One of my daughters has an FJ40 just like yours.
How many pedals does your car or truck have?
- Thread starter Beemerguy53
- Start date
One of my daughters has an FJ40 just like yours.
Had sticks for a couple decades. There's a magic in coordinating the machine and man to execute the perfect up- and downshifts.
The last 3 vehicles all had the excellent ZF 8-speed auto that's now ubiquitous in the automotive world, and I don't miss a manual anymore.
The last 3 vehicles all had the excellent ZF 8-speed auto that's now ubiquitous in the automotive world, and I don't miss a manual anymore.
4.......like a milk cow.
THE PILGRIM
Member
Way back in my Puppy Dog days I drove a Lumber Company truck.
It was a 2 Ton GMC with a hydraulic bed.
And it had an Auto Transmission.
My Boss was buddies with the local GMC - Buick dealer.
He couldn't sell this oddball truck so he laid on his Pal.
Buddy system at work.
It had a stick coming up where the regular shifter would be.
That was A high-low shifter.
Instead of a two speed axle that a lot of the trucks had, GMC opted for a two speed gearbox located just behind the Hydamatic.
As Teenage Trucker with an Auto Tranny, I got a lot of flack.
Like do you have a note from your Mother?
It was a 2 Ton GMC with a hydraulic bed.
And it had an Auto Transmission.
My Boss was buddies with the local GMC - Buick dealer.
He couldn't sell this oddball truck so he laid on his Pal.
Buddy system at work.
It had a stick coming up where the regular shifter would be.
That was A high-low shifter.
Instead of a two speed axle that a lot of the trucks had, GMC opted for a two speed gearbox located just behind the Hydamatic.
As Teenage Trucker with an Auto Tranny, I got a lot of flack.
Like do you have a note from your Mother?
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UncleEd
Member
Drove a stick shift for a number
of years and an awful lot of the
miles involved urban traffic.
Wasn't storry when I got another
automatic transmission.
of years and an awful lot of the
miles involved urban traffic.
Wasn't storry when I got another
automatic transmission.
mmb617
Member
Given the choice I'd choose a manual every time. I might feel different if I was driving for a living.
I've preferred manual transmissions for most of my life. I've road raced, drag raced, and driven medium duty trucks with splitters. Always went with a manual when I had the choice.
Modern autos are a whole different animal than they were even 15 years ago. The 6 speed auto in our diesel dually is far better to drive than the 6 speed manual in our previous diesel dually. The 10 speed auto in our Camaro ZL1 is unbelievably good... on the street and on the racetrack.
We still have two manuals in the fleet, both Miatas... one a dedicated track car. The manual transmission still has a place in my heart for that weekend morning spirited drive... the connection with the machine, and the satisfaction of that perfect interaction.
That said, modern autos are simply better at getting the job done... something that used to be quite the opposite.
Modern autos are a whole different animal than they were even 15 years ago. The 6 speed auto in our diesel dually is far better to drive than the 6 speed manual in our previous diesel dually. The 10 speed auto in our Camaro ZL1 is unbelievably good... on the street and on the racetrack.
We still have two manuals in the fleet, both Miatas... one a dedicated track car. The manual transmission still has a place in my heart for that weekend morning spirited drive... the connection with the machine, and the satisfaction of that perfect interaction.
That said, modern autos are simply better at getting the job done... something that used to be quite the opposite.
Currently, 1 auto, 2- 3 pedal. In my 60 years of driving I have owned a 3 pedal most of the time. I like to drive.
The 4 speed big H went away at the same time I had the first hip replacement.
But I do miss driving a 4 speed on the floor.
But I do miss driving a 4 speed on the floor.
deadin
US Veteran
Now the question is "How many of you with 2 pedal cars use both feet to drive?" I was selling a Saturn SC2 with an auto tranny and the guy that finally bought it used both feet on the test drive, One on the gas and the other on the brake. Unfortunately his foot coordination was somewhat lacking. I thought he was going to tear out either the brakes or the tranny. No knowing which would go first.
I kind of felt sorry for the car.......
I kind of felt sorry for the car.......
I learned to drive on a manual, and generally prefer them. I havent bought too many new vehicles in my life, but every one has had a manual box. I have owned plenty of automatics, and I sure don't mind them in stop and go traffic. I taught my son and two of my three stepdaughters how to drive manuals.
The school buses I drive all have autos and are pretty easy to drive. The Thomas buses, in particular, drive like a big SUV. I did have one gig where the fleet, mostly '90s era Blue Birds, all had autos, except for a pair of really ugly old Internationals with crash boxes, no synchros. Nobody else could drive them. I never should have let on that I could, because they were the crappiest buses in the fleet. They had weather-checked Indonesian(!) tires that were always going flat on the road.
