Slick 60's

It stated that 82% of all drivers can not drive a manual shift vehicle. I found that surprising and a bit concerning. I realize the majority of new cars produced are autos but learning to drive a manual is an important piece of vehicle operation. I'm happy to state that all the drivers in my home can drive a stick. My wife owned a sports car before we were married and is an accomplished manual driver. Both my daughters learned to drive on a 5 speed Mustang. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this. A few years ago I was very involved in the local Mustang Club. As a fundraiser, we worked a Leake Auto Auction assisting with checking cars in, moving them around and across the auction block. On auction day we were moving cars out to run them across the block and one of the 20 something members couldn't move a 60s muscle car because it was a 4 speed. I threatened to pull his mancard for such offense.

I thought I would pose this question of the Slick faithful:

Do you know anyone who can't drive a manual? Is there anyone on here that can't or would they admit to it?

I was taught how to drive a waterfront "pusher" at seven years old by my dad at 8:00 in the a.m. on pier 45 S.F. behind fishermans warf.. My wife drove a stick when I met her... my oldest does not drive...my youngest drives the six speed mini and owns a 61 flaire three on a tree that we converted to a T-5

I guess I must be safe from car theft. Everything I own is manual transmissions.

Michelle wrote:I guess I must be safe from car theft. Everything I own is manual transmissions.

Great deal huh? A 3 on the tree is enough to baffle most young drivers.

orangeRcode wrote: Great deal huh? A 3 on the tree is enough to baffle most young drivers.

I grew up driving manual, and the first 3 on the tree confused me. I had no idea they existed. Even though I knew how to drive stick, it still took a little getting used to

A good deal of people I know don't how to drive stick. The rest haven't driven one in a long time, or know just enough to get by driving in an emergency.

ThinLizzy13 wrote: I grew up driving manual, and the first 3 on the tree confused me. I had no idea they existed. Even though I knew how to drive stick, it still took a little getting used to

A good deal of people I know don't how to drive stick. The rest haven't driven one in a long time, or know just enough to get by driving in an emergency.

I learned to drive on a 3 on the tree. 1962 Dodge D100 pickup with a slant 6. It was a $200 acquisition my dad made so we could haul off stuff to the dump. It was the summer before my sophomore year in high school. I was 15. Many trips were made by myself to unload a bed full of whatever had been torn down the evening before of the house next door to my folks. That summer we completely tore down the house next door and salvaged the lumber to build a big shop on that adjoining property. At the time as a teen I didn't think much of the project. Looking back on it now it was one of my fondest memories. Working side by side with my Dad learning from him a lot about construction and destruction. Wouldn't trade it for the world!

when i was overseas, all our vehicles were standards... I actually had to teach people to drive them.

They would never be able to figure out the 3 on the tree!

I honestly didn't learn to drive a stick till i bought my first truck. it was a 99 ford ranger. manual transmission. I couldn't even test drive it. Had to learn on the fly!

My first was a 1976 Ford Courier automatic.

My second was a 1964 Ford one ton, dual rear wheel, 4 speed, step in cab, moving peanut trailers for my uncle on the farm. 10-11 years old. I thought I was in heaven! Cool old truck, on the road, no license, helping get the crop in and to the drying shelter.

That's probably when the Slick seed was planted with me, 30 some years ago, almost seems like yesterday.

All of our vehicles have a manual transmission, I can replace the clutch, pressure plate, and release and pinion bearings, not so sure I could bring an automatic back to life.

Funny you should ask! I came home cussing my six speed Dummins! Evidently Dodge, (FIAT, whoever) never realized that trucks were made for WORK! In my case, that includes occasional exploits in mud; (just ask Skip and/or Bronco Tom, LOL). Anyway, I used my only manual transmission farm tractor to unload a decrepit BMW 24 hours of LEMONS candidate tonight. That usually results in my getting back in one of my trucks and trying to shift with the turn signal, ala Kubota's left hand-operated forward/reverse selector. Ok. adjusted to that little situation; truck and trailer are in a spot just big enough to fit them under the best of conditions. Did I mention MUD? Literally spades of the sticky gulf coast gumbo! Broken foot earlier in the year results in occasional pain, but all is manageable! Back to the Dirge; it has a tiny clutch pedal with a very long travel. Tiny, as in center your weakened foot on it, push for all you are worth, and hope your boot remains centered on the pedal. Add muddy boots, and you can guess the rest!
So, yes, I have been driving manual transmissions since the fifties. I became fairly adept at shifting at an early age; although I did wipe out, oh, maybe 13 cluster gears with my "speed-shifting" antics before swapping for a fully synchronized transmission. I still own a five speed Mustang, two six speed duallies, and a few other manual setups which will remain un-named. I like my manual shift performance vehicles; I am currently considering a six-speed manual luxury station wagon! Trucks? Not so much! I used to love double clutching or no-clutching, now I am quite content to move levers without any other action required on my part.
Well, I didn't mean to turn this into a book, and you are probably wishing I hadn't; but there's my two cents worth!
Paul

