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manuals will be around for awhile, but it is harder to find them on most vehicles. When my daugher wanted to get her TC, one of the local dealers had 18 on the lot--all with AT. They had to go get one with a stick.
back when she learned how to drive, we took her first onto the HS parking lot. Large, wide open space. It let her get comfortable with starting off, 1-2 up and downshifts, etc. Then it was onto the streets. And teaching someone on a newer car is MUCH easier then any of us older farts had it. These cars, with fuel injection, hydraulic clutches, and smoother linkages; it's almost hard to kill it starting off. And if one forgets to downshift enough, these cars rarely lug. Try learning on an old ride, no power steering, column shift, and a clutch that is either in or out...
As for the old "shift kit", if i remember correctly ( we did one on my 70 1/2 Camaro's th350 trans ), it was basically drilling out a couple of the holes on the plate in the valve body. This allowed for slightly more fluid to flow, which quickened the shift "time" and gave some more control. Really firmed it up, hitting second under even moderate acceleration meant 'chirping' the tires.
I have driven a stick/manual more than an automatic. It is what I prefer. When we went looking at used cars on my cousin's lot we told him that I wanted/required either a 4x4 or something with a stick shift. I do not like driving in the winter but since work is 24 miles from home I want the control that either of these provide (more for my mental security than anything). My father had gone and talked to my cousin in advance to see what all he had on the lot (since it is about 180 miles for me to go check things out) and said that my cousin's jaw dropped when Dad told him that I really wanted a car with a stick. My cousin said that he doesn't see that too often - a woman wanting a manual transmission. Oh, well. I find them fun to drive. However, I can see where if you are going to be stuck in stop-and-go traffic on a regular basis how an automatic may be a better way to go.
And I agree that it does make girls cooler!
back when she learned how to drive, we took her first onto the HS parking lot. Large, wide open space. It let her get comfortable with starting off, 1-2 up and downshifts, etc. Then it was onto the streets. And teaching someone on a newer car is MUCH easier then any of us older farts had it. These cars, with fuel injection, hydraulic clutches, and smoother linkages; it's almost hard to kill it starting off. And if one forgets to downshift enough, these cars rarely lug. Try learning on an old ride, no power steering, column shift, and a clutch that is either in or out...
I bet. I am learning on a '67. Maybe I should find a friend with a newer car to practice with first.
Try learning on an old ride, no power steering, column shift, and a clutch that is either in or out...
Learned how to drive at 12 Years old in a mid 60's GMC 1 ton truck with a 12' stake-rack bed and a "3 on the tree". I remember Dad telling me if I could drive that, I could drive any car I got into.
For me personally, in city driving I like an automatic; for anything else I like a manual.
Yes during drag racing, an auto is a better choice because they're more consistent than a manual. Also because you can install a stall converter and a trans brake; these two together mean you can leave the line at whatever rpm the converter stalls at all you have to do is mash the gas and hold the button until the last yellow (or green if you're slow) comes in, then release. Much easier to launch than with a manual.
Yes I concur a chick that can drive a stick is cool. Or should i say plain sexy.
But IMO autos are for luxury cars. Trucks and sports cars should be manuals.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ranger17
As for the old "shift kit", if i remember correctly ( we did one on my 70 1/2 Camaro's th350 trans ), it was basically drilling out a couple of the holes on the plate in the valve body. This allowed for slightly more fluid to flow, which quickened the shift "time" and gave some more control. Really firmed it up, hitting second under even moderate acceleration meant 'chirping' the tires.
Sounds like you had one of those B&M shift kits....I too used to love how I could bark the tires on the 1-2 shift and then chirp them on the 2-3 shift...on a TH350 no doubt. Then I was later informed by a transmission rebuilder that what I was really doing was destroying the transmission. Guess I should count my stars the truck's tranny didn't go before I sold it. Those B&M's are half done way (for a lack of better terms) of a shift kit as they eliminate some of the vital parts like the accumulator.
Last shift kit I did was on my Chevelle with a TH350; I used a Trans Go which didn't involve drilling anything....it was a matter of removing the valves inside of the valve body and then replacing the springs on them. The end result was a snappy shift but not harsh/neck jerking/filling shaking loose/tire barking/destroy your sprag ride.
Sounds like you had one of those B&M shift kits....I too used to love how I could bark the tires on the 1-2 shift and then chirp them on the 2-3 shift...on a TH350 no doubt. Then I was later informed by a transmission rebuilder that what I was really doing was destroying the transmission. .
it was similar, but I was in an auto mech program at the time so we had the "plans" and just did it ourselves. I can say the tranny outlasted the motor. Though my smallblock had the 4 bolt main and was pretty hefty on the bottom end, one toooooo many burnouts ( ok, we lived out in the stix, what else were we to do?? ) and I ended up with some nicely twisted rods, and bearings seizing up. But the tranny held up fine! At least i think it did... car ended up being parted out.
sniff sniff....
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Those B&M's are half done way (for a lack of better terms) of a shift kit as they eliminate some of the vital parts like the accumulator. 