The school buses I drive all have autos and are pretty easy to drive. The Thomas buses, in particular, drive like a big SUV. I did have one gig where the fleet, mostly '90s era Blue Birds, all had autos, except for a pair of really ugly old Internationals with crash boxes, no synchros. Nobody else could drive them. I never should have let on that I could, because they were the crappiest buses in the fleet. They had weather-checked Indonesian(!) tires that were always going flat on the road.
Doug M.
Member
The lack of a manual in the Ascent we bought in December was unfortunate, but at least I could find one without the moonroof (hate 'em, that's not negotiable). My wife's Forester was her first with an auto - both are CVTs. My Legacy had a 6 speed, and was not easy to find - but it got way better mileage than expected on the highway. (I did not need to use the clutch with it unless I was in a hurry, either.) These are out first cars with autos - I even taught my wife to drive on a manual.
When I was trucking, I ran into everything from 5-15 speeds (this was before 18s were common). If we do the Super C project, it will likely have an automated manual.
When I was trucking, I ran into everything from 5-15 speeds (this was before 18s were common). If we do the Super C project, it will likely have an automated manual.
ContinentalOp
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I guess I'm in the minority here. I never learned to drive a manual. There've been a few people who offered to teach me several years ago, but they never followed through on that offer. Would be a nice skill to have, but it's way down on my list of priorities.
Old Arkansawyer
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Ford F150 auto, Ford Taurus auto, old dump truck, 8 speed if not loaded
I take off in 3rd. Hauled hot liquid asphalt back in the 70's and it had 2
sticks with 16 speeds coupled with an 8V71 Detroit 2 stroker. As jbtrucker
said it was a bear in heavy traffic or going up a steep hill. The nice part
was you could shift without the clutch through 4 gears but I had to use
the clutch when both sticks had to be shifted, double clutching and using
the gas pedal to keep the engine coordinated with the tranny.
I still have a MCI bus conversion with a 5 speed and the Detroit 8V71,
I love those old oil dripping Detroits. They are high winders with not
much low end torque. Example, the only thing I passed going up a
mountain in Utah was a truck hauling a D9 Cat.
I take off in 3rd. Hauled hot liquid asphalt back in the 70's and it had 2
sticks with 16 speeds coupled with an 8V71 Detroit 2 stroker. As jbtrucker
said it was a bear in heavy traffic or going up a steep hill. The nice part
was you could shift without the clutch through 4 gears but I had to use
the clutch when both sticks had to be shifted, double clutching and using
the gas pedal to keep the engine coordinated with the tranny.
I still have a MCI bus conversion with a 5 speed and the Detroit 8V71,
I love those old oil dripping Detroits. They are high winders with not
much low end torque. Example, the only thing I passed going up a
mountain in Utah was a truck hauling a D9 Cat.
When I went to driver's Ed in HS, the guys drove the stick shift, the
girls got the auto's.
The instructor had two pedal's, clutch & break.
My turn to drive and can't figure out why I step on the gas and the car won't move! Instructor had the clutch in and was talking.....
girls got the auto's.
The instructor had two pedal's, clutch & break.
My turn to drive and can't figure out why I step on the gas and the car won't move! Instructor had the clutch in and was talking.....
When I went through Drivers ED I already knew how to drive.
We had 66 or 67 Dodge Darts, one auto and one was three on the tree!
The instructor would get a little perturbed when I would chirp the tires on the 3sp. I would just go OOPs sorry
He wasn't too humored.
The best thing manual I ever learned to drive was a 1955 Diamond T fire truck!
A 5sp. you would have to double clutch up and double clutch down, you miss a shift you broke your wrist!
Greatest thing I ever learned to drive and pump!
We had 66 or 67 Dodge Darts, one auto and one was three on the tree!
The instructor would get a little perturbed when I would chirp the tires on the 3sp. I would just go OOPs sorry
He wasn't too humored. The best thing manual I ever learned to drive was a 1955 Diamond T fire truck!
A 5sp. you would have to double clutch up and double clutch down, you miss a shift you broke your wrist!
Greatest thing I ever learned to drive and pump!
I drive a 2002 ¾-ton Dodge diesel pickup with a 6-speed manual transmission. The thing will pull my house off its foundation. Ms. Judy won't drive it because she says she "can't drive a manual transmission."
It works out okay. I don't drive her car because I never learned how to drive an automatic.
It works out okay. I don't drive her car because I never learned how to drive an automatic.
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We had 66 or 67 Dodge Darts, one auto and one was three on the tree!
We had a '66 Bronco that had a three on the tree... my wife is probably one of the few women in the country under the age of 50 that can drive one!
The bushings kept falling apart on ours, and I couldn't find new ones, so I eventually installed a floor shifter... it did make life a LOT easier. No more coasting to the side of the road and popping the hood to put the linkage back together...
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