Standard Transmissions...How many can operate one ??

[Pygmy]

Not long ago, I talked to a young fellow who was driving a big beer truck...Someone asked him if it was automatic or standard...He replied that it was auto, and he did not know how to operate a standard tranny...

Came as a bit of a shock to me, being an old fart...I took my road test in 1966 in my Dad's 1953   Ford F-100 , three speed on the  tree...

How many of you pilgrims can run a standard tranny  ??  I haven't run one in many years, but I still could run one in my sleep....

[Swamp_bucks]

Theres not to many vehicles left that are standard.  I learned on an old Ford at my friends farm.   There are a ton of people that have no idea how to drive a stick.

[BizCT]

It's funny how the times have changed. When I was in high school (1998-2002), anything automatic was laughed at unless you were a girl, but even then most girls drove stick too for fear of being made fun of. I think it's mostly because of the "fast & furious" times then when it was all about hooking up your car with tinted windows, intake, exhaust, superchargers, turbos, body kits, etc. However, nowadays many high end sports car don't even offer stick anymore since the automatic/paddle shifters are faster anyway. Sometimes I miss driving stick, but I don't own any sports cars anymore so it's not a big deal.

[mowin]

Took my driver's test in a gremlin with 3 on the tree. 

Drove truck in the '90's. No autos then.  Every vehicle I've owned was a standard until 2007.  

Haven't driven one in yrs, but I could hop in anything from a VW bug to a Freightliner with a Eaton/fuller, and not have any issues. 

[Jeremy K]

2 out of our 3 vehicles is manual ,one being my daily driver. 

[moog5050]

I suspect most here can.  I learned how to use a clutch on a Kawasaki kx80 as a kid and my first car was standard.   But I would bet very few of my sons generation can drive one.  Heck even sports cars are paddle shift now.  No need to learn to use a clutch. 

[GreeneHunter]

First Car was a 1965 Ford Falcon .... 3 on the tree ... took the road test in it !

[Meatball]

I always had Jeep's which were standard. Its so fun to drive, a shame more vehicles are not giving the chance.

[Nytracker]

I learned to drive standard . I was driving 18 wheelers  to an off site lot after washing them when I was 14. A few years ago I had to drive a young lady's jeep home as she had to much to drink and they couldn't find anybody who could drive stick. One of my first cars was a ford pinto wagon. 4 speed... we called it the pie wagon.

Edited December 16, 2020 by Nytracker

[doebuck1234]

First experience and road test was in an automatic but have drove standards a number of times.first few times was rough but made it back to starting point haha.last time i got in one it went pretty smooth

[mowin]

My nephew can drive a standard, but when he was looking for a tri-axle dump, the thought of learning double clutching and shifting didn't appeal to him so he bought a auto.  

[Moho81]

My first truck was standard as well as my motorcycle. Its been years since I've had to drive a 4 wheel vehicle with a standard transmission but this summer I jumped into a friends car to move it and didn't realize it was manual. Revved it a bit to much but never stalled it out!!!! 

Sometimes I pretend in my truck to shift gears using the coffee mug as the shifter! 

[Zag]

My 1990 Mustang has a 5 speed tranny. My oldest brother had rented a 5 speed rental car once, he brought it over and that’s how I learned. Thanks Enterprise!!

[DDT]

Amazing how many snowflake's can't drive standard. Took my driver's test in a standard Plymouth Arrow at 16. Then drove my 68 Chevelle to California, by myself. Always rowed my own gears. Class A CDL no restrictions. Taught my wife when we got married 4 decades ago so she could drive all the crazy cars I've had.

[stubborn1VT]

My daily driver is a standard.  I grew up driving tractors and one-ton farm trucks.  Nothing wrong with an automatic, but when it comes to towing, pulling hills or off-road I want a standard so I can truly downshift and put the hammer down.

[Dinsdale]

I learned basics on brothers car around 84'. Bought my first new vehicle, a standard ford pick up in 88' getting out of college. That makes you learn in a hurry when it's the only thing you have.

Upto 3 months ago both car and truck were stick, but now work van is auto.

I still like stirring a gearbox and 17' Tacoma is a stick and fun to drive.

[******pike]

learn to drive on a standard shift 1967   Dodge dart  three speed on the column boy that fun  old days plus i drove a straigth job for about 15 years 

Edited December 16, 2020 by ******pike

[coonhunter]

The car I have now is the first one that wasn't a standard. It's not horrible like they used to be, but I still lift my foot to push in the clutch quite often.

[Fletch]

Learned on a standard when I was about 10 yo. Don't think I even saw an automatic till 4-5 years later. Neither of my kids 18 and 20 can drive one. We have never had anything but automatics since they have been born. 

[bigpaul]

Learned on an old Willy's at deer camp when I was ten. My first auto trans I owned was in 2001.

[Nomad]

Late ‘70s learned on a dump truck.... that was interesting ,more so for the other drivers though .

Motorcycles as well, although using the clutch wasn’t always necessary if you knew how to control the R s , I first learned that after sliding through an intersection and breaking the clutch handle .

[Gencountyzeek]

My first vehicle was a 82 s10. Manual, no power steering, no power brakes. Next was a 88 ranger, manual.

Then i was spoiled with a 95 gmc jimmy. Damn thing had leather and power windows!

Didnt have another manual till i bought a new 2006 acura rsx type s. Fun little car, but was the 1st and last car i would own. Traded that in on a new gmc sierra 11 months after buying the acura. Havent had a manual since 06, unless u count my 09 raptor 700 i have now.

[mowin]

Can't buy a new 2500, 3500/250,350 with a manual transmission anymore.  

[Nomad]

14 minutes ago, Gencountyzeek said:

My first vehicle was a 82 s10. Manual, no power steering, no power brakes. Next was a 88 ranger, manual.

Then i was spoiled with a 95 gmc jimmy. Damn thing had leather and power windows!

Didnt have another manual till i bought a new 2006 acura rsx type s. Fun little car, but was the 1st and last car i would own. Traded that in on a new gmc sierra 11 months after buying the acura. Havent had a manual since 06, unless u count my 09 raptor 700 i have now.

No P/S that would throw many off today . The Armstrong method of steering !

[Pygmy]

When I took Driver's Ed  in High school in 1965, the DR Ed vehicle was a  1963 Dodge, std transmission, slant six....

The passenger side had a clutch and a brake so that the DR Ed teacher  could have some control in case of an emergency...