I like to shift the car my self, not the other way around. Mine is driven daily and little traffic dont bother me at all. 6 spd is more fun to drive. :D

 

This was a no-brainer for me! Six speed all the way (why do you think it is called a six - SPEED?)
I actually find it easier to drive it in slow and go traffic... leave it in second and use the engine to keep pace. Beats dancing on the pedals!

 

My IROC is an auto and I HATE it. my 2nd transmission is failing badly. My GTA is a 305 5 speed and is 10x more fun to drive. My Sport Coupe is a 5 speed and it's a pig (2.8 liters of splendor) but it's still fun to drive. I've got a 5 speed sitting in my garage waiting to get put into the IROC. I'll never own another auto again.

 

What year did they start with the 6 spd?
And how hard is it to find a L98 with a stick?

Regards

 

First year of the 6 was 1989. Shifting gears is the way to go. It gives you a very flexible car that is fun to drive and is only limited by the driver in any circumstance. :) Auto's are good for drag racing because they are consistent and easier to launch. I'd gladly take a 6 speed over an auto any day. I have had 5 or 6 speed cars as daily drivers for the past 8 years or so. I bought a 5.7 TPI IROC (auto--obviously) and it was a dog. I changed it over to a 5 speed, picked up 0.4 second in the quarter, and loved the car.

 

I love my 6 speed, even better with the 8,000RPM's! :)

 

Since I had a 1985 4+3 I feel I can give my opinion as it is about the same.

Around town the stick shift really stinks. Wait til a truck pulls up close behind you on a up hill light or worse a stop sign with many cars ahead. You will have to put the emergency brake on and then let the clutch out as you let the brake slowly off. After a hour of driving it I would get tired and then I would stall it.

For auto cross I suppose a stick is better.

For 0-60 I will take the auto any day. You have one so you already know.

For fast highway driving I will take the auto also. It's much safer. This is a overwelming point. You keep two hands on the wheel and just watch whats going on. You never think about the gears, just punch it.

To "just punch it" with a Corvette is no joke however and you can lose control if the road is dirty or wet so I always leave the traction control on. You don't have that as it came with the 92's.

So you can see that the young guys here are all charged up with their 6 speeds. Well I can say that I had 3, 4, 5 and 7 speeds and now I don't have to do that any more.

The vast majority of Corvettes sold are autos. This is what people really want. I would not own a stick shift car. Now if a powershift Corvette comes out maybe I would be interested. Heck I can shift the auto. You can you know!

 

I agree with most everyone who responded here, I't not really a sports car if it's an automatic. Over the years when I've shopped for Vettes, the first thing I look for is the manual tranny. If it's an auto I keep going.

 

Speaking as an "Older, 54" young guy, the only time I'd own an auto is if was strickly a Drag Race car or if I was no longer able to depress the clutch. My first Vette, a '59 that I bought in '64 was a "Power?Glide". After doing the engine the Slushbox came out and the 4 speed went in. The Fun factor increased a whole lot. Go with the stick!

:flag

 

The vast majority of Corvettes sold are autos, and that is what people want, because they don't care about the true performance aspect. Why are ZR1s, LT4s, and Z06s only 6-speed? Because they wouldn't sell any if they were autos, because people with autos don't care about power AS MUCH as those with a stick. There are alot more in ratio Coupe 6-speeds compared to coupe automatics, than there are Convertible 6-speeds compared to conv 6-speeds. And the Z06 and Z51 were only coupes, and most the LT4s were coupes. Why? Because people with convertibles don't care about the performance as much as coupes in most cases (I like the performance AND the convertible, that is why I want a LT4 conv... which are VERY rare).


[Modified by Andy1983, 9:36 AM 11/3/2001]

 

I decry the use of power steering in a true sports car. I had a 1953 Hudson Jet with MANUAL steering. At that time Hudson led in stock car racing! Then I bought a 1956 Chevrolet Corvette with MANUAL steering.

Not many girls could drive those cars. In particular the Corvette had the racing version of the MANUAL steering and the ratio was 16-1.

There were cars like my dad's Buicks that had powersteering then. But not me I wanted the true feel of the road.

There is nothing like a convertable with manual steering.

