Trucks and SUVs have been a different story. Two Jeeps, a C10, and I've even had two CVT's. One in my first car, a Subaru Justy, and in our newest SUV, a Saturn Vue. Sadly, you couldn't get AWD and a Manual on the Vue.
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| Celtic Radio Community > Ye Ole Celtic Pub - Open all day, all night! > Manual Transmission Fun |
| Posted by: Patriot1776 26-Mar-2009, 07:43 AM |
| As sad as it is for me to say it, I'm probably now one of a very few people that can probably not only drive a manually shifted vehicle, but also increasingly knows about all the fun things you can do with a stick shift when you live in the mountains like I do. My vehicle is a 1993 Ford Ranger Super Cab with a 182 c.i.d. (3.0L) V6 and a 5-speed. Because my house's driveway is inclined, I've gotten into the fun habit of starting my truck by allowing it to roll backwards down the driveway a bit and releasing the clutch pedal for an instant to crank it, using gravity to start it instead of the starter. It's fun to do, and I'm saving wear and tear on a component that's a bear to change out when it goes bad. So who else in here not only drives a stick, but also knows about a lot of nifty tricks you can pull off with a clutch that are impossible with an automatic, and don't even apply with a hybrid? I know quite a few others, but I'm wanting to see if I'm the only person on here who knows them. |
| Posted by: Camac 26-Mar-2009, 08:10 AM |
| Patriot1776; Even though I don't own a vehicle now most that I did own were stick shift. I learned to drive in the late 50s' when most cars were still manual, automatics being an option. Stick shift is better in snow as you can gearup to get traction rather than just sit there and spin your wheels also braking by gearing down cuts down on skidding and fishtailing. Camac. |
| Posted by: oldraven 26-Mar-2009, 08:33 AM |
| Of the five cars I've owned, three were manuals, including the Thunderbird I have as a summer car (Yes, Ford made a 5-spd T-bird in the 80's. Hard to believe, eh?). In my old VW, the starter had already stopped working 90% of the time (I found out it was a rusty terminal bracket, after changing the starter, and the old one had nothing wrong with it), so I had to make it a habit to park on hills everywhere I went. I even managed to jump start the thing in reverse once, after only letting it roll out of a parking space at the bank, and the parking lot was full, so I was also making a 90* turn. Trucks and SUVs have been a different story. Two Jeeps, a C10, and I've even had two CVT's. One in my first car, a Subaru Justy, and in our newest SUV, a Saturn Vue. Sadly, you couldn't get AWD and a Manual on the Vue. |
| Posted by: valpal59 26-Mar-2009, 08:53 AM |
| Patriot1776, I have a 1996 Mustang GT Convertible 5 sp. sitting in my garage that I drive when the weather cooperates. I won't tell you my tricks as hubby might see this and then I would be in trouble.  Val |
| Posted by: oldraven 26-Mar-2009, 09:05 AM |
| You're only in trouble if he has to pay for tires and can catch you. What's he driving? |
| Posted by: Patriot1776 26-Mar-2009, 09:06 AM |
| One thing that I used to do a lot of, but not anymore, was clutchless shifting without clashing the gears too. Stopped doing it partially however because I discovered I was wearing the synchros out 10x as fast doing it. Haven't done it in the current Ranger, and got out of the practice of it when I had a four cylinder Probe. The only part of clutchless shifting I still do is pull out of gear into neutral without touching the clutch, and I do it quite often in city driving, pulling into neutral when I see somebody in front of me slowing down to turn off, then going directly of course to the appropriate gear for the speed when it's clear in front of me again. I think the craziest thing I do with my vehicle is, when I start going down really long grades, and I'm not listening to any music, is turn off the ignition without locking the steering wheel. I do this to save a bit of gas while going downhill, and I don't have to worry about backfiring thanks to the fuel injection, turning the key back on once the bottom of the hill or mountain is reached. People who are with me are shocked seeing me do it at first, so I steer the vehicle a little to show them I've still got full control. Sometimes after turning the ignition off I floor the accelerator for the thrill of listening to my exhaust. |
| Posted by: valpal59 26-Mar-2009, 10:23 AM | ||
We both contribute to the bills so no problem there. He drives a 1996 Ford F-250 diesel pickup. Really do not think he could catch me. Val |
