Can you drive a manual shift?

Way back when, I tried to drive stick shifted cars a couple of times with mixed results. As they weren't mine I never got much time driving one. That all changed when I saw a car I just had to own, and it was a stick. In fact, it wasn't even for sale. I just walked up to the guy and said I want to buy it.


Well, the 383 with pistol grip 4 speed stole my heart. Three days later it was mine, the first of many manually shifted vehicles. I had a 3 speed 360 Dodge Van, 4 speed 318 Ramcharger, 5 speed 2.2 (024) Charger and a Slant 6 automatic Mirada all on the road at the same time for my wife and I to drive. I love shifting and am quite concerned they will stop making them if people stop asking for them. I was on the Chrysler Advisory Board for a spell and pleaded with them to offer a Manual tranny behind the 300HP 6 Cylinder Challengers. They wouldn't even give me a response at all. I also pleaded for more 2 door vehicles as The Chally and Viper were the only two besides the Sebring convertible. No soap! Now that my kids are grown, I want to get back in the drivers seat, so to speak.
One of the main reasons I hate the new automatics,(8 & 9 speeds), is it costs more to rebuild one than I have spent on whole cars. I can change a clutch and maybe gear sets but forget trying to rebuild a modern auto at home. This comes from a guy who (NEVER) had a Mopar automatic fail, even after 300,000 miles. I just fear extinction!

My earliest recollections were like many folks, where Pop would let me sit in his lap and "drive", including rowing the 3 on the tree on a '64 Mercury Comet six banger. As I got a bit older, he'd let me change gears sitting beside him.
As I turned 15 years later, I had the itch for the open road and little patience to wait for lessons with him on one of these:

That's a Simca 1204, a little French FWD Chrysler owned and was importing in those days. Pop bought it for my mother to use transporting kids and such, even though she never used it much.
They'd go off to the store every Saturday and I'd jump in the thing and take off - until that one day when they got back before I did. The old man opened the gates of hell on me that day...
Cute little car, though. Low miles and was a real cream puff.

By the time it was learners' permit time, Pop had traded in the family 1968 Dodge Monaco wagon (I'd kill to find that car today BTW) on a 1973 VW Bus.
The only way to save face with the kids at school was to brag on its' "Porsche 914" engine (which they actually did have), but man, what a dog - unless, of course, ol' hotrod Ed was driving it.

I would powershift the hell out of that thing, got the nose dancing up and down as all its' mighty 100hp twin Weber fury was unleashed. It was Pop's commuter vehicle and he drove carpool with it in those days of the first gas crisis.
Weekends came around and I'd borrow it - until I blew the transaxle right out of the thing.

After a series of junker this and thats, the first car I ever borrowed money to buy was my first '68 Bee with a 440 and 18 spline:

Yeah, everything was "wrong" on the car, from the stripe to the drivetrain, but that's how she sat when I bought her. Cost me a $2300 loan at the bank! Got a good rebuilt 11" clutch in her and drove her everywhere in the NE to shows and such. Won many a race with that car, surprised some folks for a bone stock setup, too.
*snick* *snick* Loved that 4 speed. I'd kill to find that car now, too...
I got into it with a Camaro one late night on the local 4 lane and as we crested a hill, we were presented with backup traffic blocking both lanes dead ahead, not something you want to see at 100mph with drum brakes.
He went sliding off the road one way and I did the only thing I could, locking them up and swinging the car full sideways.
Wound up all the way over in the other lanes up against the curb facing the opposite direction - and didn't hit a thing!
Bunch of bikers were hanging out in front of a honky tonk bar right where I came to rest in a cloud of smoke and a couple of 'em started cheering.
High-tailed it out of there....
An '85 GLH Turbo (that the final drive came out of the transaxle case on me in), an '89 Mustang 5.0 (which I drove without a clutch while recovering from hernia surgery for a month; raced it two seasons in SCCA, sold it at 250k miles with original clutch and drivetrain never apart!).

Then the malaise years set in. Work, kids, divorces, health went to ****, etc. No stick cars for Ed for over a decade. :-(
Docs had been trying to get me to replace my left knee since HS, too. Said no way I could drive stick anymore - or run, for that matter.

First time back with a stick was my little 4WD Massey tractor I got about 16 years ago. I wanted the 9 speed, no hydro.
Knee proved still workable, if somewhat ornery. Grab it in the morning with both hands (still do, every morning) and make it move. Done.
About 8 years ago, I get the itch and start looking. Holy crap, my beloved Mopars done got EXPENSIVE!
No worries, find one as finished as I (and the bank) could afford, do the rest myself:

The "pretty" part was pretty much done; the rest, not so much. In fact, every dang mechanical, electrical, fuel, you name it, I've redone/replaced/rebuilt - and yes, she's a stick.

