Have always preferred a stick as well;
1976 Jag XJS (only 200 made with a 4-speed stick)
1975 Jensen-Healey
1966 Austin-Healey 3000 mkIII
1958 Austin-Healey 100-6
1970 MGB-GT
1958 A-H Bugeye Sprite
1962, 64 and 78 MG Midget
1958 Vette
1966 Triumph TR-4A
1973 Datsun 240Z
1958 MGA
and a few I've forgotten....

Hate automatics.
Steve

I used to drive a stick when they were still available on Toyotas and Datsuns/Nissans. Had a V-6 Camry with a 5-speed stick. Loved that car, but it became a major rust bucket, and I drove it onto the flatbed when it finally had to go.
The only time I regretted that stick was once during a 15 mile backup on the Garden State Parkway.
My wife bought a brand new Datsun B-210 back in the day. She had no idea how to drive a stick, but learned on the fly driving it home from the dealership. Later, she had a 5 speed Corolla and a Plymouth Colt with a stick. I bet either one if us could still drive a standard, even though it's been a long time.
It's like riding a bike; once you've learned how, you never forget.

PS- A misadventure I had once with my Nissan 200SX. The clutch slave cylinder decided to leak all the hydraulic fluid....driving home from lower Manhattan during a Friday evening rush hour! What an ordeal!
I managed to get the car about 2/3 of the way home, stopping at a friend's house in Westchester and leaving it there for the night. It's a good thing that this car would start in gear. I'm not sure if it was supposed to, or if it was a lucky defect on my particular car.

I had a summer job working for the Public Works Department in the town that I grew up in.
Working with another guy one day when we finished at one site and had to go to another.
He tells me it's my turn to drive. I tell him that the City pickup truck we're using is a stick and I can't drive it.
He looks at me and says "Perfect time to learn, it's not your clutch to burn up, it's a City truck."
So I learned.

I factory ordered my 2003 Mustang Mach 1, and I can't imagine that being an automatic, because that's half the fun.

Nice rides, OP.

This is my type of club. Every vehicle I've owned has had a manual transmission.

Previously owned:
96 Integra GSR 5 sp, boosted to over 300whp
07 Tacoma crew cab 4 cyl, 5sp
05 Mazdaspeed MX-5, 6sp

Currently own:
18 WRX limited, 6sp
06 Tacoma crew cab 6cyl, 6sp

Best thing about a stick is the kids can't borrow your car.

1983 Porsche 944
1974 Porsche 914

Learned stick at 15/16 driving and old 88 Toyota pickup truck. Drove it for about 4 years then switched to auto. Recently the wife wanted to learn how to drive manual as she wants a new mustang and doesn’t want an auto this time. I picked up a 22 Civic Si back in October. Wife and myself are loving it so far. Forgot how fun stick is. Not a fancy glamorous or particularly fast car, but fun on some backroads.

Will look into newer/new mustangs in the next couple of years if not sooner. Then maybe a Civic Type R or Integra Type S.

I've always said "It's the cheapest security system out there." Your kids and most thieves aren't gonna mess with them.

I've had and raced dozens of manual Porsches over the years, every model from 1973 to 2003. Heel & Toe under hard breaking was my specialty, smooth as butta.

My last remaining street Porsche is a 2007 Cayman and it will likely be my last stick. I've gotten hooked on Porsche Sport trannies with paddle shifters - (almost) all the fun and no overrevs. Those are expensive.

The first time I drove stick is like 10 in the driveway if
my Dad happened to leave the keys in the work pickup
truck, but outright was 14 at my first job (on it's property).
They had an old Box Dump Truck.
My stick vehicles were 1968 Barracuda, 1968 Barracuda,
1970 Cuda, 1968 Barracuda, 1946 Plymouth, 1972 Cuda.
Currently: 1968 Barracuda and 1946 Plymouth..

Past with manuals
1993 Chevy S-10
1995 Dodge Neon
1997 Dodge Stratus
1998 Dodge Dakota
2001 Ford Focus
2004 Dodge Ram
2017 Hyundai Veloster Turbo R Spec

Not sure what will be next if anything!

Not as cool as some of the above listed... but I really miss my little '87 Impulse RS.
(not mine... just a pic of same)

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Manual is all I drive…..

I can’t remember them all but here is a short list…

Past
Vw Beetle (x12)- 1963-1968
2010(?) Chevy s10
Various Ford Rangers from the early 00s (x4)
2006 Ford Escape
2008 Scion XB
2003 RX8

Current-
2006 mini Cooper
2011 mini Cooper convertible

Probably missing a few… I tend to own 4-5 cars at a time and cycle them pretty regularly.