| Posted by: TheCarolinaScotsman 26-Mar-2009, 11:23 AM | ||
This used to be a common practice, but the state of NC outlawed it many, many years ago. If the HP knows what your doing, you will get a ticket. |
| Posted by: oldraven 26-Mar-2009, 11:51 AM | ||
That all depends on if he'd got any goodies on that diesel. Stock? Not a chance. |
| Posted by: Patriot1776 26-Mar-2009, 12:01 PM | ||
Are you serious, turning off the ignition like that is illegal? I've never known this. Was it decades ago or less than a decade that they outlawed it? I've been driving since around 1998. And, I keep the vehicle in gear at all times when I do this, so the motor never stops turning, it's just being driven by the vehicle's momentum, so I still have full power-steering and power-brakes. |
| Posted by: Harlot 26-Mar-2009, 12:25 PM |
Pop the clutch and burn rubber!!!Oh ya I would drag race too,and my Mother said I should of been born a Boy.I don't know what made her think that  The joy of my life,1967 Chevy Supper Sport. 396 engine, 4 speed racing shifter,air shocks,70's on the back tries.  |
| Posted by: valpal59 26-Mar-2009, 12:33 PM |
| Oldraven, It is stock, no way would he catch me.  Harlot, There are kids in town that pull up at beside me at the stop light and rev up their motors when I have the Mustang out. I still can't resist. So far no one has beat me. I am still a tomboy and I am almost 50. Val |
| Posted by: oldraven 26-Mar-2009, 12:41 PM |
| I used to race pretty regularly (I would go out for this very purpose, and my wife hated it), but once Coira was born I don't have the desire like I used to. Well, I still want to, but I start thinking about it and hold back. The first race I lost was my last one, against a heavily modified RX7 TurboII. I ended up getting to know the guy after that, and started going to meets in stead of race the streets. I'll rip it up on the highway now and then, but racing in city limits is just too risky now. Too much horsepower out there with too many inexperienced drivers. |
| Posted by: Camac 26-Mar-2009, 12:42 PM |
| Patriot1776; Yet get caught turning of the ignition and coasting down a hill here in Ontario you get fined heavily. That is if the O.P.P. don't shoot you on the spot  Camac. |
| Posted by: Patriot1776 26-Mar-2009, 01:01 PM |
| I've never drag raced. With the roads being how they are around here, it's more corner carving instead. The current Ranger and a previous one that had the same engine and 5-speed transmission combination I've figured out well the limits of the handling and so how to get them both to do things you would think only a sports car could do. The 5-speed Probe though, sheesh. That thing, even though it was a four-cylinder, was about the most dangerous car I ever had. Not long after I got it I tossed it into a ditch one time without doing any real damage to it, and before that, dad actually managed to really scare me coming back from a friend's of his house in it. We were going to be running late for the local high school football game (American Football) that we were going to be volunteer cooks at, so dad took the wheel of the Probe and proceeded to run this one curvy road most of the way at 70-80 mph that normal vehicles hardly ever got above 40 on, and was taking curves at 50-60, sometimes 70 mph, that had posted speed limits of 20-30 mph. Freaking rush of a ride that I still remember, and dad did this despite the brakes on that Probe not being in the best of shape either at the time. |
| Posted by: Harlot 26-Mar-2009, 01:23 PM |
| Val, I seen a car like my old one the other day and brought me back to those fun days now I drive a 1995 Jeep,but Boy if I could ever get my hands another one look out here I come!! Oldraven, I remember one time I had my daughter with me ,she was 3 years old at the time telling me " go faster mommy,faster mommy" and I was going the speed limit. |
| Posted by: Camac 26-Mar-2009, 01:27 PM |
| Patriot1776; If you or your Dad were caught doing that now in Ontario you would be charged with Street Racing and Careless driving causing endangerment your license would be suspended on the spot and your car impounded and you could face fines of up to $10,000 per charge. loss of driving privileges up to 3 years and your car confiscated and sold at auction. Camac. |
| Posted by: valpal59 26-Mar-2009, 01:45 PM | ||
