Can you drive a stick?

[Freebird]

I guess I started with tractors on my grandparent's farms. They were manual but of course you didn't shift once you got moving. They had clutches but you put them in the gear that you wanted before you started moving. They were not synchronized, at least their old tractors weren't.

 

First true manual that I had to shift once I got moving was my first motorcycle. A Honda S90. I think it was a 1965 model. I bought it from the grandfather of a friend and my mom dropped me off to pick it up. I figured it out and learned to shift it on the way home. I had never ridden a motorcycle before, maybe a mini bike or two owned by various friends.

 

My first car was an old 1959 Chevy Belaire that my dad gave me. It had been his work car. Wish I had it back now. It was a two door with a six cylinder, probably a 235, and three on the column. Drove the wheels off that thing. Have owned many manual models over the years. Cars and trucks. I still enjoy driving them but it's been quite a few years since we owned one. The last I remember was a Honda Prelude with a 5 speed that I had bought for my wife just before moving to Ohio about 17 years ago. She actually loved that little car and drove it to Ohio when we moved.

[slowrollwv]

5 over 4 with a splitter and granny low in the box.

 

Do I remember those days. Spent a lot of 12 and 14 hour days in a 66 International dumper when I was 18.

[Venture n Dixie]

Only when I can find one. Currently on a 06 Corolla 5 speed. I call it my Lil Red Gocart. Worried that when I wear it out there won't be a replacement. Thinking I might be to old to drive then or independent transportation will be history so it won't matter. It's only got 220,000 miles on the clock at this point so I'm expecting another 10 years of fun.

[baylensman]

 

Found I could out run the push dozers on the muddy job sites with the granny low gearing with an 80,000 scale ticket. Then this was back in the days when the bull haulers ruled the fast lane...... until I got there. Managed to pick up an "Honorable Mention" (just a warning) from the Kansas State Patrol on the turnpike as he figured his radar had malfunctioned. I wasn't about to argue with him about the reading he got that night.

 

So in my three years in that truck I ended up learning a lot about over size and overweight loads. Did many trips with 9 axles on ground and went places most people wouldn't go on a dirt bike. I still chuckle a bit when anyone asks me if I've ever driven a stick. So ya got me started.......

 

 

Wow that reminds me of the time. I was driving a 32ft straight truck with a 4+1 over 2 (+1 was a granny gear that had a seperate lock out on the gate) I made a delivery to the SUN refinery in Philly, a piece of 42" schedule 80 by 10 ft long and a gate valve to match. They wanted it close to the new tank. I drove the old IH over the dike down in the pit, they came in with a front loader to unload the pipe and valve. I went back up over the dike, the foreman flagged me down and asked if I could tow the front loader back up! too much wheel spin in the gravel with no load on it. I said I'd bring the loader up without a tow. Hopped on and backed it up the hill with the bucket up over my head. They were amazed! all that fooling around on the farm in my youth, did pay off!

[SilvrT]

Sadly, it's becoming a lost art. Auto is much easier, but stick's a lot more fun.

 

Seems the rage now with auto trannys is the paddle shift.

[uechi kid]

When I learned to drive we had a 1962 Rambler Station Wagon with 3 on the column and a 1963 Mercedes 190D with four on the floor. I had no choice.

[saddlebum]

Seems the rage now with auto trannys is the paddle shift.

Yeh and they call that driving in manual. Most people are amazed that my kids can all drive stick but I told them if there going to learn to drive then there to learn all of it. At 1st they complained but now they think their members of some sort of elite drivers club cause they can drive stick.

[SilvrT]

Yeh and they call that driving in manual. Most people are amazed that my kids can all drive stick but I told them if there going to learn to drive then there to learn all of it. At 1st they complained but now they think their members of some sort of elite drivers club cause they can drive stick.

 

Have you taught them how to shift without using the clutch?

[BratmanXj]

Have you taught them how to shift without using the clutch?

 

Female friend had just bought a Jeep YJ Wrangler and I installed a new radio for her. She could drive stick with out a problem but wanted me to show her some pointers on driving a Jeep, so I pull the the doors off and hop in the drivers seat. I didn't touch the clutch for about 5 miles of suburban traffic after we pulled out of the driveway, had my foot hanging out the door the whole time. Spent the next hour teaching her how to power shift.

[Sailor]

When I worked at the airport in Vancouver the push out tractors were auto but with a difference. There was a stick but it was for the steering. 1st was front wheel steering, 2nd was for front and rear counter steering ( could sit in one spot and spin 360) and 3rd was for front and rear synchronized steering ( could drive sideways).

[RandyR]

When I worked at the airport in Vancouver the push out tractors were auto but with a difference. There was a stick but it was for the steering. 1st was front wheel steering, 2nd was for front and rear counter steering ( could sit in one spot and spin 360) and 3rd was for front and rear synchronized steering ( could drive sideways).

 

I need something like that to get into a parking space downtown !!

[saddlebum]

Have you taught them how to shift without using the clutch?

One son and one daughter caught on to shifting W/O using the clutch but the other son and the two other girls not so much. Ironically the 1st two won't buy anything without a stick shift,Where the other three like the automatic but are proud they can drive stick when the occasion arises.

 

While teaching the 1st son to drive in his Hyundai Tibauron he asked me what speed shifting and double skip down shifting were.

Yeh like a bad teenager I gave him a little demo on a secluded section of road:Laugh:

 

His response was (HOLY S**T Dad .....That was just like out of the fast and the furious)........ What can I say It was strictly for educational purposes only

 

Of course I gave him a stern warning:backinmyday:I would ground him if I ever caught him or found out he was driving like that.............(probably paid as much attention to that as I did when I was his age

Oh yeh my last words of wisdom on the subject was (DO NOT TELL YOUR MOTHER ABOUT THIS)

Edited July 12, 2017 by saddlebum