I'm almost a man

[crt360]

A stick will come in real handy when you get stuck on some idiot's queen size mattress that flies out of their truck on the highway and lodges, folded up, under your car.  After uncontrollably skidding from 70 mph to a complete stop, shift back and forth from 1st to R, while carefully modulating the throttle to rock yourself free before the smoldering mattress bursts into flame beneath your immobilized vehicle.  Upon successful completion of this feat, you will be a man or, at least, a more experienced driver.  If you fail, you will cry like a little girl while you watch your ride burn.

[K Frame]

You'll remember my name when you get back and discover that I've "Flipped Your House" and there's now a family of 43 living in it...


I bought a 1991 Plymouth Sundance when I was living in DC. I had it for almost 11 years, and put 165,000 miles on it, before the engine blew.

Even after driving it in DC traffic for that long, the clutch was still in great condition.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I think the next time I have fifteen cars behind me trying to turn left, while I'm repeatedly killing my engine, I'll just hop out and tell them it's ok, because all of you morons said that driving a stick was the easiest thing in the world to learn. 

I'll also let my Dad know how easy it was when he's installing a new clutch and starter and rebuilding this transmission some miles from now.  Let me know where I can send the bill, you jokers. 


 

If you'd just quit yer bitchin' and practice you'll figure it out in no time.  It really is as easy as everyone says.  I bet you a dollar that in one week's time you'll agree.

[pluvo]

I guess I cheated by learning 'clutch theory' on dirtbikes as a kid.   

My 4 wheel experience came at 10 by way of a neighbor's '52 Chevy pickup with the aforementioned '3 on the tree' & double clutching required.

My first car was an orange '77 AMC Hornet (like the one Bond used to jump the bridge in 'The Man With the Golden Gun') with a stick. The clutch went out on me & I had to drive for a few days doing the 'synchro' shift thing too. Good times.

Since then my vehicles have been autos. Being able to drive a stick has come in handy though. I've had great deals on U-Haul trucks when all they had available were stick. The first time I got the biggest truck (24'?) for the smallest rate (~$20) & the last time I got this raggedy old diesel with over 300k on the clock for just mileage. We had it for about an hour & only used 6 miles. Best $2.50 I ever spent.

[Perd Hapley]

If you'd just quit yer bi***in' and practice you'll figure it out in no time.  It really is as easy as everyone says.  I bet you a dollar that in one week's time you'll agree.

Prolly.  Should have put more smilies in that post, I guess.  Shift your brain into humorous gear and read it again.   

I'm going to find a parking lot this evening, right after the wife feeds me.  It's the starts uphill that are getting me.  But you guys already guessed that. 

[Cromlech]

I always used to read posts on other forums about how women in America rarely drive a manual transmission equipped vehicle. That surprised me, as my sister, and most other females over here in the U.K drive 'stick'. Auto transmissions are rare over here, the only auto I have driven is a forklift.

[280plus]

Try just working the clutch without giving it any gas. You'll see that if you let the clutch out slowly and smoothly enough the car will move and not die even when idling. Same thing starting on a hill, you use the clutch and the idling engine to hold you in place while you move your right foot from the brake to the accelerator. This should be a momentary thing though. NEVER hold the car on the hill like that for any length of time cause it will overheat the clutch and pressure plates. It's also a waste of gas...

[crt360]

Try just working the clutch without giving it any gas. You'll see that if you let the clutch out slowly and smoothly enough the car will move and not die even when idling. Same thing starting on a hill, you use the clutch and the idling engine to hold you in place while you move your right foot from the brake to the accelerator.

I think 280 is messing with you.  I've never driven a manual that was remotely capable of that. 

[Iain]

It can be done I think. Initially I was way too light with the gas, but I didn't stall every time.

[Waitone]

A real man has a pick up truck with plywood for the floorboard.  Seats have more springs exposed that cushion.  A real man drives a pick up truck with so many holes in the cab that he doesn't bother rolling windows up in the rain.  Water flows out through the holes as fast as it comes in.  A real man doesn't get concerned with water splashing up through the floorboard.

A real man feels no shame at driving a '68 Dodge Swinger complete with daisy flowers on the real panels and a slant six under the hood.  It takes a real man to put up with the abuse.

Keep trying grasshopper, you'll make it!   

[wmenorr67]

I think Waitone may have some unresolved issues.

[thebaldguy]

My girlfriend drives a manual like a pro; she learned driving a 81 Mustang years ago. The first car we bought together was a Cherokee with a 5 speed; she drives it smoothly, and after 14 years I still give my passengers whiplash. It's great on the highway, but in the city traffic it sucks. Our around town cars have had automatic transmissions.

Note: women who can drive cars with manual transmissions are generally a good find.

[Ben]

Note: women who can drive cars with manual transmissions are generally a good find.

Interestingly, I know more women who drive a stick than men who do.

My dad wouldn't let me drive my mom's car with the auto transmission until I mastered his F100 with the three on the tree. Manual everything and he first let me start learning in it on dirt roads when I was around 12. I recently had occasion to drive a truck with manual steering. I forgot how friggin' hard it is to turn that wheel at a standstill or low speed. Either that or I've become a friggin' wimp.

[Ron]

I'm surprised so many of us have three on the tree stories.

