Manual transmissions in the US

[MikeTn]

I've never been without a truck of some sort, both auto and standard tranny's.  Wife's Lexus SUV is auto and so is my current truck, but I have a '68 Spitfire MKIII for shifting love.

[TitanDuckFan]

49 minutes ago, MikeTn said:

I've never been without a truck of some sort, both auto and standard tranny's.  Wife's Lexus SUV is auto and so is my current truck, but I have a '68 Spitfire MKIII for shifting love.

Those little Spits are a total gas to drive.  Back in the day, I bought the ol' lady a GT6 cuz she thought she wanted a sports car.  That didn't end well.  After the 2nd clutch job it got sold in favor of a Maxima with an automatic.

But when it came to taking recreational drives on twisty mountain roads, that Triumph was "it."

I can still hear those Dunlops howling through the hairpins.

[MikeTn]

9 minutes ago, TitanDuckFan said:

Those little Spits are a total gas to drive.  Back in the day, I bought the ol' lady a GT6 cuz she thought she wanted a sports car.  That didn't end well.  After the 2nd clutch job it got sold in favor of a Maxima with an automatic.

But when it came to taking recreational drives on twisty mountain roads, that Triumph was "it."

I can still hear those Dunlops howling through the hairpins.

I agree.  This my second Spit.  The first one I restored was a '70 MKIV but had to sell it when the first child came along (it was an every day driver). I just sold my '71 TR6 this summer after a complete restoration - this guy made me an offer I couldn't refuse, but I miss that beast.  Restoring British sportscars is a hobby, I've done several, including a Mini (not BMW shit), MGB, and a GT6.  These were throwaway cars when they were originally built, but are fairly easy to restore if you are handy and patient.

I am currently looking for a "wedge" (TR8) to play with.  In 1980, they were the fastest production car on the market.

BTW: Aftermarket parts are much better than original equipment in most cases.

[SleepingTitan]

You definitely don't get the same feel or control with automatics, but my hour commute sucks in my Wrangler. 

 

[TitanDuckFan]

31 minutes ago, MikeTn said:

I agree.  This my second Spit.  The first one I restored was a '70 MKIV but had to sell it when the first child came along (it was an every day driver). I just sold my '71 TR6 this summer after a complete restoration - this guy made me an offer I couldn't refuse, but I miss that beast.  Restoring British sportscars is a hobby, I've done several, including a Mini (not BMW shit), MGB, and a GT6.  These were throwaway cars when they were originally built, but are fairly easy to restore if you are handy and patient.

I am currently looking for a "wedge" (TR8) to play with.  In 1980, they were the fastest production car on the market.

BTW: Aftermarket parts are much better than original equipment in most cases.

When it comes to the electrics, the aftermarket is crucial!  (insert Lucas joke here)  Finding a parts guy that knows those cars is absolutely critical.  I had a friend with a TR250 (forerunner too the TR6) that introduced me to the best parts guy where I lived, and that guy was my savior on more than one occasion.

The only odd thing I remember about the Wedge is the is the air bleed for the cooling system.  The radiator cap isn't the highest point in the system, so you have to bleed it after a coolant change or the heads get ruined.  They were really innovative cars in their day, but quirky as hell.

But a V8 in a small light car?  What's not to like?!?

[TitanDuckFan]

1 hour ago, Legaltitan said:

Hey big spender . . .

Friends of CTF UNITE!

[Legaltitan]

3 minutes ago, TitanDuckFan said:

Friends of CTF UNITE!

That was the first thing I thought of.

But I didn't want to say it because it would have been unfair because the guy was kind of laughing at himself and not being a prick about it, but yeah that is exactly something CTF would have said except non ironically.

[MikeTn]

2 minutes ago, TitanDuckFan said:

When it comes to the electrics, the aftermarket is crucial!  (insert Lucas joke here)  Finding a parts guy that knows those cars is absolutely critical.  I had a friend with a TR250 (forerunner too the TR6) that introduced me to the best parts guy where I lived, and that guy was my savior on more than one occasion.