Very first car I drove at 14 was a 63 Fairlane 3 on the tree. Only drove it in the yard before my dad traded it in on a 74 Ford station wagon. Drove it every day till it left. Learned how to drive it by myself no help from Dad. He said figure it out. I did and I've owned a manual transmission of some sort since that first car. From Pinto's to semi's.

Learned at 10 on 2 stick Mack and also Ford's Super Duties with 5 and 4 as well 10 speed Road Rangers.. Clutch What's a Clutch since I learned to drive without a clutch and still can since our 97 F-450 has s/g and shift that with no clutch.. My Uncle that run coast to coast in the early 50's told me clutch pedal is not a foot rest and if he saw me driving using a clutch on his KW he would smack me,, now Kathy does use the clutch so I look the other way,, Now days so many of the big trucks have automatics since so many cannot drive a stick

I'm with you Tom, I never use the clutch on either of my big trucks. I only use the clutch for starting and stopping.

As for the manuals in my stable my Mustang has a five speed, the 64 Falcon Sprint has a four speed Ford toploader, the Super Duty has a five speed, the Ranger has a New Process four speed, the big slick has a thirteen speed as does the LTL 9000.

My wife's primary vehicle for years was a '77 ford crew cab ex railroad truck. No power steering or brakes, but it did have the make-out knob to help. It was a great truck. I realized one day that I was driving it without using the clutch. No grind, just got in sync with where the natural shift points were. I have not been able to replicate that with my '66. Sold it with over 400,000 miles.

I consider my 3 on the tree an anti-theft device.
I would also say that most 3 on tree's have somewhat of there own style! In other words, mine works well I think, but you have to get to know it and hold yer mouth just right. Works for me. I won't change a thing.

One of my best friends had someone try to steal his 1970 Mustang one time. He was at work at night in a shady neighborhood when someone told him that somebody was trying to steal his car... They kept killing it over and over. I don't know if they didn't know how to drive a stick or not. I had drove that car before, and it had a really heavy duty clutch in it, I mean it was tricky adjusting to the throttle and clutch mix to make it start of the line.. It kept it from being stolen that night.

He went running, and so did the thief !

Michelle I agree,, several years ago had to get a Mack broke down in Atlanta with no clutch pedal assembly. driver had no clue on not using a clutch, just forced into 1st and then drove all the way home, then several years ago the clutch went out on our F-350 in Lake Havasu, AZ so we drove like to Las Vegas pulling a trailer only to tell us it would be a week before fixing it so drove again to Kingman AZ and got it fixed next day..

Same here! Overheard someone talking of being "broke down and stranded"with a broken clutch linkage! I thought to myself, "that's not "broke down", let alone "stranded". That's just minor inconvenience, on a slightly lesser level than hanging a fuel can from a headache rack, running a hose to the carb and driving in cross-town traffic!
Paul

I had a mazda b2600 pickup I bought brand new in the early 90s. Drove it for nearly 300k miles. Great little truck. It had a bad habit of eating mastercylinders and slave cylinders. I drove it home on several occations when one or the other had gone out. Start it in 1st and shift it the rest of the way just matching engine rpms to the transmission. Even had to drive in downtown area with stop lights every block. Just took it easy and made it no problem. We don't need no stinkin clutches. BTW, the only part of the driveline that was replaced was the throw out bearing with about 50,000 miles on it. It still had the original clutch and pressure plate in it when I sold it!

I CAN DRIVE MY 4 SPEED WARNER t98. MY GRANDPA'S CAR WAS A 62 FORD WITH 3 ON THE TREE. STOP MEANT, shift into 2nd and keep going.

Learned to drive a stick in a 61 VW bug back in the 60's. Have had numerous manual cars and trucks since. All my children and grandchildren can drive a stick, has come in very handy at times.