Learning to drive stick in a Vette?!
05-19-2018, 06:30 PM
#61
Le Mans Master
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A lot of good stories here. My first car was a '56 Ford 3-speed on the column. Since then I've had both autos and manuals. The most fun were manuals in '66 Chev II SS, '68 AMX, '91 NSX and C5 and C6 Corvettes. I also had an '85 and '86 auto C4 and now my auto C7. The new auto in my C7 is sure a big upgrade from any former autos.
05-19-2018, 07:41 PM
#62
Instructor
Amen. I learned in my dad's 1976 VW standard Beetle. 1600cc engine, 4-speed, fuel-injected, 46 horsepower. Pretty much mash the gas at all times to get anywhere. Bought it from him the day I got my license. Was the Silver Bullet.
05-19-2018, 07:43 PM
#63
I knew the 'not resting your foot on the clutch, but the rest was a surprise. Thanks for posting this!
I learned to drive stick on my brothers 03' focus hatchback when he was in Europe for the Summer back when I was 16.. It was learn to drive stick or have no car for the Summer. 8 years later I bought my manual 98' vette and none of my friends or ex girlfriend know how to drive it, but the guys always want to ride in it.
Watch this video while you are learning "5 things never to do in a manual". It will help teach you bad habits to avoid, he also has many other videos pertaining to manual driving. Good information and explanation behind those reasons.
https://youtu.be/_cbZlhduYJY
Watch this video while you are learning "5 things never to do in a manual". It will help teach you bad habits to avoid, he also has many other videos pertaining to manual driving. Good information and explanation behind those reasons.
https://youtu.be/_cbZlhduYJY
05-19-2018, 10:29 PM
#64
Instructor
Learned to work a manual on a 125cc dirt bike. My dad was a trucker and learned to tame the Mack before I was legal to drive anything. A truck will punish you if you are not smooth with the clutch and fuel. First car I owned with a manual was a 78 Camaro LT with a 4 speed.
05-19-2018, 11:53 PM
#66
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I learned to drive a stick in a non-Corvette, but it's not that hard to do in a Corvette.
05-20-2018, 06:32 AM
#67
I learned to drive a manual transmission on an old dodge omni glh. Stalled that bad boy so hard it blew a hole in the radiator. My dad was not entertained.
Almost two decades of a 3rd pedal later, I can't have it any other way. My previous car was a DCT S5. Nice car, but I found it to be rather boring and only kept it for a year or so.
Took some huevos to roll out of the dealership. Kudos to you, sir!
Almost two decades of a 3rd pedal later, I can't have it any other way. My previous car was a DCT S5. Nice car, but I found it to be rather boring and only kept it for a year or so.
Took some huevos to roll out of the dealership. Kudos to you, sir!
05-20-2018, 09:41 AM
#68
Melting Slicks
I went to test drive a 08 Z once and no body at the dealer knew how to drive a stick. Laughed my A off.
When my nephew was 10 He was looking at my Dually with 4 speed. I needed it pulled out of the shop to get my 1/2 ton inside. He jumped right in and pulled it out. He was not suppose to be driving but his mom (my sister in law) had a car with a stick that I believe he must have unknown to her driven a few time.
When my nephew was 10 He was looking at my Dually with 4 speed. I needed it pulled out of the shop to get my 1/2 ton inside. He jumped right in and pulled it out. He was not suppose to be driving but his mom (my sister in law) had a car with a stick that I believe he must have unknown to her driven a few time.
05-20-2018, 10:52 AM
#69
Le Mans Master
My first stick was a 1969 C10 I bought for $75. The guy wanted to keep the battery. Literally each time I stalled it while figuring out how to drive it, we had to get out and push start it again.
Push starting for every stall will make you a good stick driver real quick!
Push starting for every stall will make you a good stick driver real quick!
05-20-2018, 04:39 PM
#71
Instructor
How many of you learned to drive stick in the C7? I can't be the only one lol... People think it's crazy when I tell them that the C7 is my first manual car. The salesman that I worked with agreed to show me the basics so I could get it home. The test drive was pretty rough, I was stalling a lot as you'd expect. On my way home from the dealership I hit a traffic jam and had to pull over for a few hours, I eventually made it and never looked back. Very happy with my decision in the end 
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05-20-2018, 06:16 PM
#72
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My 1st stick? How about a brand new 1994 Pontiac Fiero that I bought off of the show room floor, I always liked that car even though it is listed as one of the worst American cars ever built in some of the online car articles...never had ant problems with mine 
05-24-2018, 02:34 PM
#75
I learned to drive a manual in England in 1969 on a Vauxhall Viva HB with dual driver controls. The instructor in the passenger seat had all 3 pedals so that he could take over to either demonstrate how to drive smoothly or to completely take over in an emergency! (He would also grab the steering wheel and/or the stick if he had to - ask me how I know). Feeling nostalgic, I looked up the Viva on Wikipedia and was horrified to learn that from 1967 on you could get an automatic (Borg Warner Type 35) as an option. The manual car's performance was already abysmal; I can't imagine how slow the automatic would be!