Technical Does a manual transmission hurt the value of your ride?

Other than "correct" muscle car or restorations, I think that automatics are more marketable when selling. I have both.

 

My feelings; this is a traditionally focused hot rod/custom message board...IMO, it's not about ease/convenience of driving or delusions of grandeur regarding "resale value"; it's about the experience of strapping on/in a time capsule.

Modern overdrives/autos suck, IMO...but then again, I'm building a car with all 30's & 40's vintage parts/technology. Why? Because I can - and because I desire the experience. And that's what this message board is all about.

This staffer's $0.02

 

I like a manual trans. My DD truck has a stick. My previous DD truck had a stick. My hot rod currently has an auto, but I'm working on the plans to change that, so it will have a stick. But it has to be on the floor, I don't like column shifts.

I did use the 5sp as a reason to bargain down the dealer to the price I wanted to pay, though. I mean, haven't you heard? Stick shift cars are hard to sell. Gotta pay less than if it was an automatic.

 

Most gear heads i know prefer 4 speeds neutral drops arent as cool clutch drops

 

Sales to Hamb members... Nope. Sales to the general public... Probably a slight bit. That is my technical answer.

I won't let that sway me from putting a stick in my car if I want to shift. If the time comes to sell and no one bites onto the standard, I'll pull an auto off the shelf and swap, or just keep driving my darned car.

 

I'd pay more for a hot rod or muscle car with a manual. Both my wife and I have a blast driving my 28 PU with it's 4 spd. I'm currently removing the auto in my 32 and putting in a 4 spd.

 

I would love a stick version of my car , but due to the way its built it s not going to happen , but I will put in a RMVB th400 and floor shifter .
when I was helping a guy who restores O/T firebirds , you wouldn't beleive how many would take a special option 4 speed car and convert it to automatic , even though the 4 speeds were desired and worth more , because the owner was a gold chainer and didn't know how to drive a stick .( I had a hard time cutting up stock floor pans on them to convert them only to have them say they converted it to auto ( and often the cheapest oem style built th350 with no stall and the radiator had no cooler either )
only if the car is a goldchainers desire I think it might make or break the price or sale . but if they want the car bad enough they will buy it and have it changed out , we often had the GC's ask if we wanted to buy there trans and bellhousing to help cover the costs .

 

note to self...sell powerglide

I just happen to have an NOS Ansen clutch/brake pedal assy, and actually thought about putting it in my T rpu,... but there ain't a lot of foot room in there...and the PG is pretty small...and it was free...and one pedal is easier than two to fabricate...and...and

shit

 

Damn demons.
Back forth back forth back forth back forth.
Tennis anyone?

 

I like to shift gears. My 56 F100 is going together with a T56 6 speed. It would be easier to build with an auto, but this is what I want. If I was building it to flip or sell in a few years I would consider an auto with overdrive. Since I put a clutch through the floor of a 65 mustang when I was 17 this build has a scatter shield also.
B

 

Done right, no.
But I have seen some that were abortions. Homemade clutch linkage with improper geometry. Shifter holes cut in the floor that looked like they were done with an axe.

4 speeds are fun to drive.
But nothing wrong with an auto and a loose convertor.

Neutral slams are also traditional.

 

if i build it it has a stick. I'm not even slightly interested in a automatic. that goes for the family cars as well as the hot rods. it takes a special kind of skill to pull off that perfect shift at the top of the gear. pure music. every guy that has a auto secretly wishes he had a stick just like the guys running alcohol wish they were running nitro. though both won't ever admit it.