[Byfield]

I've been checking out the ads over the past few months in order to mentally put together my wish list for the next car (64 roller, ZZ4, Richmond 5 speed, etc.), and I've noticed a trend:

It seems that there are very few (original) manual cars out there. For simplicity, I'd like to get a car already set up for a stick, but I see so few of them out there (of any year). I also notice that when people on this site talk about their cars, most of us have automatics.

Were there really low numbers of manual Chevelles? or am I just getting a misperception from the ads I see?

Kurt

 

[COPO]

The ads are throwing you on a curve.

Mark

 

[Keith Tedford]

From the old days I remember quite a few guys who were pretty unco-ordinated between clutch foot and shifter hand. Many transmissions and engines met an early death for this reason alone.

 

[Rainer]

Kurt -

For whatever reason, there seem to me to be fewer four speed cars in Wisconsin. Since I've moved out to Washington after spending 30+ years in cheesehead country (ya der hey), I've noticed alot more manual trans cars. I've also noticed more old cars here in general, but 4 speeds always seemed so rare back home. Just my .02.

Rainer

PS - How 'bout them Packers hey?

 

[Byfield]

Packers? Never heard of them....

All that matters here in Madison is the Badgers (7-0), who could trounce the Packers these days. (yeah, I know the 7-0 is a fluke, but it's our fluke to brag about)

Having so few old cars around here really adds to the fun of having one. The girlfriend and I can go out for a movie & burger on a perfect summer night, and I'm lucky if I see 5 classics.

It also adds to the ignorance of the local go-boys with their imports and mustangs. I've had 5.0's pull up at stoplights and idle down instead of challange me. Good thing as I'd look pretty foolish trying to take them with the L6/250 combo.

What they don't know, right?

Kurt

 

[283v8]

In reality, two factors have caused the demise of the stick shift;
1 - bracket racing with computerized automatics is more consistent (if not sissified)
2 - the hole in the ozone layer has allowed radiation to destroy most male macho hormones, thus only a few real men still exist, and these obviously drive stick shifts.
Disclaimer; no offense meant to those differently abled and/or handicapped who must drive an auto for medical reasons, however offense IS meant to the rest of the boys.
My grandma drove an automatic.

 

[TW]

That's funny, my grandma drove a 4 speed.
T

 

[cub]

Out here in good old Penna. most of our four speed cars met an early demise due to windy roads, ice , or just plain not knowing when to let off the gas...I know, I sent two chevelles to the yard that way about ten years ago.( both on ice)... being both a cop and a wrecker driver I seen my share of wrecked cars driven by young hot rodders who thought they could handle their rides...the cub

 

[cub]

Out here in good old Penna. most of our four speed cars met an early demise due to windy roads, ice , or just plain not knowing when to let off the gas...I know, I sent two chevelles to the yard that way about ten years ago.( both on ice)... being both a cop and a wrecker driver I seen my share of wrecked cars driven by young hot rodders who thought they could handle their rides...the cub

 

[Keith Tedford]

When we were in Ireland my wife and I noticed that everything was stick shift, even Jags and BMWs. Dale asked a 79 year old relative if anybody drove cars with automatics? She replied that only the invalids used automatics. The funny part was, she was serious. Sure must be a lot of invalids here if that's the case.

 

[ACES-70]

Good 4 speed chevelle shells are getting almost impossible to find for restoration projects, alot of em have been bought and completed and then sold or stored, and I believe its gunna get tuffer and tuffer to find them, its the same way down here in Florida lotsa automatic cars but the last 2 cars I did I had to go outta state to find the shells , POPS

 

[Gene McGill]

Offense taken...but then I guess a real man would have to have manual steering, manual drum brakes, manual choke, no a/c, car to have a "real car"..you know..like they built in the 30's. Oh well...at least I don't have a 283.

 

[Cameano]

Wow, I really do have a place in life. Gene, you just described my 71 C/10, rusty, black primer(where there's no holes), manual steering (with a smaller than stock steering wheel and 275/60-15's on 4 corners), manual brakes (discs in front, factory stock), 4-speed, (and a Lock-Right in the rear, which is really fun on corners...), 2-55 a/c, etc..., only, I don't need a choke, here in Hawaii. The only thing better than this truck is the fact that when I bring it out to the cruises every month, people walk up, check it out, and tell me how cool it is. I feel that deep down inside, all manly men want a truck with style, power, and no need to wash but once every couple of years, except right before you slap more bondo and primer on it, hehe. Darren

 

[rich]

I feel great now after reading all of the previous posts. I must be filled with testosterone because I own a 69 and a 70 Chevelle both with factory 4 speeds. Seriously, I just got lucky and was patient, especially with the 70 (SS 396). The only 4 speed 70 in this town.

 

[283v8]

Gene, it's all in fun, but you really don't have all that other stuff on your car -----do ya? How about 60000 watts of booming bass power ??

[This message has been edited by 283v8 (edited 10-20-98).]

 

[Gene McGill]

I know it's all in fun. I do have an automatic choke and power steering...need a compressor for A/C.

Ome thing I would point out to Byfield is to look closely at the automatic cars that are out there; it might be possible that you are looking at a car that use to be a manual tranny car. I've seen plenty of cars that started out 3 on the tree 6 bangers end up as 350/350's.

 

[Byfield]

Gene,

I had considered this, but I'm looking for an original 4 speed body when I decide to do this.

Why? Just to make it easier. I figure that if it's already got the cluth pedels, correct steering column, etc, then that a few less things I need to track down.

Anyways, it was just an observation I had, and was wondering if it was correct or not. I didn't expcet to generate this much traffic.

On a related note, I just got back from my lunch time walk and I was a perfect dark green 71/72 (not sure yet) convertable a few blocks from my office. Might have to investigate that one for my project car.

 

[Mike Mc Ardle]

I've got a 69 Chevelle SS396 with a Richmond five speed. Now that I've got all the bugs out of the linkage, it shifts as well as my old Muncie M22 rockcrusher. It use to be in the "old days" (late 60s and early 70s) that if you ran another car that had an automatic, and you had a four speed, the 4 speed car usually won! From the performance of the 4&5 speed manual trannys today, the 4&5 speeds are getting more popular. I like that!!

 

[Joshua]

Regarding this 4 speed vs. automatic thing, I live in Los Angeles where there is alot of traffic. The first car I looked at b4 buying my maibu was a 69 super bee. It was a cool car w/ new paint, cragars, and a nice engine. The problem was I wanted to drive it all the time and it had front drums, no power steering, and a 4 speed. What a night mare! A few weeks later I saw an ad in the paper: 67 malibu w/454, front discs, and th 350. It just makes more sense. Also, the other night I saw a 70 SS Malibu on Sunset, cruising in traffic, and his car was lurching down the street cause he had a 4 speed. Looked like his car was sick.

 

[Mike Mc Ardle]

Joshua, that SS wasn't sick. That was the CAM that was moving him down the street! You can run a little larger cam in a manual transmission than you can in an automatic. Hey! Some people like to shift for themselves and some like to just "floor it and steer it"! Which ever anyone likes to do, have fun and be safe!