Past manuals: 1994 Nissan XE D21 pickup - had it for 20 years before buying my current daily driver.

Current manuals - 1 daily driver and 2 pleasure vehicles:

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Same here. My dad had a 1950 Ford F-1 which he used only once in a while. I got into the habit of starting it once in a while to keep the 6V battery charged. Eventually, I worked up the nerve to push in the clutch pedal, and practiced moving forward and backward a few feet. That's pretty much how I learned the coordination, and never had a learning curve with my first standard transmission car.

First car was a 1977 Datsun B-210 Hatchback. “It’s a great little car….Great lotta car”. Had to teach myself right away because I had just landed a job at Sea World. Rev the engine, pop the clutch and you never stall!

Haven't had too many cars but they've all been manual

95 Mitsubishi Mirage
99 Jetta
2003 Accord (for like 3 weeks)
07 GTI
17 GTI

Just got the 17 GTI. First car I've had that's got hill assist which is nice.

I'm converting my 69 Cougar xr7 convertible from an fmx auto to a toploader 4 spd

Learned to drive a stick in my friends Vega station wagon.
I have driven 3 on a tree ford truck.
My first brand new car was a '84 Datsun/Nissan 200sx turbo. Turbo went wayyy before the clutch.

Daily driver is a 2006 GTO w/ 6 Speed
also Have:
67 GTO 4 Sp.
66 Corvair Corsa Turbo 4 Sp.
65 El Camino 4 Sp
38 Chevrolet Pickup 4 Sp.

Can I remember them all?

69 VW Beetle
74 Super Beetle
81 Ford Escort (4 speed changed to 5)
64 Plymouth Valiant Convertible (3 on the tree)
77 Ford Granada (4 speed)
79 Ford Granada (4 speed)
79 Mercury Zephyr Z7 (converted to 5 speed)
70 F 250 (converted to 4 speed)
64 Ford Falcon (3 on the tree)
78 Ford Fairmont wagon (converted to 5 speed)
87 F 150
80 Ford Thunderbird (converted to 5 speed)
79 Ford Pinto drag car (changed to 5 speed)

Learned on a 1955 chevy - 3 on tree.

1964 Chevell Impala ss 4 on floor
1966 Pontiac lemans 3 on floor
1968 chevy Camero rs on floor (can't recall 3 or 4)
1968 Pontiac GTO 3 on floor
Dodge Hippy van 3 on tree (don't recall year)
1971 Jeepster 3 on floor

auto's during and after that

forgot about my yellow Manx dune buggy..add that too funny I don't recall the year.

Stick... always...

Dodge Daytona Shelby

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ford-vs-ferrari/page/5#post-5784520

Mercury Cougar

Audi A3 - first 6-speed, so nice for cruising on the highway, and you might be surprised to see it in this thread:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vehicles-that-a-pinball-machine-fits-in/page/36#post-6636287

I’m probably one of the younger guys here with a manual (34). I’ve had a few but this is my current summertime toy.

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I’ve had a few manuals over the years, and I still have this. 2012 v10 with a metal gated shifter. Nothing like feeling connected to the car with that trans and engine combo.

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Oh awesome!! I am def part of this club.

2006 Mitsubishi Evolution IX (past)
1986 Pontiac Fiero GT 4 Speed (past)
1995 Mitsubishi Evolution 3 Race Car (current)

Here is a current pic of my Evo 3 for fun:
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--Scott

I learned to drive a stick in an arcade in the late 70's. Played a drag racing game which had a clutch and if you didn't operate it properly you blew the engine. Played it 100X at least and figured I knew how to shift after multiple smooth games. Bought a 1967 Mustang coupe, 289 V8 with a 4 speed. Boy was I wrong, the drive home was eye opening. After about a month of practice with stops on hills, I was proficient.

In the 1980's I had a business buying and selling early Mustangs, so owned at least another 40 or so that were manuals.

Others:

1966 Ford Bronco, 3 on the tree.
1955 Chevy truck, 4 Speed Muncie
1956 Ford F100
1977 TR7
1991 Porsche 944 S2
1985 F150 3 on the tree
3 Ranger/ Mazda trucks
1968 Shelby GT350
1969 Cougar
1991 BMW 325

None of current vehicles are manuals, gotta change that.

