You know you're old when...

[3798j]

Originally Posted by dscabra

...Years later, while sitting in a Discount Tire, I watched a kid that worked there try for several minutes to get an old Bug in reverse before I went over and told him he needed to push the shifter down.

To this day, you still must push down to find reverse on most VW's...like my 2019 Golf "R".

[R BMW]

I think my 1975 Opel Manta you also had to push down.



Everyone called it the Bumblebee. It had a black fiberglass antenna off the trunk.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

A ‘57 Volvo, I’m gonna guess this might not have been in the states...

Was in Whittier, CA. I don't remember how my dad acquired it...

[wdb]

I learned to drive stick in a 1968 BMW 1600, which I later smashed head-on into a tree. (Pic is not that very car, but it is the same color.)

[Llarry]

My initial exposure to manual transmission was a 1960(?) Fiat 600D. Note the suicide doors.

[M_Six]

I learned on a '67 Dodge Dart with Three-on-the-Tree.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I learned on a '67 Dodge Dart with Three-on-the-Tree.

I remember my dad driving a three on the tree, but I never have. I never felt confident I would get the shift pattern right.

I have to apologize for being a little bit mean. My friend’s brother drove us to school our sophomore year of high school before we had our own licenses. He had an AMC Pacer with three on the tree. I know this is mean, but he was your stereotypical geek and he thought that car was the bomb!! My friend and I just hoped no one would see us in it!

[Pauly Wauly]

I learned how to drive a manual on my oldest brother Mini 1275GT. I can`t remember the year of the car now, but I think it was a mid 70`s model. Man, that thing was a blast to drive.

[Car-Addicted]

Took my drivers test in a friends 1275 Mini Cooper.
6'+ 250lbs state cop was less than impressed. Checked inspection sticker before he would get in the car. Competition lap belts didn't help. Best part was three point turn. I did a U turn in box and was instructed that I had do do it over again and use reverse. . I may have been a little brisk in the slalom cones but I still passed, most likely to get me and the car out of there. Good memories

[Lady Jane]

Geez...Most of the cars you guys are posting, I've seen in museums. Ba ha ha...

My dad taught me how to drive a stick when I was fourteen in his mid-90s VW Corrado VR6. That's the year I took a Military police jeep for a short a ride around the Base that was left idling in front of the PX to show my friends that I could drive a manual.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

Geez...Most of the cars you guys are posting, I've seen in museums. Ba ha ha...

My dad taught me how to drive a stick when I was fourteen in his mid-90s VW Corrado VR6. That's the year I took a Military police jeep for a short a ride around the Base that was left idling in front of the PX to show my friends that I could drive a manual.

Car thief!!

[Buug959]

I learned to drive a manual in a VW Beetle. My father took me a gravel pit up the road. He marked out a course around the pit complete with a run up one of the gravel stockpiles where he told me to stop and then continue up to the top. I remember stalling a lot on that hill as well as digging some pretty big trenches before I finally got the hang of it. My father told me to keep at it until I felt comfortable with shifting. I had to walk home to get him to fill the gas tank after I ran out.

Photo from the webby thingy. The colour is right though.

[Buug959]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

I remember my dad driving a three on the tree, but I never have. I never felt confident I would get the shift pattern right.

I have to apologize for being a little bit mean. My friend’s brother drove us to school our sophomore year of high school before we had our own licenses. He had an AMC Pacer with three on the tree. I know this is mean, but he was your stereotypical geek and he thought that car was the bomb!! My friend and I just hoped no one would see us in it!

My first car was an AMC Pacer. It was two-tone caramel over chocolate brown with a three on the floor manual. It was given to me because the straight-6 232ci engine was only hitting on 4 cylinders. I was 14 and I tore into that engine and found 3 bent valves in the head. Luckily the pistons were fine, just a tiny mark where they struck the valves. I had a shop rebuild the head and then I put it all back together. It started right up and ran fine until the fire, but that's another story.
I hated that car but it was all mine and it was free. Whenever anyone tormented me about owning a Pacer I'd just politely (yeah right) ask them where their car was. It usually ended the conversation.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

That's the year I took a Military police jeep for a short a ride around the Base that was left idling in front of the PX to show my friends that I could drive a manual.

Geez... we let hardened criminals on the forums now?

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

...I took a Military police jeep for a short a ride around the Base that was left idling in front of the PX to show my friends that I could drive a manual.

Took, stole... tahmato tomato...

[Car-Addicted]

Originally Posted by Buug959

My first car was an AMC Pacer.

What are seven words a car guy should never say?

My first car was a Toyota Corolla 1200 affectionately called the "Roach" because of all the roach's left in the ashtray when it was traded in at the dealership I was working at.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Took, stole... tahmato tomato...

Borrowed... There were no repercussions, since they were not supposed to leave vehicles unattended and idling. My mother scolded me but my Dad gave me the high-5 when she was not looking. The MPs were happy when Calamity Jane left the Base.

[Buug959]

Originally Posted by Car-Addicted

What are seven words a car guy should never say?

My first car was a Toyota Corolla 1200 affectionately called the "Roach" because of all the roach's left in the ashtray when it was traded in at the dealership I was working at.

Like I said, it was free, I was 14 and it got me wrenching, so not all bad.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Buug959

I learned to drive a manual in a VW Beetle. My father took me a gravel pit up the road. He marked out a course around the pit complete with a run up one of the gravel stockpiles where he told me to stop and then continue up to the top. I remember stalling a lot on that hill as well as digging some pretty big trenches before I finally got the hang of it. My father told me to keep at it until I felt comfortable with shifting. I had to walk home to get him to fill the gas tank after I ran out.

Photo from the webby thingy. The colour is right though.

My Dad would have me stop on the big hill beside our house and practice starts until I could do it without rolling back even an inch. He told me sure as shit some day someone would pull up really close behind me on a hill and I'd have to move forward without rolling back into them. Dad was no dummy.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

...and he thought that car was the bomb!!

The bomb, or *a* bomb???

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Took, stole... tahmato tomato...

I never served in the military, but my first boss was a retired army general who would call that "liberating" under-utilized resources. I'm pretty sure that he taught Oliver North everything that he knew.....

[Esteban]

"It's party time, excellent."

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by M_Six

My Dad would have me stop on the big hill beside our house and practice starts until I could do it without rolling back even an inch. He told me sure as shit some day someone would pull up really close behind me on a hill and I'd have to move forward without rolling back into them. Dad was no dummy.

That is how you teach driving stick. Once you get it, you never have to worry about the situation you are in; you've got it. Good job dad!