I've just always gotten along with manual trans critters. It's just more fun.

A side story I almost forgot:
A slightly older friend in HS (I stay in touch with him still is to this day) bought a pretty red 1972 Nova hatchback and had a "built" 350 and 4 speed transplanted into it. Car was as nice as one of those could be.
He made the mistake of letting a mutual friend drive it one day at school; said friend decided to show off and do a holeshot in the school parking lot in front of some kids, including me.
Revs went up, he dropped the clutch - and a great explosion of smoke and noise came out from the car, followed immediately by the flywheel, which had sawed its' way outta there, just missing my friends' toes on the pedals on the way out!
That sucker wizzed right by me and buzz sawed all the way across the field, hitting the side of the school!
Big ol' exit hole in the car...

Well, nobody was allowed to drive the Nova after that and poor Dale had a heck of a time keeping transmissions in the thing, finally settling on an M-22 rock crusher he paid dearly for.
Nobody, that is, except for me - he swore me to secrecy on that, because he knew others would pester him to drive it if they knew I was allowed to. He knew I'd be responsible and respectful of the car and I was.
In fact, he still has that car to this day, meticulously kept as always and me as the only one other than him allowed to drive it, including his own family and spouse.
I miss my old friend. I'll have to make it back up there to see him one last time one day...

Learning to drive a manual was a breeze since I grew up on motorcross bikes, I learned in a K car though. Dad bought a new car and handed my brother and I the keys to finish it off in the fields.. fun time.

My first was time was in a 1990 Ramcharger I bought, I learned on the way home. That granny gear though.

Drove a hand me down Ford van w a 300 six and an OD four on the floor. That shifter handle was LONG. Then I drove my sisters' Mitsubishi Challenger while she was away. That car was quick for the time.

I learned on my '70 Charger, 383 4-speed in 1976. When I purchased it, I had to have my dad drive it home for me.

Me and a buddy used to take his dad's ford ranger for joy rides, 4cyl/5spd .... the day I got my license my dad gave me the keys to his 79 f100 302/3spd OD and said go to the store and get some milk. The driveway was gravel and down hill ...... I came home with the milk !
Have had several manuals since, my current 70 swinger is a factory 340/4spd

Farmall H
89 Power Ram

First thing I drove was a 70s Ford Truck on the farm putting up hay. 3 on the tree and I was maybe 11 or 12. My job was to drive the truck around the field while dad and my uncle loaded the bales. Did that for a couple years, then my grandfather took over the driving and I helped throw bales. I liked driving the truck a lot better! LOL.
My first car was an automatic and after that an old Bronco 4 on the floor. From there a had a couple of beaters until I saved enough to buy a 73 340 challenger with a 4 speed and a love affair with Mopars was born. Been driving them all my life.

I learned in my dad's 1960 Jeep P/U, 3 speed. On Sundays I was allowed to take it out 1 block from the house (on the edge of town) where there was a 2 track road 2 blocks long. I spent hours going back and forth with my folks watching me and probably laughing at my perseverance.
I have owned many standard shift vehicles in my life but I prefer automatics (manual reverse VB) in my faster rides (still shifting).
Mike

Do motorcycles count?
That would be the first manual vehicle I drove.

I think my first one with 4 wheels looked something like this.
Except it was "Ionosphere Blue".
Piece of cake.
First gear was so low.

Early 1960s Vauxall, 3 speeds on the tree.

BeeKool said:

Farmall H
89 Power Ram

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Forgot about the tractor, I was driving our Minneapolis Moline U302 at a fairly young age too. I actually restored it years ago but my brother constantly takes it and breaks it, gave up on it years ago thanks to him.

Allis Chalmers WD, then dirt bikes, then a Jeep Comanche for work, and now an '86 W100 Power Ram.

Mom's Nova, three on the tree.

I would be amazed if there is anyone on this site that can't drive a stick!

Every day.

TetanusShot said:

Allis Chalmers WD, then dirt bikes, then a Jeep Comanche for work, and now an '86 W100 Power Ram.

Click to expand...

Forgot about my dirt bike.

Revised;
8 years old - Suzuki RM60
9 years old- Farmall H
11 years old - 1990 Power Ram

I learned in a 1958 VW Bug, without the clutch pedal (listening to rpm of engine), with my left hand.....I was only 3 yrs. old (seriously). I did it just about every time my father drove the car until he sold it.

The first time I drove a stick after I had a license was test driving a retired track car '68 Roadrunner & it seemed "weird" using my right hand to shift.