What car did you learn how to drive Stick in?
10-09-10, 04:23 AM
#16
Recovering Lexus Addict
I learned to drive stick in 1973 as a junior in high school in my chemistry teacher's 60-something Chevy pickup with 3-on-the-tree. The first period of the day was 2nd year chemistry with about 4 other nerds, all seniors. As the only junior, I was the go-fer usually dispatched for donut runs or other errands, despite that we had a closed school during the day. One morning our teacher, Mr. Coughlin, needed to have some water samples picked up from a local factory. I hadn't driven that day, so he tossed me the keys for his truck. When I got behind the wheel, I looked around and said to myself, "Well, I'm going to learn to drive a stick this morning."
10-09-10, 08:46 AM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
I learned decades ago, with the old three-on-the-tree and four-on-the-floor units. In those days, first gear was not always synchronized, so you sometimes had to come to almost a full-stop before you could downshift into first without crunching. You didn't have hydraulic-operated clutches then, so you also had to have a little more skill and feel with your left foot. And pickup trucks and muscle-cars could sometimes take a lot of left-foot pressure with the beefy clutch linkages
10-09-10, 10:30 AM
#22
I learned on my Dad's car, a 1978 VW Rabbit. Great learning car.
Refined my technique on my first car, a 1986 Honda CRX Si. Fantastic fun.
Sprinkled some performance into the equation with my first new car, a 1993 Acura Integra GS-R. I remember racing a non GS-R on the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut in '95. That was the first proof to me that the VTEC engine was worth the extra money. By the way, now I'm leary of even driving on the Merritt, let alone driving fast on it.
Refined my technique on my first car, a 1986 Honda CRX Si. Fantastic fun.
Sprinkled some performance into the equation with my first new car, a 1993 Acura Integra GS-R. I remember racing a non GS-R on the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut in '95. That was the first proof to me that the VTEC engine was worth the extra money. By the way, now I'm leary of even driving on the Merritt, let alone driving fast on it.
10-09-10, 11:24 AM
#25
Lexus Champion
79 toyota corolla....I was 15 years old at the time....I learned by just pulling the car in and out of the driveway so we could play basketball.
a year later some jackass pulled right in front of me in a pickup truck and it was totalled (dad's car).
a year later some jackass pulled right in front of me in a pickup truck and it was totalled (dad's car).
10-09-10, 11:34 AM
#26
Lexus Fanatic
I learned in England while going to high school there for a couple of years (well before I had a permit and/or license). I can't remember what British Ford model it was. Later as a teenager I drove "3 on the trees" in pickup trucks and "4 speed sticks" in 289cid Mustangs.
