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The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk |
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18-03-2021, 09:58 AM | #1 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Melb.
Posts: 4,483
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Thought I'd share a driving experience I'd forgotten how fun it used to be...
For the last 2 years my daily drive is a manual so I have this habit of reaching for the gear selector when wanting to down change and accelerate if driving our Terry instead. I loaned a friend one of our vans and he left his FG X6RT with me. So....driving to work, 2 lanes in my direction, bus up ahead slowing for bus stop and I have a nice gap available if I merge right...this time I do remember I'm in an auto but still reach down for the gear selector and flick it into manual, down change 2 gears and just add some throttle with the turbo right in it's sweet spot..no massive leap forward, no mismatched revs, just this great wave of power and torque as I slot in and try to avoid the car behind needing to brake...I love our Terry but my old G6ET was something else... |
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18-03-2021, 11:05 AM | #2 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Victoria
Posts: 7,854
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I recall when I drove a manual and hadn't for a long time.. forgetting to downshift at the end of a freeway & nearly stalling the car.
as much as I like driving a car, the thought of driving one as a daily to work in traffic would do my head in nowadays.
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______________________________ 2015 Territory Titanium RWD Diesel - SOLD 2016 BMW X5 xdrive 30D Msport Seadoo Challenger 210SE 310HP |
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18-03-2021, 11:22 AM | #3 | ||
BLUE OVAL INC.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,768
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Just driving old cars in general, no reminder to belt up, no airbags, no power steering, cable or linkage operated clutch, no A/C, no power windows, no cruise, no cup holders,just you and the car driving down the road, can of coke in one hand, winding the window down with the other whilst steering with knee's..cue the faux outrage
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18-03-2021, 11:31 AM | #4 | ||
T3/Sprint8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 16,652
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driving autos does my head in......
Boring no matter how quick so over rated due to the "ease" in traffic, laziness more like it. I get manuals were dogs back in the day - some clutchs were hard yaddayadda and less traffic. I drive my manual Sprint many times around metro traffic, the clutch is like butter to me and down shifting to power up is pretty much synced. Dr Smith, my auto BM goes very well when needing to give it the boot and shifts with ease BUT once back in the Sprint my experience is worth every shift back and forth mis timed or not its gold Double shuffling back down is music to my ears and so uncommon today. Always takes me back when manuals ruled the sales.
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Tickfords T3/TS50 '02 Sprint8 manual Sept 24 '16 Daily Macan GTS "Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln" |
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18-03-2021, 05:25 PM | #5 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Brisbane (Southside)
Posts: 1,181
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One that stands out for me was 15 odd years ago (when Jap Imports was a relatively new thing and R32/33 skylines weren't all that common yet), a mate of mine had an accident and got quite a large payout from it. One of the things he bought was a freshly imported R33 GTST Skyline... White with some White rims of some description. It had a 2.7 litre Stroker RB built with all the good gear, T88, etc etc. Thing had a HEAP of HP, bad manners and came on boost like turning on a light switch. He didn't like driving it so I would drive it when we would go out. The first time we took it out, he warned me "she's a handful when she comes on to boost, just so you know"... Yep, sure as s*(t was... Now I got used to the way it drove, and had some awesome fun in it (it was a highway race monster -in mexico of course) but that bloody first drive (and the first full boost pull in second gear) still stays with me. Ive driven faster cars since, but nothing that hit boost that bloody aggresively....
Good times, car ended up being sold with the new owner, unfortunately, writing it off almost immediately..
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2008 FG XR6 Turbo ZF In Sensation - Gone, but not Forgotten.... Hers: 2024 Ford Everest Platinum in Equinox Bronze His Daily: 2020 (MY21) Kia Sorento GT-Line in Mineral Blue His Weekender: 2017 Commodore SSV Redline manual in Light My Fire Orange |
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18-03-2021, 05:31 PM | #6 | ||
Barra Turbo > V8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 26,176
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From my old Focus XR5T. (now have an FG turbo)
Push button start. My old ST. Push button start. Keyless entry.
