And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Shifting a manual transmission. A nearly lost art.
My first car was a 1949 Chevy coupe 3-speed transmission with the shift on the column. My last was an Opel Astra (In Ireland) with a 5-speed floor shift. In Ireland where 94% of cars are manual you must take and pass the driver's test in a manual transmission car or you license will be restricted to the higher priced 6% automatics. Of course thet was 20+ years ago so things may have changed.
Both my boys can drive stick, drive a tractor or anything else with gears, ride motorcycles, and the older one flew a plane when he was 10 and earned his sailing merit badge. I made damn sure they knew how to get around. I myself am checked out good to go on the Model T plantary gearbox. If your kids don't know this stuff it's on you. What we need in society are Dads.
Why the gloves though ? Some locales with hot sun on steering wheel I get, but do gloves make it easier to switch gears / drive better ? I learned to drive with a 1966 VW Beetle and manual transmission way back in late 1970's.
Not all cars and trucks had heaters back in the day. They were an option. Gloves kept your hands working. Dad had a couple 50's vintage Willis suv's. The one up at the mountain hunting cabin had dual heater units up front. We still wore gloves inside it in the winter. They didn't seem very functional as heaters.
My dad always wore leather gloves when driving, with rabbit fur lining. He lost the top 2/3 of his middle finger on his right hand in a work accident and when he drove down the road wearing those gloves, his thumb and three fingers were wrapped around the steering wheel. The other finger stuck straight up and he gave everyone the bird as they went by. Good times. (RIP Dad - love you and miss you).
if you want a manual shift anything in the states here, it has to be special ordered shame really, very few people can drive one these days. I learned how on a 1953 chevy couple with 3 on the tree myself and loved a manual gearbox for the control it gives you. only got a slush box as the wife can't use the manual gearbox without grinding gears !
All of the above, plus you have to anticipate which gear you'll need according to the traffic ahead, rather than just mashing the accelerator or brake.
I drove my grandpas' 53 Hudson that had no second gear. First to third so you had to get going as fast as you could in first. Mountain driving was an experience.
What's lost is a) general ability, and b) the desire to do anything that's a little harder. It's a shame ("a crying shame", and I've never used that phrase). There is an animal pleasure in connecting with your vehicle, extending your hands and feet into tires, engine, and controls until you are the vehicle, running along the road like a cheetah. You only get this with manual transmissions. Today's generation can't be bothered to do the work to find the pleasure.
30 years ago I was astonished to learn that truck drivers, who usually drive 10, 13, or 18 speed manual shift, don't use the clutch except to go from neutral to first or reverse. At the right RPM it isn't necessary.
They can do that because truck gearboxes aren’t synchronized. One cannot slip shift like that in a typical car because the gears are synchronized (and trying to would damage the gears). Some people still do so, to the detriment of their synchronized gears.
Um, no, typical dog synchros live longer if you match the input and output shaft speeds. This is the essence of "double clutching." A long time ago in a galaxy far far away I had a Beemer that would lose the clutch slave cylinder at 20 below. Would coast up to a stop and pull into neutral, brake to a stop and turn off the car and put the tranny in first, at the green would start the car and rev match the gears till the next stop light.
I've driven many trucks and was an owner operator for five seasons hauling logs, lumber and equipment. Almost all the trucks I've driven had two transmissions, five and six speed main boxes and four speed 'Brownies'. I would use the clutch very lightly, mostly to disengage the gear I was shifting out of and then would 'feel' the gear I was shifting into by matching RPMs, as the old transmissions I drove had no synchromesh capabilities. That's not to say I couldn't drive without the clutch, as I had to one time when my throw out bearing went out just after I had gotten loaded and I had to drive a hundred miles to the mill to get dumped and then home.
Everyone has their own way of doing things, and my way worked for me.
Every single automobile that I have ever owned has had a manual tranny. I am of the mind that I want to drive my car, and not allow the car to drive me.
I taught my daughter to drive my 5-speed Mustang convertible. The excitement on her face the first time she circled that parking lot without me sitting in the passenger seat was a little gift from Heaven.
had a 71 IH pick up w/ 3 on the tree. once left a stoplight and was shifting from first to second. only thing is that while doing that the stick went up and over the steering column and second was nowhere to be found. finally found a gear and limped it on home.
I was looking at an ad for a tiny Japanese rv that had been imported to the US. I suspect the setup restricted the marketability of it. It was a RH drive, LH column shift 5 speed trans. I suspect they used the column shift location to allow easier access to the camper area through the seats.
