Should I go AT or MT?

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by soulreapersteve

Still too early for boobs? Already 10 pages in...

4 pages. Fix your newb settings and bring on the boobs!

[vintagemxer]

Originally Posted by why?

Holy crap this thread became crazy fast.

Op, the best way to learn manual is to buy a car with it. I bought my first manual car because I wanted to learn it and I loved every second of it. If you really want to learn how to do it, you should buy a manual. The 86 manual is really easy to use and would be great for a beginner.

Saying that if you really don't want to learn the auto in the 86 is not a normal auto and there is a thread around here about how they developed it.Here it is.
Great thread about the automatic transmission development in the 86. It is a must read.

Thanks...Great read

[vintagemxer]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Europe calls it 'standard', suppose it came over with the French connection y'all had. US has called it Manual Transmission forever.

The blank look on the face of anybody under about 50 when I say "oh ya it is a six speed standard" is priceless.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by finch1750

Did your shift knobs look like this back then?

Well, actually, and to fess up, my first car was an auto. Once you stepped on the crank and got that puppy running, you got in the cockpit and pushed this steel rod with your foot that was connected to an idler pulley that tightened the drive belt that ran between the pulley on the axle and the drive pulley on the crankshaft.

The engine had a governor, however, I had a piece of baling wire that ran from the governor through the firewall, so as I could reach out and over ride the governor...... giving it "boost".

Note the staggered wheels, California rake, aluminum pulley and straight through header.

In addition, I milled the head on a piece of metal sandpaper on the basement floor, ground the valves with a hand grinder, installed new high compression rings and a had a "hot" spark plug.

Yep ........it was a fine machine ........ but it was still an automatic ......


humfrz

[vintagemxer]

[quote=humfrz;2828722]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Europe calls it 'standard', suppose it came over with the French connection y'all had. US has called it Manual Transmission forever.[/QUOTE]

Back before about 1940 ...... there was no conversation about what kind of transmission. Then from about 1940 to about 1950 only the rich folks had a choice......but, the automatic went with the more expensive cars.

About 1950, the common folk had a choice ...... "standard" or automatic transmission. That's about when I started to recall that people (in Ohio at least) started to refer to a manually shifted transmission as a "standard" shift transmission.

Now, I usually refer to most automobile transmissions as a 5 speed, 6 speed or auto.




humfrz

You forgot the 3 speed on the column !!! ")...This thread has become quite entertaining...hopefully the youngster who started it is enjoying it as much as me

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Well, actually, and to fess up, my first car was an auto. Once you stepped on the crank and got that puppy running, you got in the cockpit and pushed this steel rod with your foot that was connected to an idler pulley that tightened the drive belt that ran between the pulley on the axle and the drive pulley on the crankshaft.

The engine had a governor, however, I had a piece of baling wire that ran from the governor through the firewall, so as I could reach out and over ride the governor...... giving it "boost".

Note the staggered wheels, California rake, aluminum pulley and straight through header.

In addition, I milled the head on a piece of metal sandpaper on the basement floor, ground the valves with a hand grinder, installed new high compression rings and a had a "hot" spark plug.

Yep ........it was a fine machine ........ but it was still an automatic ......


humfrz

Hot damn. What'd that thing top out at? 3mph after the governor override?

[Capt Spaulding]

Three on the tree. And all I ever heard growing up was "standard gearbox."

Lately I've heard some folks referring to "manual transmissions," but I write them off as zit-faced-hot-wire-artists. It matters not how many "gears" it has, if you have push in (or squeeze) a clutch and move a lever to change actual toothed metal "gears" it is and forever will be a "standard gearbox."

Now where is my "Old age is no place for sissies" t-shirt?

[humfrz]

[quote=vintagemxer;2828805]

Originally Posted by humfrz

You forgot the 3 speed on the column !!! ")...This thread has become quite entertaining...hopefully the youngster who started it is enjoying it as much as me

Yep, ol @Tcoat addressed that a few posts back ...... and yep, my first car, that I could legally drive on the road, had a "3 on the tree" ....... hmmmmm ..... I wonder if I could still find my fuzzy dice ......??


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by finch1750

Hot damn. What'd that thing top out at? 3mph after the governor override?

Yep, about that ...... before the front end would start to wobble (the steering gear was a half rotten piece of old cotton cloths line screwed to the front axle and wrapped around a box under the hood, which was attached to a piece of water pipe with an old Oliver tractor steering wheel on the end.

Yep, it had it's speed limitations, but at least my gal would ride with me (reluctantly). My Cushman motor scooter was faster ...... but she wouldn't get on the back of it.

Maybe it was my driving ....... ??????


humfrz

[vintagemxer]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

Three on the tree. And all I ever heard growing up was "standard gearbox."

Lately I've heard some folks referring to "manual transmissions," but I write them off as zit-faced-hot-wire-artists. It matters not how many "gears" it has, if you have push in (or squeeze) a clutch and move a lever to change actual toothed metal "gears" it is and forever will be a "standard gearbox."

Now where is my "Old age is no place for sissies" t-shirt?

That's what it was...a tree LMBO !!! Sometimes getting old is just a kick in the ass

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Yep, about that ...... before the front end would start to wobble (the steering gear was a half rotten piece of old cotton cloths line screwed to the front axle and wrapped around a box under the hood, which was attached to a piece of water pipe with an old Oliver tractor steering wheel on the end.

Yep, it had it's speed limitations, but at least my gal would ride with me (reluctantly). My Cushman motor scooter was faster ...... but she wouldn't get on the back of it.

Maybe it was my driving ....... ??????


humfrz

I'm starting to notice a pattern...

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by finch1750

I'm starting to notice a pattern...

By golly, you may be onto something, there, @finch1750 ......

Come to think about it ....... I can't recall any girl that was ever comfortable with my driving ........

I turn 74 tomorrow ........do you think I should turn in my drivers license .....??


humfrz

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by humfrz

By golly, you may be onto something, there, @finch1750 ......

Come to think about it ....... I can't recall any girl that was ever comfortable with my driving ........

I turn 74 tomorrow ........do you think I should turn in my drivers license .....??


humfrz

I'm not the one to make that call. Maybe go stop by the DMV and do some donuts in the parking lot to prove you still got it. That way the professionals there will know for certain whether to let you keep it or not.

Bonus: You can do donuts in BOTH the AT and MT so it doesn't even matter which you own!

[abigailcarson73]

Didn't try it at all but thinking to try it. Then it would probably be wasted and damage all over if I tried it.