Kid react...to a Walkman!

[wolfie]

My oldest niece, just a few weeks ago, got her driver's license. I promised her that when she got her license and had a little time to practice, I'd teach her how to drive my ancient pickup truck.

It's going to be an interesting day when she holds me to my promise. There's a nice big empty Kmart parking lot not far from here where we'll practice the finer points of a mechanical clutch, column-shift 3-speed, manual choke, and complete lack of any sort of power assist.

Is the transmission synchronized, or is it a "crashbox" (one where you need to double-clutch)? What year is your truck? Mine is only 10 years old, and it's got a mechanical clutch and "crashbox" transmission - I'll see your 3 speeds and raise you 10.

Has your niece heard "Automatic" by Miranda Lambert? A few lines:

They say that shifting gears ain't what it used to be
I learned to drive that '55, just like a queen 3 on the tree

[ADeMartino]

Is the transmission synchronized, or is it a "crashbox" (one where you need to double-clutch)? What year is your truck? Mine is only 10 years old, and it's got a mechanical clutch and "crashbox" transmission - I'll see your 3 speeds and raise you 10.

Has your niece heard "Automatic" by Miranda Lambert? A few lines:

They say that shifting gears ain't what it used to be
I learned to drive that '55, just like a queen 3 on the tree

Don't know if she's ever heard 'Automatic' or not, but in her entire life I don't think she's ever even RIDDEN in anything that had a carburetor.

The pickup is a '64 Ford half-ton with a 223 six-cylinder engine, and does indeed have synchronizers. So yeah, not quite stone-age.

I told her if she can learn to drive my old iron, she'll be able to drive almost anything she wants to.