I grew up driving both manuals (trucks & tractors) and automatics, and I know how to double-clutch, and depending on the vehicle I didn’t always have to use the clutch once I was rolling. Bought a 1980 Datsun King Cab with a 5-speed. Low-compression engine, seriously under-powered. Bad in the mountains; very little engine-braking and the brakes faded very quickly. Also miserable in big-city commuter traffic, stop and go for miles, non-stop shifting. My Dad’s ‘78 Little Yellow Truck was very nice, but had a very heavy clutch pedal. Consequently, I don’t love sticks, and an automatic suits me just fine. YMMV
Tore the tendon out that lifts my left foot when I highsided a Hodaka on a dirt track and got the foot caught under it. My '65 Mustang had a 4 spd. Adjusted the idle speed up so I could let out the clutch with my right foot, and moved it to the throttle and just shifted up and down the gears by matching speed until I had to stop. Six weeks of that. Weird feeling to tell your foot to move, and nothing happens. Doc just taped it up tight and said use the crutches for walking. Healed up fine. Tore a chunk of bone out with the tendon.
Warning to the soyboys out there. My daughter drives stick AND can change her own oil. Better step up! She dated a boy who couldn't drive manual, he didn't last.
My grandpa taught me how to drive his '55 Ford truck, 4-speed manual when I was 9. Then he taught me how to drive dad's '47 KB5 - four speed split axel. That was tricky, but fun too.
My first car was a 1949 Chevy coupe 3-speed transmission with the shift on the column. My last was an Opel Astra (In Ireland) with a 5-speed floor shift. In Ireland where 94% of cars are manual you must take and pass the driver's test in a manual transmission car or you license will be restricted to the higher priced 6% automatics. Of course thet was 20+ years ago so things may have changed.
ReplyDeleteNope, it's still the same. All three of my children took their tests with manual gears.
DeleteBoth my boys can drive stick, drive a tractor or anything else with gears, ride motorcycles, and the older one flew a plane when he was 10 and earned his sailing merit badge. I made damn sure they knew how to get around. I myself am checked out good to go on the Model T plantary gearbox. If your kids don't know this stuff it's on you. What we need in society are Dads.
DeleteRather intense Mikey, but I agree.
DeleteWhy the gloves though ? Some locales with hot sun on steering wheel I get, but do gloves make it easier to switch gears / drive better ? I learned to drive with a 1966 VW Beetle and manual transmission way back in late 1970's.
ReplyDeleteThey tend to give a better grip on the thin, wood-rimmed steering wheels of the 50s and 60s.
DeletePlus, it looks cool...
DeleteNot all cars and trucks had heaters back in the day. They were an option. Gloves kept your hands working.
DeleteDad had a couple 50's vintage Willis suv's. The one up at the mountain hunting cabin had dual heater units up front. We still wore gloves inside it in the winter. They didn't seem very functional as heaters.
My dad always wore leather gloves when driving, with rabbit fur lining. He lost the top 2/3 of his middle finger on his right hand in a work accident and when he drove down the road wearing those gloves, his thumb and three fingers were wrapped around the steering wheel. The other finger stuck straight up and he gave everyone the bird as they went by. Good times. (RIP Dad - love you and miss you).
Deleteif you want a manual shift anything in the states here, it has to be special ordered
ReplyDeleteshame really, very few people can drive one these days. I learned how on a 1953 chevy couple with 3 on the tree myself and loved a manual gearbox for the control it gives you. only got a slush box as the wife can't use the manual
gearbox without grinding gears !
offhand, I say a late 1960's English sports car. not a MGB as I had a couple of them.
ReplyDeleteTest drove a Tacoma 6-speed manual last week. Loved it, but sweeetie has a bad left knee. Buying an automatic.
ReplyDeleteMy "sweetie" has her own truck with an automatic tranny. My truck is a 6-speed manual Tacoma.
DeleteI think this might be an Alfa based on the steering wheel.
ReplyDeleteJaguar E-Type.
ReplyDeleteSTO-E
Correct! It's a Series 2 XKE. After 1968 .... You an tell because the dash switches are rockers NOT toggles.
DeleteAll of the above, plus you have to anticipate which gear you'll need according to the traffic ahead, rather than just mashing the accelerator or brake.
ReplyDeleteI drove my grandpas' 53 Hudson that had no second gear. First to third so you had to get going as fast as you could in first. Mountain driving was an experience.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's safer, I don't know, but I used to have a hell of a lot of fun shifting up and down in my old Porsches and VWs.
ReplyDeleteI have the impression that a LOT of the world still uses manual gear changing over automatic.
ReplyDeleteWhat's lost is a) general ability, and b) the desire to do anything that's a little harder. It's a shame ("a crying shame", and I've never used that phrase). There is an animal pleasure in connecting with your vehicle, extending your hands and feet into tires, engine, and controls until you are the vehicle, running along the road like a cheetah. You only get this with manual transmissions. Today's generation can't be bothered to do the work to find the pleasure.
ReplyDeleteTheir loss. Our tears.
