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Who Killed the Manual Transmission Full-Size Pickup Truck?
MotorBiscuit ^ | Mar 25, 2023 | Henry Cesari

Posted on 03/26/2023 10:41:58 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?

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It has been amazing to me that you can't buy a stripped down basic truck anymore. I once sold trucks and the dealership always had a stock of basic trucks with a 3 speed on the column, and they sold, without AC in El Paso.
1 posted on 03/26/2023 10:41:58 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Few young people or women can drive manual now

I don’t the power and torque defense btw


2 posted on 03/26/2023 10:46:03 AM PDT by wardaddy (Truth is treason in the Empire of lies)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

A manual transmission, AC, heat, and a radio is enough for me, preferably 4WD.

What I never saw many of were stepside bed models. I liked the Chevy and GMC styles best.


3 posted on 03/26/2023 10:46:08 AM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure.)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

4 posted on 03/26/2023 10:48:36 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: wally_bert

You haven’t really driven a car until you operated a manual shifter.

Man I would love to have that old four-on-the-floor again.


5 posted on 03/26/2023 10:48:41 AM PDT by DarrellZero
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I learn to drive a manual transmission when I was about 9 or 10 years old....a 1963 B10 Allis Chalmers(Simplicity) garden tractor...then moved up to a mid 70’s Ford truck...3-in-the-tree with no power steering. I only weighed probably 140 at the time...felt like wrestling a gator.


6 posted on 03/26/2023 10:51:01 AM PDT by MachIV
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To: DarrellZero

I grew up on manual transmissions.

The 79 Chevy LUV started me.

A few Jeeps, K10, Nissan240 and the current 2016 Tacoma are manuals.


7 posted on 03/26/2023 10:51:12 AM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure.)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I remember cars and trucks with vinyl floors, AM-only radio, 3-speed manual, and no AC as recently in the 70s. Good reliable transportation. My baseball coach had his GM truck 6 cyl for 50+ years; only car he ever owned.


8 posted on 03/26/2023 10:51:55 AM PDT by Chauncey Gardiner (Vivamus stultus ignarus mori )
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To: where's_the_Outrage?
It has been amazing to me that you can't buy a stripped down basic truck anymore.

Today's cars and trucks are iPhones on wheels meant to be replaced when a new software generation comes out.

They forgot about basic function

9 posted on 03/26/2023 10:54:02 AM PDT by llevrok (Pronouns: Me/myself/& I)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

So thankful that my father made me learn to drive on a manual. I was not happy, but he said it could save my life if something happened & my only way out was a manual vehicle.

I love & have a manual Kia.


10 posted on 03/26/2023 10:54:58 AM PDT by leaning conservative (snow coming, school cancelled, yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!)
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To: wardaddy

Agree; the claim about engine torque versus clutches is garbage. Both manual and automatic shifters have clutches.


11 posted on 03/26/2023 10:57:31 AM PDT by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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To: wardaddy
They say todays engines and power trains are better/more powerful than yesteryear. I dont believe it for a second....

Lets put it to a test!! Take 1970 era 440 and trans/rear end and put it in a new charger. and vise versa... and lets see which one smokes the other!!

12 posted on 03/26/2023 10:57:31 AM PDT by sit-rep
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

EPA did it. The testing protocols have always favored automatics, where the engine can be made to run in the optimum RPM range for fuel economy and emissions all the time. That’s why you’re seeing six and eight speed automatics now. A single-speed IC engine can be tuned to be very efficient and fairly clean. It’s the wide range of RPM required for direct drive of wheeled vehicles that makes them dirty.


13 posted on 03/26/2023 11:01:11 AM PDT by Chad C. Mulligan
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To: wardaddy
Few young people or women can drive manual now

Correct but still we have millions of Baby Boomers and maybe some people from Generation X who would prefer to drive it manually. I wonder if you can get it special ordered at the factory.

14 posted on 03/26/2023 11:01:32 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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I made my kids learn to drive a stick in an old ford pickup.
It had a 460 in it.
You could put it in third gear and slowly release the clutch.
Without giving it any gas it would take off


15 posted on 03/26/2023 11:01:40 AM PDT by South Dakota (Patriotism is the new terrorism )
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I learned how to drive on a 1962 F-100 Three on the Tree.


16 posted on 03/26/2023 11:08:21 AM PDT by Alas Babylon! (Gov't declaring misinformation is tyranny: “Who determines what false information is?” )
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

Later in the article both the EPA and untrained drivers are mentioned.


17 posted on 03/26/2023 11:08:56 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage? (Drain the Swamp. Build the Wall.)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I learned to drive a manual transmission on the hills of San Francisco in a 1957 Chevy Belair in the early 70’s


18 posted on 03/26/2023 11:10:11 AM PDT by Dstorm
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To: Olog-hai

Proof that it is garbage.....Kenworth trucks.

They could build a trans that could handle any amount of torque and HP..

I am told that there specialty builders who will and do build manuals.

That said, I drove manuals for 70 years, but my last three pickups had/have automatics....Two Ford F350’s and the present Ramm 3500.

Fords were bad about the clutch going bad and locking the transmission at most inconvenient times and places.

I do think the Ford automatic transmission is smoother and superior to that in the Ram but overall I would never go back to Ford.


19 posted on 03/26/2023 11:16:59 AM PDT by old curmudgeon (There is no situation so bad that the federal government can not make worse.)
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

EPA did it. The testing protocols have always favored automatics, where the engine can be made to run in the optimum RPM range for fuel economy and emissions all the time. That’s why you’re seeing six and eight speed automatics now. A single-speed IC engine can be tuned to be very efficient and fairly clean. It’s the wide range of RPM required for direct drive of wheeled vehicles that makes them dirty.


Exactly. And that is why the right way to build an electric car is to build one with an onboard generator powered with an internal combustion engine. The engine can be tuned for that perfect sweet spot and vehicle speed would be controlled by the amount of electricity send to the drive motors.

Were it not for the stupid green monsters, I suspect that would have been the model.


20 posted on 03/26/2023 11:23:38 AM PDT by old curmudgeon (There is no situation so bad that the federal government can not make worse.)
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