where you need to be to match the rpm to the speed so it drops right in. I'll do it on my ranch truck (an '03 Tacoma) if I am tired, lazy, feeling sore or beat at the end of a day, or if I am trying to mess with the kid's minds.

My nephew (who drives Indy cars) apparently did it a little roughly with the coupe his dad loans him when he's in town. His dad (an engineer who worked on Indy and F1 cars) knew exactly what happened when the synchros "strangely" went out while nephew was driving the car. Nephew took a little ribbing for a while about that...

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
In my world, everyone would have to pass his driving test with a manual before he could get his license.

In my world, everyone would drive a modern car.

The old ones will still run after an EMP attack....

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
In my world, everyone would have to pass his driving test with a manual before he could get his license.

In my world, everyone would drive a modern car.

Reading this, in my world, I thought of this quote:
It's eventually going to end up in permanent dumb, and no one will be able to brain. ~parabellum

quote:

Originally posted by 83v45magna:

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
In my world, everyone would have to pass his driving test with a manual before he could get his license.

In my world, everyone would drive a modern car.

Reading this, in my world, I thought of this quote:
It's eventually going to end up in permanent dumb, and no one will be able to brain. ~parabellum

In your world, did they invent electric starters, or at least a lightweight crank?

Come to the dark side, we have engineers.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:

quote:

Originally posted by 83v45magna:

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
In my world, everyone would have to pass his driving test with a manual before he could get his license.

In my world, everyone would drive a modern car.

Reading this, in my world, I thought of this quote:
It's eventually going to end up in permanent dumb, and no one will be able to brain. ~parabellum

In your world, did they invent electric starters, or at least a lightweight crank?

Come to the dark side, we have engineers.

I perceive a difference between "old" and "antique".

flashguy

I helped my ex-wife learn to drive a stick when she got a '60 Ford Falcon as her high school graduation gift. Didn't go well. Learned my lesson...

My first experience was with a farm truck in a plowed field (friend's parents were away to we went for a ride.)

Next up was a friend's Corvair Monza. Really, really fun to drive. I can't recall if it was 3 or 4 on the floor. Next a family car with 3 on the tree. Then I bought an old used Honda 50 and got some serious "clutch time".

In my adult life it seems I alternate new cars from stick, which I enjoy driving everywhere except rush hour traffic, to automatic that is so-so all the time.

My wife's father taught her to drive a stick and even did things like reach over and turn off the car when she was at a stop sign, on a hill. She still likes to drive a stick shift and she's a very good driver!

I leared to drive in a '70 Dodge Dart/three-on-a-tree.