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-2011 XR6 Turbo Ute - Lux Pack - M6 -2022 Hyundai Tucson Highlander Diesel N Line |
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18-03-2021, 05:35 PM | #7 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Pt Lincoln far side South Oz
Posts: 5,933
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Mini cooper doing handbrake turns on a frozen lake in southern New Zealand best run was spun 16 times. so much fun.
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Dont p i s s off older people. At our age the term Life in Prison is not a deterrent |
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18-03-2021, 05:47 PM | #8 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Catland
Posts: 3,869
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Valiant Hemi with a column shift - Grampa's V8 killer
Column shift manuals in general, that regal way of driving them. Pull down and toward you for first, push up, let it fall back to it's midpoint, then up into second (power on!), such a gentle slide down into 3rd. Combine with bench seat and girlfriend right next to you We've really gone backward....
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I6 + AWD |
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19-03-2021, 09:05 AM | #9 | |||
T3/Sprint8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 16,652
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Quote:
Not 16 times like ice but never bothered to count for we were too much.
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Tickfords T3/TS50 '02 Sprint8 manual Sept 24 '16 Daily Macan GTS "Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln" |
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19-03-2021, 09:11 AM | #10 | |||
T3/Sprint8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 16,652
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Quote:
My first car wasa HG Kingswood 2 tonne 3 on the tree. You'd get something like 45mph in first thrashing out those 186 red motors and all then slam up into 2nd up top BUT those damn linkages at times would "lock up" You looked a real failure when having a run against someone from the lights The next forgotten experience with that car the amont of diffs I blew due to having 10" rims with good ol BF Goodrich tyres, ok maybe my burn outs used to be slightly excessive .
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Tickfords T3/TS50 '02 Sprint8 manual Sept 24 '16 Daily Macan GTS "Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln" |
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19-03-2021, 09:13 AM | #11 | |||
DIY Tragic
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Sydney, more than not. I hate it.
Posts: 22,901
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Quote:
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19-03-2021, 10:50 AM | #12 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,652
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Rag to wipe down inside windows on cold winter mornings.
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19-03-2021, 11:06 AM | #13 | ||
T3/Sprint8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 16,652
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Qrtr windows pushed all way out so as to aid in demisting as well....
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Tickfords T3/TS50 '02 Sprint8 manual Sept 24 '16 Daily Macan GTS "Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln" |
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19-03-2021, 11:45 AM | #14 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 604
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I miss key-bangers when passing cyclists or schoolkids at bus-stops.
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19-03-2021, 05:53 PM | #15 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 13,465
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When I was learning to drive I was doing split duties between manual and auto. Since then it has been 99.9% manual driving so when I drive an auto on the rare occasion I have the muscle memory to go hunting for the clutch and gear stick.
After a while I get used to not having to change gears and it is a nice change where almost everyone is driving an auto. Eventually I get back in my car and have forgot to change gear or use the clutch. This is usually the only time I stall though on rare occasion I have forgotten to put it in neutral. But once I'm orientated again it is so good to be back in a manual because autos tend to get boring though the ones I have driven don't have much go |
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19-03-2021, 06:21 PM | #16 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 387
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Being a mechanic in a dealership, and being off a farm as a kid, continually swapping between manual and auto doesn't faze me, even at over 70yo and long retired. But 4 years ago I rented a manual 6 speed Tucson LHD in Austria - now that is different - getting used to changing gears with your right hand, something your brain has never done. I really had to concentrate, and it took a couple of days to really get used to it.
But something now almost forgotten? Cruise Control, or the lack of it. When it started coming in it was quite rare, and I used to think what a waste of money, just laziness, just a gimmick, etc. Then sometimes I thought it might be handy, like when I was driving our Mitsi L300 across Australia, coming home was hard on the right leg, but you sort of didn't worry about it. Then I bought a 2 yo 1996 EF sedan with cruise, and I realised what a great thing it is. I did several cross Nullarbor trips in that one, and the next BA, and even my WRX manual has cruise. I love it. And for those that think it must be so boring on cruise control that you would fall asleep, I find the opposite. I just don't get as tired from the overall driving experience, and can do a fair bit of long distance without needing a week to recover, it really makes a difference.