I have always really liked driving a manual and have had a few. I am 37 so on the younger side of like the manual but I have had in my driving career with a manual:

97 Nissan Altima
94 Chevrolet K1500
03 Chevrolet 2500
Another 94 Chevrolet K2500

Now boring automatics

My first brand new car was an '86 200SX (non-turbo). I had a couple of standard shift cars before it, so I had no problem driving it. I never did see another one exactly like it. It took the dealer seven months to find the exact loaded one I wanted in "hot red". It had all the possible options, and was a coupe, not the more common hatchback.

Huge fan of manual cars. No substitute for them.

I have two linked Cruis'n Exoticas. I learned you can jump over the car in front of you if you stomp on the gas pedal twice - though I haven't tried that on the street in a real car yet.

Previous manual transmission vehicles (in order of acquisition):
1962 Corvette 327 4-speed burnt orange metallic (repaint)
1969 Chevelle SS396 396 L78 4-speed Daytona yellow with black vinyl roof
1970 Camaro Z28 350 LT1 4-speed hugger orange with black stripes
1964 Corvette coupe 427 (engine swap) 4-speed sunfire yellow
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT 2.8L 5-speed black
1988 Pontiac Fiero GT 2.8L 5-speed white

Current manual transmission vehicles (in order of acquisition):
1996 Mustang SVT Cobra 4.6L 5-speed mystic (color-changing paint)
2001 Mustang SVT Cobra 4.6L 5-speed mineral grey (with Mach1 shaker hood)
2008 Mustang Shelby GT500 5.4L 6-speed torch red with black stripes
2013 Camaro ZL1 6.2L 6-speed inferno orange with carbon fiber hood insert
2013 Mustang BOSS 302 5.0L 6-speed gotta-have-it green with reflective stripes

Never had an automatic.

1981 Chevy Citation
1984 Honda Accord
1989 Toyota Tercel
2002 Subaru WRX
2016 Subaru WRX

Get this, I wanted a manual so bad that on my first car (a hand-me-down '74 VW Super Beetle), I removed the "Automatic Stick Shift" transmission and installed a 4 speed manual. Ran the clutch cable (tube for the cable was in every floorpan) and installed a brake/clutch pedal assembly in place of the brake only pedal.

Other manuals I had:
'78 VW Rabbit
'80 VW Scirocco S {2x}
'81 Audi 4000 5+5
'87 Audi 5000 CS turbo quattro
'01 New Beetle turbo

I still drive my son's '03 TT when I need a fix. Speaking of fix, it's on its third clutch. No fun on a transverse engine with AWD.

Guessing Allied Leisure's Super Shifter. Greta game!

Think I learned on a 81ish Omni. Friend taught me that drove us all around in high school in his Dodge Minivan with a stick; classic.

Ha my 02 WRX had 3 or 4 clutches.

Stop riding the shit out of it.

Did the Citation have factory air conditioning?

I learned to drive stick in this after I bought it.

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That was the idea, but my oldest learned right away. His car is a 2015 Volkswagen GTI, 6sp. I picked up a 2021 Genesis G70 2.0T Sport Manual… the last model year they offered manual.

It’s not all fun and games though… his clutch went out on his birthday during the first drive he was able to take without a parent in the car.

Apparently!

Hmmm....I believe it did.

Oh man my Tercel blew the clutch cable in the middle of downtown the first weekend.

We are a three pedal family

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Manuals rock!!! List of my manual cars. The other 9 are autos. I love all cars!

2015 challenger scat pack
2014 viper gts
1970 challenger 440
1973 javelin Amx
1985 mustang SVO
1980 Porsche 911

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Not super fancy but fun, I drive a 2016 GTI 6 speed, our daughter drives our old fiesta 5 speed and our son has a 1996 Subaru Legacy manual, import from Japan.

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I grew up on a farm and learned on an Allis Chambers WD-40. About as rough as you can get. I then "graduated" to a 1968 Ford Truck riding around the hay field while my dad threw square bales in the back. This was mostly 1 and 2nd gear, so I learned quick how to use the clutch.

Currently have 3 manuals:

1978 Trans Am
2009 Honda Fit
2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

The Fit is the most fun I've had driving a manual. She's a little workhorse - hit 250k not too long ago and the gear box is smooth as butter. You have to hand it to the Japanese - they figured that shit out back in the 70's.

Manuals are the way to go.
My past cars with manual
86.5 Nissan Pickup
91 F-150
89 Saab 9000
Current
87 Nissan 300zx

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