Why the rush to slush boxes, I'm guilty too....

Drove trucks of differnt types from age 17 to retirement, not full time in later years, drove twin stick hauling pipe & heavy equipment for about 4 of those years. You can have all the stick you want, I'll take an auto any day, now I drive for pleasure. Your opinions count for you, mine will count for me.

 

Automatics hurt my soul. If your old, disabled, or lazy automatics are fine. I just feels entirely to disconnected when driving an auto, it never shifts when you want it too, even with a manual valve body (although it is much better). If I was building a custom cruiser an auto would be fine, but not a hot rod. They ruin the driving experience. Nothing feels as good as a perfect heel to toe downshift hard breaking into a corner. I'm an a-hole, I know, just my $.02.

 

Re: Why the rush to slush boxes, I'm guilty too....
Automatics hurt my soul. If your old, disabled, or lazy automatics are fine. I just feels entirely to disconnected when driving an auto, it never shifts when you want it too, even with a manual valve body (although it is much better). If I was building a custom cruiser an auto would be fine



Ditto 2X

 

how exactly would a manual valve body not shift when you want it to? i'm guessing you never have actually driven with one because they shift when your hand tells it to.

 

Not really, feels delayed. Speed shift a dog box, those shift when your hand tells them too, not when fluid gets routed through a maze of BS into a valve...ect.

edit: maybe it was a POS transmission, I'm no expert on automatics. I just know when you cornering hard and the transmission decides its time to shift and the ass end come around on you, all you can think is "Where is the clutch pedal when you need it?"

 

I think a manual connects you more with the car. Makes you feel like you're one. A rock can operate an auto... literally. My Dad has auto's in his rides because he's disabled. I got no issues there. You gotta do what you gotta do to stay involved in this game.
But otherwise I think it takes away from the experience. Unless it's originally equipped with an auto, I wouldn't convert over to one. Auto's make you one step closer to a passenger in my opinion, and that ain't cool.

 

Back in the late 40s through mid 50s, automatic gearboxes were not exactly known as performance units. B&M changed that perspective. Now, as us older...uh, more mature rodders march along through the decades, we want rods (and customs) that allow us to rest our tired bones. These days having an automatic in just about any rod or custom is not unusual. My Model A coupe is kinda short on room, so it's a C4 mated to that 289. My 39 still has the original box behind it's flathead. Much more room in it.
One more thing....back in the day, when you went for a Massachusetts drivers test, you got either a standard or automatic license. Depended on what you took the test in. There was no way that any of my crowd was going to get that automatic deal.
My, how times have changed!!

 

I live in a town that has steep hills and traffic lights. When I was younger other people would stop 3 or 4 feet in back of you to allow your car to roll backwards slightly when you started. Now there are younger people who never drove a manual transmission and they stop 6 inches in back of you. So far I haven't rolled back and touched another car, but I am getting older and the day is probably coming. Now I map out where I am going so I can use as many level intersections as possible.
There is a truck driving school that has student truck drivers drive through Sandy and start 18 wheelers on some of those hills, and young kids stop 6 inches in back of them. I have manual transmissions in both of my old cars.
When I was younger I had a 1968 Camaro and the clutch fork broke in Downtown Portland. I drove home by starting the car in low gear and then shifting without using the clutch for 25 miles. If you see you absolutely have to stop you put it in nuetral and then start it in low gear again to get moving. It was a Saginaw 4 speed. It didn't hurt the transmission.

 

I put a PowerGlide in my 60 Impala, because I'm selling the car and I wanted to keep the Muncie 4 speed, scattershield, and all of the other stickshift parts for one of my keeper cars.

 

I'm running a TH350 because I don't have room for another pedal in the little Austin. Tight enough with two pedals, so I went manual valve body and get to shift, but without a clutch!

 

31 days in the hospital, both legs full of blood clots, out comes the 5 speed in goes the bilt c-4, but i did leave the cluth pedal hanging in there, you never know!!!!

 

When you spend two hours in traffic (in just 5 miles of distance) and Auto is not a bad idea. Have both and love both.
I have also heard that age has something to do with it...

 

sounds like a POS transmission, a true manual valve body should shift instant, my last model A had one, it's alot of fun, not as much as a manual which is why my current model A has a muncie in it

 

Manual all the way for me. I can't stand automatics. However I live in the country, I deal with almost no traffic, and I only have to shift about 6 times to get to town (12 miles away). I have a feeling most of the folks who prefer automatics live in cities. Who knows maybe I'd want one too if I lived there but out here having a manual is nice for winter driving.

 

Driving in L.A. traffic with a stick and heavy clutch is no fun. That's why I take the automatic car (custom) during the week and the stick car (gasser) on weekends.

 

Well, I for one am thinking of going auto on the next build because every single one of my vehicles is a straight shift now. I drive an auto at work and its kinda nice not to have to shift up and down all the time.

 

My '61 Ranchero has a bench seat and my girl is pretty hot.

 

Been a stick car racer for 30yrs now, currently run a 4 speed Jerico wouldn't have it any other way!

 

I'm running a Muncie 4 speed in my 34 coupe, 327,tri power,loud exhaust, no AC. no tilt wheel, no extra Bull Shit, because its a HOT ROD,

 

I've also tended to look at it that way. Also the other way around. The odd times I get to drive one of the new cars I always want to switch the AC off. Doesn't feel right shifting gears in a controlled climate ...

Automatics are rare where I live. They're mainly in expensive luxury cars and a few random cars owned by elderly people. A friend of mine has a dilapidated Honda with an automatic, and I wondered where on earth he dug the thing up; it's not a common sight.

Consequently I'd really be going out of my way to build something as an automatic - unless the engine and gearbox came together from the US. American stuff is relatively rare here; perhaps like, say, Italian stuff is in the US. It's there but it isn't as if every scrappy is full of TH350s.

It's a matter of perspective. Here one would have to reach quite a level of decrepitude before seeing oneself as "unable" to drive a manual 'box. In the same way many relatively healthy people here feel themselves unable to climb stairs in a house: in Holland they'd be happily bouncing from floor to floor.

Add to that that I don't really like automatics, perhaps because I like to downshift and to nurture finesse in the way I shift. My response to the idea of an automatic in one of my cars: ... why?!!

 

Drove Truck for 37 years ,the thrill is gone.

 

My dad insisted that I learn to drive with a std tranny. I had to learn to parallel park on a steep hill without power steering in 51 Jeep before I was allowed to go to driver's ed. Since then I've owned both in OT trucks. With the exception of traffic jams, I've wished that every one was a stick...I feel more in control and that I can put power when and where I need it...not to mention they sound better

 

love my muncie four speed, have thought about going to an auto
when I get older, I will be 70 next month, I still enjoy shifting....
yes the firm clutch does make my leg tired in traffic but........
I enjoy the sound so much..............