dkleather

Years ago I would never have considered anything but a four speed. Being over 70 now, I sometimes think an automatic would be nice. Especially when sitting in traffic! The knee working the clutch ain’t what it used to be!

dahogan

I can still drive a stick, so I voted NO.

gjhinc

Interesting results so far. 53% YES, 44% NO, plus 1 wiseguy. I never would have predicted this. Hope there's no voter fraud. I mean, it's not a federal election.

Only think I can imagine is all the "NO" voters here inline aren't voting in the poll. I know CF doesn't use actual polls.

jim lockwood

And this is the crux of the matter.

If I want to row through the gears, I've got a couple of Vettes ready to go. One of them is my road racer seen in my avatar. OTOH, my '63 roadster with a PG transmission, sure is a pleasant car to drive. And at 70 MPH, the folks on the side of the road watching don't know it's not a stick.

68hemi

That is what neutral and your brake is for.

RatDog

Me - my ‘67 has a 4-speed. My left knee deteriorated to the point where I couldn’t depress the clutch. I didn’t even consider an automatic. I got a Titanium knee and drove on.

My wife - a few years back, she said she’d like to get a late model Corvette and asked me to look for one. Her only requirements were it had to be a convertible and it had to have a stick. Her right shoulder has deteriorated to the point she has trouble with the 6-speed. She doesn’t want an automatic. She has shoulder surgery scheduled for April 3rd.

Steve

CorvetteMikeB

I vote Yes

Skid Row Joe

No.

.. I made the mistake of buying a new C3 L82 w/automatic transmission 43 yrs. ago, because it was a great deal. Lesson learned.

dahogan

Bingo

Skid Row Joe

23% of new C7s, are manual transmissions. Nearly 1 out of 4. That's a huge percentage.
..It's not 13% as one member above seems to think it is..

Robert61

I'm old now 62, not as old as many of you. I can't even say I may not be as good as I once was but I'm as good once as I ever was, I've been called a LOT of things mostly all true but I've never been referred to as a girly man. I go to one event each year and there you will be in traffic for over an hour maybe 2 to go 3-4 miles. I would hate to go through that with a stick. My 66 GTO clone has an LS with a 4L60E and so will my 61 when finished with a girly 415 LS3 with a girly hydraulic, one that I built myself not one I bought from some builder or GM. A stick is more fun but for my overall use I'll take the girly tranny!

sidepipe seeker

3 Pedals....or....NO PEDALS!!!... about 13 years ago...was in a position to buy an original owner 1963 Split Window Coupe Saddle Tan/Saddle Tan for approx $40,000.00....PASSED on the purchase because the Split Window was a two pedal Sports Car...So my conviction of ONLY "3" pedals...does come at financial consequence ....Mark

AZDoug

My '82 Z28 came with a manual trans. It wasn't a pace car edition, though. It was a PITA to drive on SoCal freeways when traffic got slow.
Doug

AZDoug

Yes they do. it more ways than one. uUsed to be when i was oh, 17-22 ish I would have to train a girl to shift the stick on command while i worked the clutch in my '61 (they didn't seem to mind). Didn't have to do that in the auto trans Impala, I had one hand free for continuous fondling.
Doug

Wayne88

Back "in the day", a Corvette owner would be laughed at if his Vette were an automatic.

But, in answer to the question, if a C1 or C2 were an automatic, with the original engine, it probably never revved beyond 4K RPMS, so it's probably not beat. Although, there aren't too many original engines out there. So the answer is 'maybe'.

I like the 4 speed, like the C2 I had in the late sixties, so I bought a 4-speed BB.

Even though I don't push my 427 4-speed, it's the "real thing", and I like that.
BTW, I've done over a hundred fifty runs with my 2006 at the 1/4 mile strip [best time 12.1 seconds, 118 MPH], and my C2 BB doesn't come close to that, but it's still the "real thing".

Can share some Sweetness from my very own "real thing".

71/502

I got a great deal on a 64 coupe, auto with base 250hp, full option car. I would rather that it had a manual trans, but the price was just to good to pass up....So Yea, I would buy a C2 with an auto trans.

Avispa

Puts me and Doug in the minority, but the rest of you need to get a copy of, "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche." Real men are confident enough to have their gears shifted for them. Although he also said real women can drive a stick. I won't repeat what he said about Corvettes. Did my last clutch change at age 57. Not doing it again any time soon.

1969RAY

My 4 speed is my millennial security device. I would like to buy a new pickup but can't find a manual--looks like my 2006 F250 ( 5 speed) will be sticking around. Guess I'll vote no.

jim lockwood

And Real Men(tm) wear pink.

68hemi

I just posted this in the other thread where you are questioning this.

They are harder to sell simply because MOST C1 and C2 buyers want a manual. Sellers simply have to wait to find a buyer that WANTS an auto. I don't think there are many people out there that don't have a strong opinion either way as in not caring if it is auto or manual. I think there are cases of buyers that have to sell the idea of buying one of these cars to their wife MAY have to compromise with the auto trans to get the wife's OK.

The price guides I look at show a 10% deduct for manual trans. I would use this in valuing like condition/equipped cars. Remember this when YOU decide to sell it. In the future an auto MAY become more desirable (due to millennials buyers) and if so you will likely win in the $s department. OTOH, people that absolutely won't buy an auto trans are not going to give your car a 2nd look so what difference does it make to you?