I had to laugh when the shop assistant asked if I'd mind getting my own car. He couldn't bring it around front, because he couldn't drive stick.
Now this:
dwight
"dwight" wrote in news:ftWdnbm8g snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
dwight, you'd better hope the guy who actually worked on your tranny was familiar with manuals... ;)
Picked it up last night, as a matter o' fac. I have to learn how to drive it again, now that I can successfully start up in 1st AND have a 2nd gear. I'm going run-about this afternoon to bond with the reworked trans.
I'll let you know!
dwight
My daughter, who just turned 12, wants to start learning how to drive. I live in the boonies, on a gravel road with neighbors few and far between. She's 5'8" and looks a lot older than she actually is. Anyway, I've decided to let her start driving on a stick-shift vehicle and when she has that mastered, she can drive with an automatic. (Please remember this is where traffic is almost non-existant and at slow speeds) Anyway, the vehicle that I will be using is........ (drum roll please) a 1950 International pickup. Luckily she isn't at the stage yet where she cares what her friends think, just in case one of them actually does see her drive... ;-)
I remember and old issue of the Marque, the publication of the Shelby American Automobile club. A Hollywood production company rented a Cobra to film an episode of Run For Your Life staring Ben Garaza. In one episode he was driving a Cobra race car. The photos of the filming showed him sitting in the car all suited up, only the car was sitting on a trailer. Since he couldn't drive a stick, and had no desire to learn, they had to film the race scenes TOWING the car.
Years ago, California wanted to start requiring drivers licenses to reflect the ability of the driver. So, if you took the test with a standard shift, you could drive auto or standard, but if you took the test with an auto, you couldn't legally drive a standard. The reason made sense... too many young people were taking the test in an auto shift, and then jumping behind the wheel of a standard. The result was a lot of accidents which could have been avoided if the driver knew what they were doing. If your license was stamped AUTO ONLY you'd get a ticket if you were caught driving a manual shift.
I taught my first wife how to drive a manual. She became so good she started winning races. Found she loved the idea of driving the car instead of the car just transporting her.
Considering that practically every driver training school (non-specialized like racing) uses nothing but automatics... yep... we're a dying breed... dinosaurs facing extinction. Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video."dwight" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
I'll bet you will! ;)
Nah..
Of course!
I'm back from my two-hour shakedown cruise, and these guys flat-out nailed it. The shifter is even as clunky as it was when new. They installed a new cable and clutch plate designed to give my old left leg a break, and the new synchros are meshin' perfectly.
It was a toss-up whether to rebuild this one or go with a brand new T5, but the rebuild is flawless. Finally, someone who talks a good game and backs it up with expertise. I'm going to have to fire off an email thankyou.
I can't rave enough. TFROG IS BACK!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
:()
That's why I bought the Princessmobile. A 1988 LX ragtop with a 4-cylinder engine and stick. I really wanted to teach my daughter how to "drive", but she never quite got the hang of it. Smashed the Princessmobile twice, and it became my spare car.
She's been driving automatic ever since, and she's a good enough driver when she doesn't have to think about what gear she's in.
The Princessmobile gave way to a 1993 GT convertible. I had never had a droptop before, but I was hooked. I spent $3000 for the Princess Mustang, and $6,500 for the GT (overpaid, but it was in great shape). But that $3000 put my daughter into a cute little car that was the envy of all her friends (who were usually driving their parents' cast-off clone sedans). Hell, I didn't think it was all that, but they sure did!
dwight
ok clue me in who rebuilt it? seeing as i'm in the area!
Dave
"dwight" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
Good deal - glad it worked out. I sort of felt the same after Ford rebuilt my AOD several years back. Felt better than new.
Chester County Transmissions. They get my business from now on.
When I stopped in, they had a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz up on the lift. Gorgeous car, all chrome and huge whitewalls, and a daily driver, so they tell me. Boy, they don't build 'em like THAT any more!
dwight
Hells bells Grandpa taught me how to drive on a 1950 International with a granny shift. Oh and on a gravel road no less and the track we had made around the old pasture as our MX Track.
I never did manage to successfully teach either my wife or oldest daughter how to drive a stick. Never even tried with the youngest, although she has expressed a desire to learn. I sort of like it this way. Nobody touches Dad's cars :)
Ya gotta love that split back window on 'em!!! And mine has a granny shift also. Hopefully, that will help when she tries to take off from the stop sign. (Not as many neck snaps!)
Smart move. Like I said... that was my first wife..... and now the knees are shot so I'm back to an automatic in the Mustang, although the beatermobile is a 5 spd Escort. Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
If I remember correctly the damn thing was gear so freakin low you could have probably towed a house with it. Pulled many a stump with that truck. Finally it got to the point where parts where damn near impossible to find and Gramps parked it in a field behind his house. Some damn vandals decided it would be great fun to plink out all of the glass with bb-guns. My Dad still had it in the back of his place up until last month when he sold off what was left of the farm to a developer and moved closer to where I live. I wanted to try and two it back to my place, but the rear axle was frozen solid and I would have had to use a flatbed to get it back. I suspect getting all new glass for it would have been a bitch as well. Tis a shame, Gramps had all sorts of 30/40/50's cars that he or his sons had just parked when they quit running for one reason or another. I know for a fact there was at least one Hudson Hornet a `41 Ford Coupe, a Plymouth Dr's Coupe and a couple of rather well worth restoring/Hot Rodding projects. The guy who bought the property towed them all to the junkers.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.