learning to drive a stick...what car did you learn on.

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A "Z" Moline and a "B" Farmall. When I got big enough to reach the clutch pedals on the 53 Chev pickup and 47 GMC grain truck I shifted on th move. I had to stand and lean against the front of the seat for a couple of years....!
 
Uncle's '76 Monza with no exhaust past the manifold and no tach at the ripe age of 13 around the block.

He also taught me how to properly ride BMX bikes and how to grill the perfect steak. Drove a Dodge StreetVan that he painted Candy Apple Red. He had a mullet, a moustache and no kids, he was always happy to see us.

RIP, uncle T.

I've taught 4 people how to drive stick. Church parking lot has a slight grade down the street. Rat Rod's method is EXACTLY what I do, down to the lecture after about not using the clutch unless it's for shifting and leaving from a stop. Small world. They catch on immediately.
 
I learned on my Grandpa's 59 Plymouth Fury when I was about 8-9 yrs. old, LOL... We lived out in the country and I was kinda tall for my age so I could see over the dash and talked grandpa into letting me try it. It was a push button auto and had power steering so it was easy to catch on
 
1953 Ford two door station wagon. 6 cyl. with 3 speed column shift. I was 13 and I paid $13 for the car. Used it as a field car and boy was my dad hot when he discovered the dirt track in the middle of his hay field. Sure had fun with that old car.
 
340john said:
My Buddy's daughter wants to learn how to drive a stick. The only car he has with a manual trans is a 69 GTO judge so that is what she is learning on. I learned on my dad's 69 Hemi Charger about 30 years ago. So...what did you learn on?
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I learned on the very first new car i bought, a 2004 chevy colorado. I managed to pick it up enough to drive it around in 20min or so.

It was a little strange buying a brand new truck that my dad had to drive home for me. :laughing:
 
66 fargo 3\4 ton \6 3 on the tree my grandfather gave it to me it was his fishin truck he gave it to me when i was 8 for a field driver wish i still had it
 
1961 Ford Ranchero, Was 14 and would take it out at night when my parents would go out at night. Mark the floor in the garage with tape and go. We were so smart at that age. However never got caught that I new about.
 
A 1974 Ford Pinto that my sister berought brand new. Drove it into the ground.
 
I'm not sure if I had an exact car I learned on. We had a '64 Falcon 4-door with a 289 and a factory 4-speed that we inherited from my grandfather that was probably what I learned on the most. What a cool sleeper!....kinda like this:

5583113405_b911e0f619.jpg
 
1978 Chevy dump truck, my father told me to go get a load of asphalt, so I did.
 
crackedback said:
minibikes, motorcycles, then carts

Transition to cars was easy.

I usually suggest that people learn on a manual trans 4 wheeler ATV. Get the feel of the clutch, gas and it's easier when in a car.
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I agree with you 100%, crackedback.
I grew up with nothing but automatic transmissions on all the cars the family owned over the time I started driving and into my first car. The first car I drove with a stick was a friends 1966 Mustang with a 289 and 4-speed. But I didn't get the "feel" of a clutch until a few years later when I wanted to buy a motorcycle and another friend loaned me his street-licensed dirt bike to practice on and take my motorcycle driver test with. The next car I drove with a stick was so much easier once I understood that "feel".
 
fishy68 said:
I learned on my Grandpa's 59 Plymouth Fury when I was about 8-9 yrs. old, LOL... We lived out in the country and I was kinda tall for my age so I could see over the dash and talked grandpa into letting me try it. It was a push button auto and had power steering so it was easy to catch on
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The first time I drove a car (any kind), I was six. Taller than everyone in class.

My mom was sitting on the rear bumper while she gave me instructions to feather the gas and hit the brake after a few feet, getting the '75 Impala unstuck from the snow, in reverse.

That was a wild ride, as I recall. I knew the column gear and wheels and could reach the pedals with the seat up all the way. She would let me steer from down the street in her lap, when I was five.
 
in the mid 80's i was 13 or 14.

i asked my dad about learning to drive a stick so he took me for a ride in his 46 GMC truck with a non synchro 3 speed.

he said "when you learn to shift/drive this smoothly you will be able to drive anything"
i couldn't get the thing to move. he was laughing his *** off at me for the first few minutes... then he tells me i need to double clutch. yeah, my dad liked messin with me.

been rowing gears ever since... last year i finally broke down and purchased my first auto.
 
My neighbor's 68 427 400hp (3 Holleys) Corvette. It needed to go to the dealer and his other car was a Datsun pick up. He Said I'd be less likely to stall the Vette, he was right.
 
1968dartman said:
1973 vega
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LOL... 1972 Vega for me. My bud's car when I was 14 & 15. He hated to drive, so I ran us all around to the hangout's. I bet I put 2/3K miles on that thing without a license.

It was also the first car I raced at 75-80 Dragway in Maryland @ 15yrs old. He went a 19.60 1st time run, then I took over and went 19.52 & 19.51 on the last two. I went 19.48 on a 19.52 dial and lost first round.......Had a absolute blast though.
 
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