Harlot, I only drive the Mustang when the weather is decent. My regular car is a 2003 Lexus. I had to get a vehicle that gets good gas mileage as I make more trips to Woodward to check on my Mom. No, I am not rich, it was one of those deals you just can't pass up. It didn't cost anymore than some of the other used cars we were looking at. As far as the racing, we live in a very small town and go out to the airport so we are not in any traffic. Val |
| Posted by: Harlot 26-Mar-2009, 01:54 PM |
| Val, We have Bulk Road here and someone still marks off the 1/4 mile. It's far enough out of town, not too many houses on it ,but everyone knows if you want too show off that's where you go. There has never been any wrecks or tickets. |
| Posted by: Patriot1776 26-Mar-2009, 02:23 PM |
| Harlot, there is a road also around here, called the Route 60 Spur, that's five lanes to Blue Ridge, GA that brother and I like to call the Murphy Autobahn because of how straight and wide it is. It really makes you wanna lay down the accelerator. I've been on it really, really late at night, when there's nobody and no cops around, with the previous Ranger I had before the current one, and not only did I manage to safely bury the speedo needle, I think I managed to also get up to a hidden fuel cutoff speed as well, for it being a 1992 model year vehicle. |
| Posted by: TheCarolinaScotsman 26-Mar-2009, 07:40 PM | ||
It was outlawed sometime in the 50s or early 60s. It was a law when I took drivers' ed in 1966. |
| Posted by: Dogshirt 26-Mar-2009, 10:10 PM |
Chevy 1 ton w/ 454. When I punch the pedal, all those little "Hot cars are left in the dust! Sorry junior, but if youb want speed and power, get a truck!b Your cute little car, with the annoyingly loud exhaust are just toys! Meet me at the line, no way you'll win, off the line or top speed! LOL! |
| Posted by: j Padraig moore 27-Mar-2009, 06:15 AM |
| I drive a '98 Mazda 626, 5-speed. About the only thing different I do is take the car out of gear when approaching stop signs & lights, coasting up to the stop. When coming home, I take the car out of gear about a quarter mile or more from home. I can coast all the way into my garage on inertia alone. I am no fan of drag racing, especially illegal street racing. Too many peple around here have died because of these knuckleheads. |
| Posted by: Harlot 27-Mar-2009, 09:52 AM |
| Patriot1776, My brother has been on the Autobahn and tells ms I would feel right at home. We both have that need for speed. j Padraig moore, I had my car back in 1974,I know my Jeep won't do that ,but I have a bit of rebel in me. Back in 1976 my husband and I had a 1941 Knucklehead ( for those of you don't know what that is it's a Harley) with a kick start. He said to me "Bet you can't start it" showed him I could |
| Posted by: valpal59 27-Mar-2009, 10:38 AM | ||
You go girl!!!! Val |
| Posted by: Patriot1776 27-Mar-2009, 09:30 PM | ||
Standard practice for me too. When I first started driving I did downshift through the gears when approaching stops, but now I don't as clutchlessly pulling out of gear when approaching stops and turns is easier and reduces unnecessary wear too. Like the intertia thing too. Coming into Murphy on the main highway from Tennessee, there is a nice long downhill stretch where in a stick shifted vehicle you can do the same thing, go to neutral and coast like 1 1/2 to 2 miles to the red light that turning left on takes you into the downtown area. The Ford Probe was the best for that. Be doing 55 at the time you pull out of gear at the top of the hill and still be doing 35-40 two miles later when you get to the red light. |
| Posted by: InRi 28-Mar-2009, 05:20 AM | ||
My first own vehicle in the end of the 70's was a moped with a two-speed manual gear, legendary 2 horsepowers and a maximum high-speed of 50 km/h (r.a. 31mph - without following wind and on a flat road). This piece had exactly the same age as I (build in 1964) One time I met a young man from Houston/Tx who had ventured a tour across Europe by a "Goldwing". When he saw my marvel of technics he said: I bet this can never drive... and ... he lost...  The only drawback: there was no possibility to pickup someone on the backseat - because there wasn't such one... It's a single vehicle only. Ingo |
| Posted by: Patriot1776 30-Mar-2009, 07:15 AM | ||
The only reason dad did it was because it was a curvy back road in the middle of nowhere that cops are seldom, if ever seen on. It would have taken something bad happening in one of the houses to get the police out on it. That was the only time dad did something like that in that Probe either, and he did it more so we could both really see what the car was capable of with a good driver, and we were both suprised. |