New Member From Michigan

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ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

New Member From Michigan

Post by ClutchFork »

My current manual transmissioned vehicle:
Image
And its custom shift knob:
Image
I really like the baseball shift knob. It has a nice feel in my hand and is just the right size.

I have been driving stick since 1977. Here are all my vehicles from present all the way back to the first one:

2001 Ford Ranger 2.3L 5-speed stick
1995 Ford F150 4.9L 5-speed stick
1984 Ford F150 4.9L 4-speed stick
1977 Ford F100 4.9L 3-on-the-tree
1963 Chevy Biscayne six cylinder 3-on-the-tree with non-syncro first gear
1977 Suzuki GT500 (manual transmission of course)
1971 Ford Custom 4-door automatic
1964 Dodge Dart pushbutton automatic

My first experience with a stick shift was as a gasoline station pump jockey in the mid 1970s. I would drive the tow truck, first pulling out in creeper gear by starting it in gear. That gave me the manual transmission bug. The two automatics and the first manual (the Chevy) were hand-me-downs. Nice that one grandpa drove a manual transmission anyway. I used to like to downshift into first on the Chevy non-syncro first gear on gravel roads by slamming on the brakes to lock up the rear wheels, then shift into first.

My username represents my preference for inline engines versus bent ("v") configurations, though I would not hesitate to get a 5.0 V8 Fox Mustang so long as it has a manual transmission. I have two siblings. My sister has had many manual transmission cars and presently drives stick. My brother has five manual transmission vehicles (from daily drivers to hot rods running spool in the rear end). My son has a manual transmission as his first vehicle and it was in teaching him that I realized the correct way to learn to work a clutch (as is stated in this site's FAQs) which is to learn to launch without using the accelerator pedal at all.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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theholycow
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 16021
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:36 pm
Cars: '80 Buick LeSabre 4.1 5MT
Location: Glocester, RI
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Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by theholycow »

Welcome! Nice list of vehicles. Good stuff.
InlinePaul wrote:I used to like to downshift into first on the Chevy non-syncro first gear on gravel roads by slamming on the brakes to lock up the rear wheels, then shift into first.
:lol: I think that might answer a question in a thread that was just posted a week or two ago.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19051
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT

Put your car in your sig!

Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
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RomPirate
Senior Standardshifter
Posts: 118
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 4:34 am

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by RomPirate »

I would drive the tow truck, first pulling out in creeper gear by starting it in gear.
Whats the typical gearing for the crawler? Starting in the crawler gear sounds like fun.
97 Prelude 5spd swap FTW! (Sold! :( )
07 Mazda MX-5 Sport (DEAD)
07 VW Rabbit
04 Mazdaspeed Miata (Sold!)
05 RX8 (Sold!)
95 Wrangler
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ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by ClutchFork »

theholycow wrote:Welcome! Nice list of vehicles. Good stuff.
InlinePaul wrote:I used to like to downshift into first on the Chevy non-syncro first gear on gravel roads by slamming on the brakes to lock up the rear wheels, then shift into first.
:lol: I think that might answer a question in a thread that was just posted a week or two ago.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19051
Thanks.

Haha, that thread is funny. I must admit I always wondered what would happen to an automatic transmission if thrown into reverse while moving forward at high speed.
RomPirate wrote: Whats the typical gearing for the crawler? Starting in the crawler gear sounds like fun.
I don't know what the gearing was, but recall my '77 F100 having to start in gear once when the clutch linkage broke, then drove it home shifting without the clutch. It started and rolled out fine, and that was not geared very low in first.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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bk7794
Master Standardshifter
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Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:16 am
Cars: 00 Civic (Stock)
Location: Central CT

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by bk7794 »

I like the last body style of the Ranger. Nice!
2004 Honda Accord 2.4 5 Speed
1989 Ford Taurus SHO 5 speed
tankinbeans
Master Standardshifter
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Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:04 pm
Cars: 17 Mazda6 To, 18 Mazda3 i
Location: Shakopee, MN

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by tankinbeans »

Nothing to add, so welcome to the forum.

I can't believe they still have those idiotic key release buttons. I think my Aerostar, Betty, had one of those. The key by that point was pretty much a screwdriver and could be removed at any time. Used it to start, and lock the car during the winter to warm it up.

A friend has a 97 Ranger with the same guts. I imagine the hamsters in your truck are less wheezey than his though.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
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Rope-Pusher
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Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Meeshigun? ewe frum the mittten or frum the rabbit?
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
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ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
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Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by ClutchFork »

I still have a '92 Aerostar sitting in my driveway. Not listed because it was not my personal vehicle.

The 2001 Ranger, about midyear, got the Duratec 2.3L DOHC (chain driven) 4-banger. It winds out nicely to 5500 rpm. Hit the rev limiter around 6000+ once. Don't go past 5500 now as it is less efficient to go higher.

Tranny in my Ranger should be same as the '97, a Mazda M5OD-R1.

Updated profile to display my location in the mitten.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
dakota1820
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:07 pm
Cars: 04 civic 98 sl2
Location: missouri

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by dakota1820 »

Glad to see you come aboard!! :)
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ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by ClutchFork »

dakota1820 wrote:Glad to see you come aboard!! :)
Thanks Dakota1820. We are going to have a lot of fun here. I can hardly stand it, all these forums and so little time to browse and post. I just made a couple posts but alas my lunch break is over and I have to get back to work. See ya later.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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Squint
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 3390
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:44 pm
Location: KY

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by Squint »

Welcome!

Nice selection of manuals over the years. And don't worry, we all understand having a life outside of SS... :lol: :lol: jk we're here 24/7.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi

For Pony!
tankinbeans
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 4029
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:04 pm
Cars: 17 Mazda6 To, 18 Mazda3 i
Location: Shakopee, MN

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by tankinbeans »

Squint wrote:Welcome!

Nice selection of manuals over the years. And don't worry, we all understand having a life outside of SS... :lol: :lol: jk we're here 24/7.
But are you here 8 days a week posting moderately decipherable, entertaining...uh...stuff like Rope?
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
Image
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Squint
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Location: KY

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by Squint »

tankinbeans wrote:
Squint wrote:Welcome!

Nice selection of manuals over the years. And don't worry, we all understand having a life outside of SS... :lol: :lol: jk we're here 24/7.
But are you here 8 days a week posting moderately decipherable, entertaining...uh...stuff like Rope?
No, only Rope can do that. It's part of who he is... having that extra day a week and all that.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi

For Pony!
tankinbeans
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 4029
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:04 pm
Cars: 17 Mazda6 To, 18 Mazda3 i
Location: Shakopee, MN

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by tankinbeans »

Squint wrote:
tankinbeans wrote:
Squint wrote:Welcome!

Nice selection of manuals over the years. And don't worry, we all understand having a life outside of SS... :lol: :lol: jk we're here 24/7.
But are you here 8 days a week posting moderately decipherable, entertaining...uh...stuff like Rope?
No, only Rope can do that. It's part of who he is... having that extra day a week and all that.
Truth. The fabric in time and space is only so malleable.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
Image
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ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: New Member From Michigan

Post by ClutchFork »

RITmusic2k wrote:Welcome, Paul! I'm a recent fan of inline engines as well; hope you enjoy your stay here!
Thanks. I love inline engines. The six is the most beautiful being perfectly balanced, but I'll go for a 5, 4, 3 cylinder if it is the right situation. Anything over 6 though I have to go V unless I want a classic car.

I am also a fan of pushrods, but frankly the DOHC in my Ranger is pretty nice, very high tech and a lot of fun to drive.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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