I always double-clutch downshift and my '97 Tacoma (260,000 miles) is on the original clutch.
ReplyDelete30 years ago I was astonished to learn that truck drivers, who usually drive 10, 13, or 18 speed manual shift, don't use the clutch except to go from neutral to first or reverse. At the right RPM it isn't necessary.
ReplyDeleteYour useless fact of the day. But interesting.
They can do that because truck gearboxes aren’t synchronized. One cannot slip shift like that in a typical car because the gears are synchronized (and trying to would damage the gears). Some people still do so, to the detriment of their synchronized gears.
DeleteUm, no, typical dog synchros live longer if you match the input and output shaft speeds. This is the essence of "double clutching." A long time ago in a galaxy far far away I had a Beemer that would lose the clutch slave cylinder at 20 below. Would coast up to a stop and pull into neutral, brake to a stop and turn off the car and put the tranny in first, at the green would start the car and rev match the gears till the next stop light.
DeleteSpin Drift
I've driven many trucks and was an owner operator for five seasons hauling logs, lumber and equipment. Almost all the trucks I've driven had two transmissions, five and six speed main boxes and four speed 'Brownies'. I would use the clutch very lightly, mostly to disengage the gear I was shifting out of and then would 'feel' the gear I was shifting into by matching RPMs, as the old transmissions I drove had no synchromesh capabilities.
DeleteThat's not to say I couldn't drive without the clutch, as I had to one time when my throw out bearing went out just after I had gotten loaded and I had to drive a hundred miles to the mill to get dumped and then home.
Everyone has their own way of doing things, and my way worked for me.
Was taught: learn to drive a stick and you can drive anything....truth be told.
ReplyDeleteEvery single automobile that I have ever owned has had a manual tranny. I am of the mind that I want to drive my car, and not allow the car to drive me.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
DeleteI don't want some programmer deciding which gear I "need" to be in.
I taught my sons, both now in the mid to late 30s, when they were each 16 how to drive on a old Toyota truck that had a manual.
ReplyDeleteI prefer a manual in the mountains, but only if you can operate it correctly.
ReplyDeleteSaves on brakes.
As a side note, all my kids learned to drive a stick.
I taught my daughter to drive my 5-speed Mustang convertible.
ReplyDeleteThe excitement on her face the first time she circled that parking lot without me sitting in the passenger seat was a little gift from Heaven.
had a 71 IH pick up w/ 3 on the tree. once left a stoplight and was shifting from first to second. only thing is that while doing that the stick went up and over the steering column and second was nowhere to be found. finally found a gear and limped it on home.
ReplyDeleteFunny how shifting gears, which once was just a normal part of driving, now gets described as an "art".
ReplyDeleteI was looking at an ad for a tiny Japanese rv that had been imported to the US. I suspect the setup restricted the marketability of it. It was a RH drive, LH column shift 5 speed trans.
ReplyDeleteI suspect they used the column shift location to allow easier access to the camper area through the seats.
Especially if the gears were in cursive!
ReplyDeleteI grew up driving both manuals (trucks & tractors) and automatics, and I know how to double-clutch, and depending on the vehicle I didn’t always have to use the clutch once I was rolling. Bought a 1980 Datsun King Cab with a 5-speed. Low-compression engine, seriously under-powered. Bad in the mountains; very little engine-braking and the brakes faded very quickly. Also miserable in big-city commuter traffic, stop and go for miles, non-stop shifting. My Dad’s ‘78 Little Yellow Truck was very nice, but had a very heavy clutch pedal. Consequently, I don’t love sticks, and an automatic suits me just fine. YMMV
ReplyDeleteBoy! You certainly don't hear that Japanese car brand very often anymore.
DeleteDatsun
Went back to using their corporate name: Nissan.
DeleteTore the tendon out that lifts my left foot when I highsided a Hodaka on a dirt track and got the foot caught under it. My '65 Mustang had a 4 spd. Adjusted the idle speed up so I could let out the clutch with my right foot, and moved it to the throttle and just shifted up and down the gears by matching speed until I had to stop. Six weeks of that. Weird feeling to tell your foot to move, and nothing happens. Doc just taped it up tight and said use the crutches for walking. Healed up fine. Tore a chunk of bone out with the tendon.
ReplyDeleteWe call those Millennial Theft Deterrent Devices.
ReplyDeleteWarning to the soyboys out there. My daughter drives stick AND can change her own oil. Better step up! She dated a boy who couldn't drive manual, he didn't last.
ReplyDeleteMy grandpa taught me how to drive his '55 Ford truck, 4-speed manual when I was 9. Then he taught me how to drive dad's '47 KB5 - four speed split axel. That was tricky, but fun too.
ReplyDeleteLearned to drive in a VW Beetle, easiest manual transmission to drive ever.
ReplyDelete