You know you're old when...

[sygazelle]

I learned to drive stick in a 1948 Pontiac with "3 on the tree" and an in-line 8 cylinder engine called a "Straight Eight". What a car. It was very uncool at the time because it was already 17 years old which was ancient back then, but it want I had to learn in so I was grateful for that. Here's a pic of a similar car.

[Boomer 2019]

I had been watching my friends drive stick vehicles for years but of course no one ever let me try to drive their cars. Come to think of it, no one ever let me drive their automatics either, hmm.. My first chance to drive a stick was when I was in the Navy. It was a Dodge Power wagon. Our shop PO told me and another guy to go pick up a load of bombs (inert practice) from the armory about 5 miles away. I told the other guy that I was driving, and off we went. I did a long slow tour of pretty much the entire base (stop, go, stop, go) before going to the armory. By the time we got back I considered myself a pro, and grabbed every opportunity to drive everything I could get my hands on.

[3.0L]

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.

I learned to drive with a '58 VW micro bus. 1st gear had no syncro mesh, so you had to full stop to engage or learn to double-clutch. Speaking of double-clutch, I later learned to drive dad's Crosley which had a 3-speed no syncro crash box.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

...
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.....

We had a guy in our division that could score ANYTHING we needed! We regularly ran out of pens and our allotment. We would send him on a "pen run" and he'd return with boxes! For some reason, he's one of the few people who's name I remember after 45 years; Alton Prentice.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

We had a guy in our division that could score ANYTHING we needed! We regularly ran out of pens and our allotment. We would send him on a "pen run" and he'd return with boxes! For some reason, he's one of the few people who's name I remember after 45 years; Alton Prentice.

I bet some folks (like drill sergeants) had fun with his name.

"Yo! A.Prentice front and center!"

I went thru boot camp with a guy whose last name was Case. The dumbass named his son Justin. Nothing like setting your kid up for a lifetime of grief.

[Boomer 2019]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

We had a guy in our division that could score ANYTHING we needed! We regularly ran out of pens and our allotment. We would send him on a "pen run" and he'd return with boxes! For some reason, he's one of the few people who's name I remember after 45 years; Alton Prentice.

The world will always need more Alton Prentices.

[Lady Jane]

[M_Six]

^^^I guess your socks need to match your sofa?

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I bet some folks (like drill sergeants) had fun with his name.

"Yo! A.Prentice front and center!"

I went thru boot camp with a guy whose last name was Case. The dumbass named his son Justin. Nothing like setting your kid up for a lifetime of grief.

There was a fellow in my Army Basic Combat Training (boot camp) platoon with a very difficult to pronounce last name. Our drill sergeant's solution? He simply called the trainee "Alphabet."

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

There was a fellow in my Army Basic Combat Training (boot camp) platoon with a very difficult to pronounce last name. Our drill sergeant's solution? He simply called the trainee "Alphabet."

Same here! I had this exact thought as I started reading your post.

[sygazelle]

...when you used be part of Arnie's Army.

I even had the periscope!

[Esteban]

"Stronger than dirt."

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

We had a guy in our division that could score ANYTHING we needed! We regularly ran out of pens and our allotment. We would send him on a "pen run" and he'd return with boxes! For some reason, he's one of the few people who's name I remember after 45 years; Alton Prentice.

We had a habit of having the new guy pick up things for us. Like "relative bearing grease," or send
him back to the motor pool to drain the air tanks on the 3/4 ton truck. Of course, the 3/4's had no
air tanks.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

We had a habit of having the new guy pick up things for us. Like "relative bearing grease," or send
him back to the motor pool to drain the air tanks on the 3/4 ton truck. Of course, the 3/4's had no
air tanks.

We also sent the new guys for those very hard to get "supplies;" 50' of chow line CGU-11's, buckets of steam, torpedo charts... One thing the new "deck apes" were sent to get was the key to the stern gate (I was on an LPD). One enterprising machinist mate made a key. The designated mark proudly presented the "key" to the chief. Without skipping a beat, the chief told him great, now open it!

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

We also sent the new guys for those very hard to get "supplies;" 50' of chow line CGU-11's, buckets of steam, torpedo charts...

Our usual pipe crank call to new guys:

Man holding the key for the anchor pocket door, close up

Leading Seaman Green, White and Black... Belay Last Pipe. Color Party close up.

The unusual pipe (unfortunately because of their name related to their trade):

Petty Officer Frost, Fridge Flats

Captain Pigeon, Flight Deck standby to take off

[Boomer 2019]

I was an "airdale" so we would send our virgins to fetch "flight line" and 'prop wash".

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Boomer 2019

I was an "airdale" so we would send our virgins to fetch "flight line" and 'prop wash".

No glide path and checkered paint?

[Boomer 2019]

Checkered paint? No, but a trip to the Gedunk to pick up some Aileron Rolls was a favorite also.

[UncleWede]

I think I learned stick on gpa's 1904 Masey-Ferguson.

Gpa's, not my dad's. Although I'm positive he and all his brothers probably also learned on the same tractor. HOT metal seat in the Iowa summers . . .

[MassWholeBimmer]

....when your medical contacts out number your family contacts...

[Rono63]

I learned on a early 70s GMC truck.
Three speed with a granny gear and no synchros. Stepfather insisted I drive it like a man and quit babying it.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

I think I learned stick on gpa's 1904 Masey-Ferguson.

Gpa's, not my dad's. Although I'm positive he and all his brothers probably also learned on the same tractor. HOT metal seat in the Iowa summers . . .

You win. We all give up!