[where's_the_Outrage?]

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.

[wardaddy]

Few young people or women can drive manual now

I don’t the power and torque defense btw

[wally_bert]

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.

[dfwgator]

[MachIV]

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.

[Chauncey Gardiner]

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.

[llevrok]

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

[leaning conservative]

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.

[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.

[South Dakota]

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

[Alas Babylon!]

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

[Dstorm]

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

[texanyankee]

I learned to drive with my Dad’s ‘59 Ford 6cylinder pickup.
3 speed on the column

My first car was a ‘66 Pontiac GTO - 4 speed stick shift on the floor

Then I got a ‘67 Mustang GT 4 speed stick shift on the floor

I miss my ‘67 mustang something terribly....

[PGR88]

It has been amazing to me that you can't buy a stripped down basic truck anymore.

Ridiculous federal EPA mileage, emissions and safety regs

And the overall leftist desire to drive people out of the freedom of automobiles.

[Firehath]

I bought a used

Honda 5 speed prelude

in the late 90’s

( it was a donation - on the way to the animal shelter - for a 500 dollar tax credit - my fiend was going to give it away )

best running sport car I ever drove

had a 5 speed honda ascot motorcycle too

best I ever rode

didn’t like the costly clutch jobs

on my pu - dump trucks I had previously owned

[desertsolitaire]

To fellow Freepers in the know.

Is a 3 on the tree manual transmission truck or car available to US drivers anywhere anymore?

[Organic Panic]

Now you pay extra for a manual. But that’s from standardized assembly lines. k

[TalBlack]

I started out in 1982 driving std f350 in heavy metro NYC traffic. After a looong day of work and only half way home, that clutch pedal spring, which seemed so light starting out is inducing cramps and is lifting me out of the seat. One day 30 years ago on 495 in stop and go I decided I’d never drive a standard again. Never again.

[Chuckster]

every pickup I’ve owned has had three pedals.

My '96 F150 4X4 is down for a clutch slave cylinder.

I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep the old girl on the road (Rust mainly). I won't buy a new automatic so I'm searching for an old, restored or restore-able to good working condition 4X4 pickup. No need for a show piece when it will only get washed once a year but it needs to be solid and reliable.

Have $ Will travel.

Such are the challenges of island life in Alaska. I expect I'll have to fly down to the lower 48 to find one and bring it back on the ferry.

[lgjhn23]

I’m kinda old so I grew up with, and still drive, manual shifts.
My first new one was a 1972 340 4-speed Dodge Demon....nasty little thing.
My latest is a 2011 392 SRT8 Challenger 6-speed.
My highest mileage is a 2005 5-speed Honda Civic LX: 298,980 miles as of today, and still running strong with 40+ mpg. I use it every day as an errand runner.

[TexasFreeper2009]

more importantly what the hell happened to the 2 door trucks with no backseat?