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1967 XR 289 V8 Falcon (1st) - 1973 XLE 250 4spd Cortina (2nd) 1987 XF GL 4.1 Dual-Fuel Falcon (3rd) - 1996 EF 4.0 GLI Falcon (4th) 2003 BA 4.0 LPG Falcon Wagon (5th) 2016 SZ Territory TX 4.0 Petrol (6th & last?)(Sadly, written off) 2004 WRX (Retirement Toy) |
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19-03-2021, 06:55 PM | #18 | |||
RS The Faster Fords
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Westralia
Posts: 1,698
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Quote:
Its the thing I'm most looking forward too when I start driving the Mk1 again.
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Escort RS2000 Restored factory a/c and alloys. TD Cortina Unrestored 35 000km 6cyl manual. Mk1 GT Cortina Project. FG XR50 Daily. |
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19-03-2021, 07:08 PM | #19 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Perth
Posts: 7,291
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Being able to drive fast, real fast, and at worst only get a speeding ticket.
Now you go to Court, lose your license and your car gets impounded. Oh, and always losing your seat belt buckle down the seat until they invented buckles on stalks.
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jaydee351 4DV8 |
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19-03-2021, 07:31 PM | #20 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 13,465
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Haha I'm pretty sure my mates Laser had a choke maybe a KA/KB Laser? Anyways it was also decked out with neons and subs when Fast and the Furious came out
Now that I think of it, driving a car without power steering and when speed cameras didn't exist |
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19-03-2021, 09:19 PM | #21 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,652
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Points And match stricker or if you're lucky enough to have a
"Lady" on board a nail file to the rescue. |
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19-03-2021, 09:24 PM | #22 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,652
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19-03-2021, 09:47 PM | #23 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,878
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Quote:
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19-03-2021, 09:53 PM | #24 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,878
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Yeah the Laser would have a manual choke,like Falcons pre XE,HZ Holdens,VB Commodores
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19-03-2021, 10:10 PM | #25 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Perth
Posts: 7,291
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It was loaded with 500kg of brickies sand.
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jaydee351 4DV8 |
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19-03-2021, 10:11 PM | #26 | ||
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,892
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20-03-2021, 12:36 AM | #27 | ||
T3/Sprint8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 16,652
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Thankyou spot on ! Damn typo
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Tickfords T3/TS50 '02 Sprint8 manual Sept 24 '16 Daily Macan GTS "Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln" |
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20-03-2021, 05:29 AM | #28 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 895
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Back in the day we used to have a bunch of Escort panel vans for work and even now I've been known to use the wipers as indicators.
Gear stick air swings are common for me even going between two autos, Commodore & Falcon. Wanting to hold the door handle up when locking the Commodore happens sometimes. Three on the tree Holden gear shift lock ups sure brings back memories as does the lift up ram air vent on the early ones. Vacuum wipers, Oh what a joy they were. |
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20-03-2021, 07:21 AM | #29 | ||
Cabover nut
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Onsite Eastcoast
Posts: 11,498
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Been driving the panel van around with the rear quarter windows open this last week. makes a difference in the humidity. no AC.
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heritagestonemason.com/Fordlouisvillerestoration In order that the labour of centuries past may not be in vain during the centuries to come...... D. Diderot 1752
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20-03-2021, 01:51 PM | #30 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Goulburn NSW
Posts: 514
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Hi guys,
When i was a young guy 19 years old i worked for a Company in Paddington in Sydney and part of my duties were to pick the Garbage up from the tenants in building such as the transmission Service center , Brake Centre Etc. They had a valiant ute manual gearbox and the thing went like a rocket, but the door handle was broken on the drivers side and you could only open it from the outside. One day i was doing burn outs in the ute on the top story of the building when i saw my boss and forgot the drivers side door wouldn't open from the inside. He didn't sack me for doing the burn outs instead he docked my pay until i payed for two rear tyres. |
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