Didn't think there were so many around.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Had an 83 chev w/ a 3 on the tree.  The biggest problem I had was learning the shift pattern on that thing.  More than once I thought I was in first and was actually in 3rd...  But that engine didn't complain much.   The clutch did all the complainin'.  I only knew I was in third because of that burnt clutch smell.... 

My dad now, he refuses to drive automatics unless it's the ONLY option.  He can shift a car smoother than any automatic, to the point that you have to listen to the rpm changes to know he's shifted.  And that whole "shift without the clutch thing"?  He can go from first to fifth, and routinely does, without missing a single sync.  Not one grind, or even rub....  I'm not there yet, but I'm learning.  My 96 Camry doesn't like no clutch shifting tho.  I can do pretty easy from 3rd to 4th, but the others don't seem to sync as clean.....

Ok, so I'm braggin' on my pop.  Got a problem w/ that?? 

[Gewehr98]

No surprise.  I refuse to drive an automatic if I have an option.

I confuse my wife all the time, doing 1st to 3rd to 5th upshifts, and clutchless upshifts, too.

Clutchless shifts on my Harley are real easy to do, you don't have to wait for the transmission input shaft to spin down. 

I had a lot of fun with one of my VW Bugs, it had the old 3-speed Auto-Stick transmission.  No clutch pedal, just a microswitch activated by pressure on the shifter knob, which in turn operated a vacuum solenoid clutch, then you shifted and took your hand off the shifter. It was a hybrid setup, with a torque converter so you could start out in gear, pretty much any gear, and slow to a stop without killing the 1600 flat four. 

People think the current batch of automatics with manual shift selectors are some new innovation, or the sports cars with clutchless shift paddles behind the steering wheel.  Some of us know better.

[Cromlech]

People think the current batch of automatics with manual shift selectors are some new innovation, or the sports cars with clutchless shift paddles behind the steering wheel.  Some of us know better.

Jeremy Clarkson would agree with you. He calls them 'Flappy-paddle' gearboxes, and hates most of them.

[280plus]

Try just working the clutch without giving it any gas. You'll see that if you let the clutch out slowly and smoothly enough the car will move and not die even when idling. Same thing starting on a hill, you use the clutch and the idling engine to hold you in place while you move your right foot from the brake to the accelerator.

I think 280 is messing with you.  I've never driven a manual that was remotely capable of that. 

No suh! That's the trick to starting on a hill without going backwards first. You engage the clutch just enough to hold the car there THEN you move your brake foot to the gas and start the acceleration part. It takes practice and I'd start on flat ground first. Without giving the car any gas, practice engaging the clutch and getting it going. Remember, if if starts to lug the motor release a little clutch, you'll get the hang of it. It's really just double clutching without completely releasing the clutch. Once you get that down practice it on a hill.

I was a diehard manual fan just like G98 but then between getting old and having to drive in heavy bumper to bumper all the time and I got tired of all the clutchwork and wussed out for the auto. 

 

[K Frame]

Try just working the clutch without giving it any gas. You'll see that if you let the clutch out slowly and smoothly enough the car will move and not die even when idling. Same thing starting on a hill, you use the clutch and the idling engine to hold you in place while you move your right foot from the brake to the accelerator.

I think 280 is messing with you.  I've never driven a manual that was remotely capable of that. 

I don't know about the starting on the hill bit (I NEVER do that with my clutches, I use the hand brake to hill hold), but on a level surface my Subaru Outback will start very very nicely with no gas if you feather the clutch in from first gear.

[mtnbkr]

Try just working the clutch without giving it any gas. You'll see that if you let the clutch out slowly and smoothly enough the car will move and not die even when idling. Same thing starting on a hill, you use the clutch and the idling engine to hold you in place while you move your right foot from the brake to the accelerator.

I think 280 is messing with you.  I've never driven a manual that was remotely capable of that. 

Funny, I've driven 3 that could.  I never tried it with my Beetle or that might have been 4.

Chris

[K Frame]

Would you go on vacation already and quit bugging us? 

[mtnbkr]

Way too much driving/riding.  We're just outside of Augusta, Ga right now.  Still have 7-8hrs of driving ahead of us.

We're stopping at the World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta to break up the trip though. 

Chris

[K Frame]

Didn't know they had a World of Coke museum.

White lines everywhere?


Remember....

1903-A3 stock...

Hell, see how much the entire 1903-A3 is...



"Way too much driving..."

Hum...

I think I know a solution to that... FLY!

Oh, I know the response... It's too much money! Waah! Waah!

[Iain]

I went out and did it earlier. My little 1.2l engine managed it no trouble, will tick along at less than walking pace with the clutch up and no gas in first gear. I'm also not a fan of the clutch hold footbrake to accelerator trick on hills, my driving instructor drilled me in using the handbrake when ever feasible.

How far is Chris driving?

[mfree]

My Shadow has been lightened for racing... still has the original engine though, with it's heavy flywheel.

280, on a flat surface if I dump the clutch at idle, both front wheels will chirp and the car will lunge. About 75% of the time there'll be one more sharp lunge as one/two cylinders fires, then the idle speed controller will take over and the car will take off, all by itself.

Just gotta have the right car