[95wagon]

So, I was thinking "how many times a day do I shift gears?"

Today, on a 14 mile mostly rush hour trip I drive a lot , I counted how many times I pushed in the clutch. Bunch of stop and go.
Holy crap. 341 times!!!

 

[Bob with 3 Bs]

And you wondered why your left leg was twice as big as your right?

 

[96 Black]

That's the biggest reason giving up my '69 Vette was not the end of the world way back when. It was my commuter downtown, and it was only a 4-speed! I got where I could do rolling stops and keep it in 4th. And yes, the clutch went south as I was selling it.

I swore no more sticks in commuters. A 6-sp in a weekender, now that'd be jus fine.

 

[Eracer]

And you wondered why your left leg was twice as big as your right?

That's not his leg, that's his ****.

 

[Bob with 3 Bs]

That's not his leg, that's his ****.

Are you implying that Gerry's mechanical ability isn't the only thing giving the rest of us feelings of inadequacy?

 

[rematar]

cwm2cwm2

 

[angelo]

That's the biggest reason giving up my '69 Vette was not the end of the world way back when. It was my commuter downtown, and it was only a 4-speed! I got where I could do rolling stops and keep it in 4th. And yes, the clutch went south as I was selling it.

I swore no more sticks in commuters. A 6-sp in a weekender, now that'd be jus fine.

sounds like you had 4:11 gears like mine.....
I love cuzing in 4th at 25mph then dumping it in 2nd for a quick getta away....
123K on the original clutch still.... Bet you miss it now cwm1
-ALF out.....

 

[BALLSS]

So, I was thinking "how many times a day do I shift gears?"

Holy crap. 341 times!!!

When I get stuck on the 405 here in SoCal.....man you don't want to know......still would not change the t56 mod for anything.

 

[KW Baraka]

.....on a 14 mile mostly rush hour trip......I counted how many times I pushed in the clutch......341 times!!!

That's the biggest reason giving up my '69 Vette......

And the main reason I swore I'd never own a car with a standard tranny (Chicago traffic during rush hour sucks!!)!


KW

 

[Bob with 3 Bs]

And the main reason I swore I'd never own a car with a standard tranny (Chicago traffic during rush hour sucks!!)!

Well there's that...and you're a spindly-legged wuss.

 

[KW Baraka]

Well there's that...and you're a spindly-legged wuss.

Perhaps......but I like cars that are smart enough to shift for themselves .

KW

 

[sherlock9c1]

Perhaps......but I like cars that are smart enough to shift for themselves

I'm in this thread, as someone who enjoys automatics. Call me lazy - I do! Especially after every time I drive a stick, I just think "man, how come this thing hasn't downshifted already?" I laugh at myself about it, but it's true.

FWIW, once you start playing with the transmission programming and TCC lockup, and learn how the PCM responds to the different rates of change in TPS, you can basically make the automatic shift exactly how and when you want it to.

 

[96 Black]

.... Bet you miss it now cwm1
-ALF out.....

Well, duh. But that car made 1/2 the down payment on our second house, which set the way for everything that followed. That car has appreciated maybe 6-8 times since I sold it, but I've gotten way more than that out of it in other ways. Everything's a trade-off eh.

If vettes didn't shout so loud 'midlife crisis' for guys of a certain age I'd snag a C6 right quick. As it stands I'm pretty much age-limited to an XLR.

Ralles though. And sidepipes.

 

[Wagon Collector]

Actually when the traffic is just slowing down and speeding up alternately, I actually prefer my T56. Sounds crazy, but once you get it in the correct gear in rush-hour situations, you can just modulate the speed of the car with your right foot. Let off a little, slow down... you get the picture. With the auto I have to keep moving my foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal. Gets kinda old. Maybe that's because my 2.56 peg-leg automatic car has almost no engine drag, though...

And yeah, when traffic keeps coming to a dead stop - well that sucks. Doesn't happen much in Ohio, though...

 

[lotsacars]

Actually when the traffic is just slowing down and speeding up alternately, I actually prefer my T56. Sounds crazy, but once you get it in the correct gear in rush-hour situations, you can just modulate the speed of the car with your right foot. Let off a little, slow down... you get the picture. With the auto I have to keep moving my foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal. Gets kinda old. Maybe that's because my 2.56 peg-leg automatic car has almost no engine drag, though...

And yeah, when traffic keeps coming to a dead stop - well that sucks. Doesn't happen much in Ohio, though...

I agree. With 4.10's 2nd gear is good from a dead stop all the way up to about 60

 

[Gary S]

I've been driving manual trannys for the last 40 years and love them. Everytime I end up behind the wheel of a vehicle with an automatic, I remember how much I hate automatics.

 

[rematar]

I agree. With 4.10's 2nd gear is good from a dead stop all the way up to about 60

That's about the same as I use first gear with my automatic and 2.56s in slow traffic.cwm1

 

[SSQATCH]

sounds like you had 4:11 gears like mine.....
I love cuzing in 4th at 25mph then dumping it in 2nd for a quick getta away....
123K on the original clutch still.... Bet you miss it now cwm1
-ALF out.....

I think Gerry has 4:56 gears in the back of his Wagon but I could be wrong...

 

[MikeOD]

I've been driving manual trannys for the last 40 years and love them. Everytime I end up behind the wheel of a vehicle with an automatic, I remember how much I hate automatics.

I usually start by smashing my left foot into the floorpan then I say "what the hell...this is stupid"...then I fall asleep before I get the car out of park because I'm so bored by automatics.

I understand that some people like them and thats cool, some people have disabilities and require them, and thats cool too...and yeah, they're more consistent with a drag car...but they're STILL not for me.

150+ miles a day with a clutch pedal, including PLENTY of stop and go traffic

 

[Klez]

My first automatic was a 95 Corvette then I bought my wagon and never looked back. I might have a T56 one day maybe.