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Re: It's Not A Sports Car If It Has Power Steering. (Justin Scherer)
Ok Justin the stick is safer. I didn't read that post however.
But I don't think the stick is safer for me. I may have driven more miles than everyone who posted on this thread put together.
It seems that the stick guys are so passionate and the auto drivers who are in the great majority are laid back and satisfied. I am just arguing this for the fun of it. But I did a fantasy check about having two Corvettes and what one would I select for the 400 mile open road trip I am planning for tommorrow. And do you know what? I would not matter! I think I would take the 6 speed tommorrow as I have driven the auto all year. But when it comes to passing it would not be as easy. I like two hands on the wheel. But yes I would take the 6 speed. It's no big deal.
Re: It's Not A Sports Car If It Has Power Steering. (Don Martin)
I agree with you 100% that taking one hand off the wheel of a stick shift vette (to shift) puts you in a very vulnerable position for that moment. Likewise, the "magical shifts" of the auto can occur at the worst possible moments too.
Say, my first car was a 1961 chevy wagon with a 283 column mounted stick in it. No power steer, brakes, or first gear syncro either. That column shift was not a bad idea at all. Kept your arm right there by the steering wheel. I like the modern road ralley car setup best (where the sequential shifter is mounted up high by the steering wheel). The corvette transmission mounted shifter is just a real cheapo option that optimizes the car for efficient dragstrip operation. It takes your right hand too far from the steering wheel to be effective for roadracing. And I don't care how many world class cars use this standard. It sucks and its crude. But, its the setup I like best at this time. Especially when you are trying to wrestle some performance out of an engine that is producing an anemic 300 horsepower.
I still wish a had a six speed but i was not not going to buy my car because it diddnt have one.
I guess if i ever get a c5 i will get the sixspeed only. But at the track you better know how to drive youre sixspeed because us
auto vetts have a very BIG edge in the race and then when a pr!ck with a six speed losses the race he can come tell me my vette aint a real sports car.
Hmmm.. Logic and reason always impresses people. :eek:
Quote me all you want LOL. Guys like nathan plemmons or whoever i bet i can drive a six speed better than you pal LMAO. I guess i got no self confidence because i got a auto?
Doesent make to much sense there. I bought my vette only beacause how nice and low mileage the car was. ILL take a clean low mile runner over a beat down six speed anyday :yesnod: I diddnt have 50 grand to spend or else YES i would of choose the six speed.
Just dont talk bs abought other vette owners with autos cause truth is i bet i got more skills in my pinky then you do youre whole body.
Quote me all you want LOL. Guys like nathan plemmons or whoever i bet i can drive a six speed better than you pal LMAO. I guess i got no self confidence because i got a auto?
Doesent make to much sense there. I bought my vette only beacause how nice and low mileage the car was. ILL take a clean low mile runner over a beat down six speed anyday :yesnod: I diddnt have 50 grand to spend or else YES i would of choose the six speed.
Just dont talk bs abought other vette owners with autos cause truth is i bet i got more skills in my pinky then you do youre whole body.
Would you like to point out where I talked BS about autos??
I think it's funny that you say "I'll buy a six speed" then call six speed owners ******! Who's talking trash? :lol:
By the way, I've had one of each and the 6 speed is more fun. :yesnod:
Driving a 6 speed is more satisfying for me. Knowing that I just pulled off a sweet heel/toe downshift instead of a computer chip just does it for me.
I think that properly driving a manual shift car is becoming a lost art with all the automatics and "manumatics" :rolleyes: that are being produced.
Oh well, make mine a sixer :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod:
The ***** i was refering to was the guy who said corvettes arent real sports cars unless there six speeds. And the bs i was talking abought was said by nathen plemmons that said guys with autos lack self confidence or some bs. All i said abought youre post vette 92 was LoL. So again vette 92 i say Lol :D
And is it much better on the auto cross then auto?
I used to have a Prepared car. It was a stick when I bought. Noticed all the fast Vette guys had autos. I changed mine to auto, and immediately picked up more than 1 second. 1 second in autocrossing is huge. A few years later, after the auto gave up during a vintage race, I put the stick back in. Guess what happened? Went slower.
I drove the auto at Road Atlanta one year. Next year I was back with the stick. Lap times were slower by 1.5 to 2 seconds. The auto lets you go through the turns much quicker, in my experience.
Though I don't have a C-4 yet, I do have a T-56 6-speed behind my TPI powered 88 Monte SS, and it was the BEST MOVE I've ever made. I will NEVER OWN an AUTOMATIC SPORTS CAR AGAIN. I am also converting a friend 86 4+3 vette to a MINI-RAMMED 383 and ZF-6 :cheers: Only with a stick, can I feasible run a really huge SOLID ROLLER cam in my 383 EFI Open Road Racing engine, and have that much fun . :yesnod:
And is it much better on the auto cross then auto?
I used to have a Prepared car. It was a stick when I bought. Noticed all the fast Vette guys had autos. I changed mine to auto, and immediately picked up more than 1 second. 1 second in autocrossing is huge. A few years later, after the auto gave up during a vintage race, I put the stick back in. Guess what happened? Went slower.
I drove the auto at Road Atlanta one year. Next year I was back with the stick. Lap times were slower by 1.5 to 2 seconds. The auto lets you go through the turns much quicker, in my experience.
Many autocrossers prefer an automatic, it really depends on the course which would be better. For a tight course where you really need to be focused on turning and drifting etc. I would rather keep both hands on the wheel. For a long open road course layout I'd prefer a stick.
Incidently at a recent autocross my friend who also has an auto like me were blowing some of the 6 speed cars away. That's not to say one is better than the other just different.
Quote me all you want LOL. Guys like nathan plemmons or whoever i bet i can drive a six speed better than you pal LMAO. I guess i got no self confidence because i got a auto?
Doesent make to much sense there. I bought my vette only beacause how nice and low mileage the car was. ILL take a clean low mile runner over a beat down six speed anyday :yesnod: I diddnt have 50 grand to spend or else YES i would of choose the six speed.
Just dont talk bs abought other vette owners with autos cause truth is i bet i got more skills in my pinky then you do youre whole body.
First thing, you spelled my name wrong. Second, I never said I'm the best driver in the world. I just said it takes more skill to drive a manual than an auto and you know I'm correct. That does not mean that just because you drive an auto it doesn't mean that you don't have the skills, it just means you don't NEED the skills.
Anybody can drive a manual given enough practice, my mother is living proof of that. She doesn't like to do it, but she can. Thus people who cry about rolling back and such just really bother me. I see them as quitters without any self confidence. To be honest, I wanted an auto when I was first looking for a car, but it didn't happen. I got stuck with a manual and I learned to drive it and now I don't want anything else.
I'll take you up on that skills challenge any day, BTW.
I have owned the exact same car both 93 Ruby convertibles, one was automatic the other a 6 speed. I now only own 1, the 6 speed. I find it more fun to drive the 6 speed.