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.
No kidding, my Dad always said...learn to drive a stick and you can drive anything, no pun intended. He was right, so sad many will never be able to drive one of these types of cars.
I learned how to drive in a 1956 Ford pickup with a 3 speed on the column. With one exception back in the 1970's, I have only owned cars with a manual transmission.
Three on the tree or four on the floor is what we used to call the cheap farm pickups. Usually Fords. I always preferred the four speeds, loved the long "throw" on the stick.
Back in my college days, I'd drive with my left hand on the wheel, a cigarette in my right hand and a beer between my legs. I'd shift the 4 on the floor with my right hand hoping to not drop the ciggy.
Got a brace of late 80's Chevy pickups, only one is automatic, its certainly easier to drive, but every-time I drive it, somehow just ain't what a pick up truck should be. Another is an 89 factory super duty, its a beast, wieghs 6202lbs empty, put a Dodge Cummings diesel 5 speed in it, got to shift like a monkey on these WV mountain goat path roads, still take it over the automatic, guess I got a screw or two loose or something.
First car I drove (Brit made LHD) had a hand brake pull above where the leftmost pedal sits since the High/Low headlamp switch was on the floorboard right in line with same. 3 on the tree with a back and up for reverse. Indestructible little thing with maybe all of 40 HP so a LOT of shifting. Yeah, am sailing past age 70 at a good clip.
I first learned in the early 70s on a 60s car the was a stick. My first work vehicle was 3 on the tree. My two sons I taught them to drive an old Toyota Truck with 4 on the floor and the truck was falling a part. This was so they could learn to drive a stick and if the hurt any thing it really did not matter much.
Took my driving test in a 50's era Chevy with a three on the tree when there was 3-4" of snow on the road. Final part of the test was to parallel park backing in to the space uphill. Statie told me after I finished that if I had spun the tires on the parking he's have flunked me. That was Jan '65.
No kidding, my Dad always said...learn to drive a stick and you can drive anything, no pun intended. He was right, so sad many will never be able to drive one of these types of cars.
ReplyDeleteThrow in a dimmer switch and they’ll go into convulsions…
ReplyDelete+1 1st thing that jumped out at me.
DeleteAdd the starter switch under the accelerator. DW
DeleteMy Mustang had all those peddles, plus the dimmer switch and another peddle behind the parking brake the squirted water on the windshield.
DeleteI learned how to drive in a 1956 Ford pickup with a 3 speed on the column. With one exception back in the 1970's, I have only owned cars with a manual transmission.
ReplyDeleteThree on the tree or four on the floor is what we used to call the cheap farm pickups. Usually Fords. I always preferred the four speeds, loved the long "throw" on the stick.
DeleteWell having an automatic does allow for easier coffee consumption 😁
DeleteAutomatics freed up a hand so people could pick their nose in the car.
DeleteBack in my college days, I'd drive with my left hand on the wheel, a cigarette in my right hand and a beer between my legs. I'd shift the 4 on the floor with my right hand hoping to not drop the ciggy.
DeleteGot a brace of late 80's Chevy pickups, only one is automatic, its certainly easier to drive, but every-time I drive it, somehow just ain't what a pick up truck should be. Another is an 89 factory super duty, its a beast, wieghs 6202lbs empty, put a Dodge Cummings diesel 5 speed in it, got to shift like a monkey on these WV mountain goat path roads, still take it over the automatic, guess I got a screw or two loose or something.
ReplyDeleteWhat, no high beam button on the floor???
ReplyDeleteFirst car I drove (Brit made LHD) had a hand brake pull above where the leftmost pedal sits since the High/Low headlamp switch was on the floorboard right in line with same. 3 on the tree with a back and up for reverse. Indestructible little thing with maybe all of 40 HP so a LOT of shifting. Yeah, am sailing past age 70 at a good clip.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the dimmer switch
ReplyDeleteWhere is the silver high beam button on the floor
ReplyDeleteTwo out of my 3 kids can drive standard. The third we tried, but... he's going to have to learn on his own clutch.
ReplyDeleteI first learned in the early 70s on a 60s car the was a stick. My first work vehicle was 3 on the tree. My two sons I taught them to drive an old Toyota Truck with 4 on the floor and the truck was falling a part. This was so they could learn to drive a stick and if the hurt any thing it really did not matter much.
ReplyDeleteTook my driving test in a 50's era Chevy with a three on the tree when there was 3-4" of snow on the road. Final part of the test was to parallel park backing in to the space uphill. Statie told me after I finished that if I had spun the tires on the parking he's have flunked me. That was Jan '65.
ReplyDeleteNemo