Does anyone know the correct serpentine belt length to by pass the power steering pump on a 1992 LT-1?

 

Larry..

I *have* bought a new clutch (and a new flywheel!) and I *still* haven't changed my mind! :D

 

When I bought my 95, I was only in the market for an auto with the G92 rear... my car is a daily driver and Tampa traffic sucks. If my car was a weekend car, I'd of got a 6 spd as they are a blast to drive.

As far as an auto Vette not being a sports car... if you say so.... :rolleyes:

 

I like my 4-speed auto, of course I've modified the shift gate to get positive shift feel. Now I can easily select the gear of choice when I want to.

Of course the main reason was that I bracket race and wanted consistency.

The main advantage to a 6-speed is the closer ratios and flexability on launch RPM and more flexability if you autocross. Of course it is fun to "play" too.

 

6-speed. You have control of your car. The reason that more vettes sold are autos is because most are not used as sports cars. They are used as daily drivers with traffic, etc. or they are bought by people who can't drive stick, or by people who can't bother driving a stick and just want to relive their younger days. Remember, when a vette is new, the price is usually out of range for the guys who want to ride them like a sports car. I disagree that at high speed an auto is safer. The last auto "sports car" that I drove would not down shift when I wanted it to. The results were downshifts at awkward points. Going into a corner to kick the rear out, no shift at all putting a larger strain on the brakes, etc. Driving it hard in corners was a real problem. Made the car much slower if I wanted to drive it safe. Also, I was almost rearended several times as the car would suddenly and unexpectedly downshift while braking effectively making the car stop much more quickly than I wanted. Sure, when driving a stick, only one hand si on the wheel, for a half a second and at a time that I choose. I see no safety problem here. And with power steering, one hand is relatively safe on most highways anyway. Do you really keep both hands on the wheel at 10 and 2 all the way from NY to Florida? I don't think so. You would be named Arnold if you did or you'd stop more times than just for gas or food. (Usually a 20+/- hour trip to Ft Meyers).
I drive in stop and go for 20 min each direction of a 45 minute trip everyday to work. But when I have that 6 speed going into that one 270 degree corner, the :D on my face justifies the manual everytime. They make autos because that's what the people want. Hmmm, forum says 20+ to 1 against that vote.
92TripleBlack :cheers:

 

I know the reason why you stick lovers use your powersteering. It's because you don't have the upper arm strength! My son does dry wall so it must be genetic that we have such strength.

There is nothing like going into a corner and having the powersteering fail or the power brakes for that matter. Perhaps you have experianced it when a engine stalled on a car with power steering.

I also have a outboard motor that has manual steering and starting.

I know the stick can be fun at times. I have had many cars with a stick. I really think I drive better with the automatic. It' faster for me.

When a sequential shifter or powershift is offered the stick shift will be dropped. In 1992 only 1/4 of LT-1 Corvettes were ordered with the stick shift!

I recall getting two old ladies out of a parking spot at the library here. The driver could not turn the wheel well on her car as it had manual steering. No problem for me. No they were not hot.

 

Lots more fun :rolleyes:

 

My '72 is auto and is no where near as fun to drive as my '94 6 speed. There is nothing more satisfiying then being in control of so much machinary.

 

You have the most comical line of reasoning I have ever read. Everyone in this post is talking about 6 speed versus automatic and all of a sudden you're talking about power steering. :crazy: I'm glad you can steer without power steering....I mean...that shows you are at least as strong as my 92 lb ex girlfriend.

I don't have a problem with someone buying an automatic Corvette, whatever floats your boat. But if you think a 300 HP car is dangerous at highway speeds with a 6 speed then I'm glad you drive an automatic and keep your traction control on.

 

Dr. Dave,

I am just having fun here. Since it's about 10/1 on this thread I just reframed the argument. Why not drive without powersteering like I did for years You will save some horsepower for sure. It's the cool thing to do. Road feel and all.

Now the true choice when faced with the decision to choose the redhead or the blonde is to take both. I would rather have a 6 speed and a auto. Faced with the practicality of it I chose the auto. But in the future we will not have too I hope.

I drive better with the auto. Read the threads on the most dangerous car in America. It's ours!