Young 1966 Studebaker owner learning to drive a stick shift

[rkapteyn]

http://unkantelope.com/wordpress_antelope/2022/10/25/stick-shift-made-me-feel-one-with-the-road-my-roots/

[DTHolder]

I insisted both of my children learn how to drive with a manual transmission.

If mom could force music lessons I felt it was my duty to force them to learn "stick". I taught them how over several days and while they drove with a learners permit they each had a sign in the back window which read, "Sorry, Learning Stick". There were many accounts of other people giving a thumbs up and/or giving an approving nod.

Years later, each child thanked me. Each explained they had friends who could not drive a stick shift and they felt proud of this simple skill.

[Commander Eddie]

It seems strange to read about this. My generation grew up with manual transmission cars and trucks. It seemed no big deal. How times have changed. I do admire those young people who have the gumption to learn to shift a manual transmission. Perhaps having a manual transmission (shift on the column especially) will not be the theft deterrent I was hoping it would be.

[Hawklover]

My parents were a bit naive when they allowed me to purchase a 4-speed Avanti in 1966...............never ever underestimate the will power of a 17 year old with a spine like a mouse;-)

[Dwain G.]

When my daughter wanted to learn stick-shift driving, I happened to have a Isuzu 'Pup' diesel pickup for the week. Perfect vehicle to learn clutch operation because diesels will lug down so well and not stall out

[Mike Van Veghten]

Way back, a then girlfriend wanted to get out from under using her parents car and buy her first car.
She called me and asked if I'd look at a car with her...of course !

We headed over to the local Chevrolet dealership. We walked over to a, low miles, dark blue...69, Z/28 ! A bare , no power anything, Z/28 . THAT'S...what she wanted for her first car ! And yeah, she'd never driven any manual shift car.

The local college parking lots came in very handy. Unlike what my dad did to me...I didn't rush the process. Eventually, she became pretty good at it. Even doing laps at my local college slalom (now called, Solo 1 and 2) happenings in my school parking lot when I was in college.

Yeah...MY...dad.
At the time, my dad had a bright red, 400hp, 409, in a 62 Chevrolet Impala . And did I mention, he put an aftermarket 3600lb clutch. His legs were two different diameters !
Long story short, we were in the middle of our local city, he got out of the car at a red light, and said...slide over ! WHAT THE ___!!??
I...FINALLY...made it across the intersection...and home.

Mike

[Hawk GT SS]

Great story. I let my boys learn the initial basic driving skills with the automatic. Once they had that first level of confidence I sprung the 5 speed stick on them. They got it fairly quick after that. They still wanted and got automatics when they purchased their first car but the skill is worth having.

[bensherb]

Eight years ago I tought my then 16 year old daugter to drive my 5 speed Honda CRV, the only thing she had driven prior was my tractor. She picked it up very quickly, but even now the only place she has ever driven a stick was here on the ranch, and she still has never gotten a drivers license. She's afraid to drive in traffic of any kind. Her boyfriend drives her everywhere she needs to go... he can't drive a stick shift!

I can't really blame her for not wanting to drive in traffic; she lives in San Jose Ca. where the traffic is insane and so are the drivers. I don't drive there either if I don't absolutely have to!

[Mark L]

Great story. Thank you for sharing it.

Back in 2014 my kids and I went to Georgia to help my wife with her father's estate. One of his automobiles was a Subaru Outback wagon with a manual transmission. While we were there I took the opportunity to teach our 2nd daughter how to drive it. After driving around a large church parking lot a few times, she got the hang of it. The lot was just big enough that she could shift up through a few gears, but not so big that she could get going too fast before she had to slow down and turn.

[stude1964]

Our youngest daughter wanted a Mazda 3 with a 5 speed. She never drove a stick before. Drove it home from the seller only stalled it twice. After that she was on her way. Her friends always thought it was an automatic as she was very smooth shifting. She's been eyeing my '64 HT 4 speed lately.............
Rob in PA.

[StudeSailor]

Nice comments to read.

Remind me I learned to use manual transmission just before having 16 yo on my dad's Mazda B2000 pickup. He was right on insisting. I do remember it was quite easy to kill the engine by depressing the clutch with not enough trottle. At that time, driving courses started to be mandatory here. With all the youths, myself included, rushing to get it, the only thing remaining at the driving school was a tiny modern car with manual transmission. Teacher was happy I already knew how to shift as she said some will probably burn the clutch before being able to do it... In fact, at each sessions I took this car, it felt like the clutch was much worn.

My first truck at 21 yo was a 1980 Dodge Power Wagon with 318 and 4 speed manual. It was a donation from an old gentlemen. I put several new parts and I still own it today. Easy to shift, you can't kill the engine of you don't revv the engine enough. That thing got so much low torque even at idle, it is just moving.

I also have my 56 Champion with 3 speed column shift. It shift nice if you do it with no rush. But you cannot do a ''power shift'', that's for sure!

This summer, I bought an old M-16 Stude. Double clutch... At 43 yo, it is real funny to learn. I can shift the gears up but to downshift, I guess skills aren't there yet... When it happen, I just stop the truck until I stop laughing!

LL

[fastjohnll]

https://www.etsy.com/market/i_can_drive_a_stick

[Buzzard]

My high school had a drivers' education program training us to drive and learn the "rules of the road". The end benefit was a discount on insurance for successfully passing the training. As history would have it, the car I was supposed to train in was a 1959 4 door sedan Lark, flathead six with a three speed column shifter. As one of the three students bowed out, it made for a lot longer time behind the wheel for the two of us left.
After completing the course, my instructor stated he would never have believed the little Lark had enough spunk to actually chirp the tires into second gear. He wondered how I did it and I didn't let him know I had been driving since I was 12, albeit not in anything as hot as a Studebaker Lark!
Bill

[StudeNewby]

Recently a story appeared in the local media about an attempted carjacking. You can guess the outcome: the would-be thief was thwarted by a manual transmission. We call it the "millennial anti-theft device."