The only odd thing I remember about the Wedge is the is the air bleed for the cooling system.  The radiator cap isn't the highest point in the system, so you have to bleed it after a coolant change or the heads get ruined.  They were really innovative cars in their day, but quirky as hell.

You mean..."Dim, Flicker, and Out"...yeah I know.  British Leyland was saddled with Lucas.  I replaced all the aluminum terminal ends on the wiring harnesses with brass and solved a multitude of problems.  Having to Jack the front of the car up to add coolant is a twist.

[TitanDuckFan]

27 minutes ago, Legaltitan said:

That was the first thing I thought of.

But I didn't want to say it because it would have been unfair because the guy was kind of laughing at himself and not being a prick about it, but yeah that is exactly something CTF would have said except non ironically.

True.

kgs lacks the douche fluid that always dripped off of CTF's posts.

[TitanDuckFan]

11 minutes ago, MikeTn said:

You mean..."Dim, Flicker, and Out"...yeah I know.  British Leyland was saddled with Lucas.  I replaced all the aluminum terminal ends on the wiring harnesses with brass and solved a multitude of problems.  Having to Jack the front of the car up to add coolant is a twist.

I got tired of all the "warm beer," and "prince of darkness" jokes when we had the GT, but people that dwell on that miss the mark.  They may not have been all that reliable, but they were more fun than any factory car on the market, when it came to twisty roads.

I had an early '60s Austin Healy MkIII for short while too, but it had a small block Ford, and U.S. electrics in it.  I bought it in not-running condition, and my older brother helped me fix it.  I loved it, but about a week after I bought it, my dad drove it.  The next day it was parked next to his shop, chained to a light post, with a For Sale sign on the windshield.  I was only 17, and he said had no business with a car like that. 

In hindsight, dad was probably right.  It was, as they say: "Stupid fast." 

 

[oldschool]

I learned to drive in a 73' F150 with a "3-on-the-tree" and then drove a Toyota truck with "4-on-the-floor" as a teenager. When I hit 21 I bought an Acura RSX type-S with a 6 speed manual. Loved driving that car. Now that I'm in my late 30's I couldn't imagine driving a manual though. There is simply too much going on with two little kids, the stop and go ride to work, being connected 24/7, and so on. Time to move on.

[TitanDuckFan]

12 minutes ago, oldschool said:

I learned to drive in a 73' F150 with a "3-on-the-tree" and then drove a Toyota truck with "4-on-the-floor" as a teenager. When I hit 21 I bought an Acura RSX type-S with a 6 speed manual. Loved driving that car. Now that I'm in my late 30's I couldn't imagine driving a manual though. There is simply too much going on with two little kids, the stop and go ride to work, being connected 24/7, and so on. Time to move on.

Someday those kids will be gone, and the ghost of that RSX will haunt the garage of your empty nest.

 

[Rogue]

33 minutes ago, SleepingTitan said:

You definitely don't get the same feel or control with automatics, but my hour commute sucks in my Wrangler. 

 

What Wrangler you got?  What's the good and bad?  Regret it?  

[Rogue]

6 minutes ago, oldschool said:

I learned to drive in a 73' F150 with a "3-on-the-tree" and then drove a Toyota truck with "4-on-the-floor" as a teenager. When I hit 21 I bought an Acura RSX type-S with a 6 speed manual. Loved driving that car. Now that I'm in my late 30's I couldn't imagine driving a manual though. There is simply too much going on with two little kids, the stop and go ride to work, being connected 24/7, and so on. Time to move on.

Pussy  

[Rogue]

2 minutes ago, TitanDuckFan said:

Someday those kids will be gone, and the ghost of that RSX will haunt the garage of your empty nest.

 

That empty nest gets the mind to wondering about things we probably shouldn't.  

At the same time...my job is done.