Automatic or 4 speed? Whats your pleasure?
 

I may have the chance to buy a super nice car (Im going to leave the car unknown because of who owns it) but its a 4 speed. Ive owned modern day stick cars (many of them) but never one from the glory days.

I guess my questions is this - has anyone ever moved from auto to 4 speed and how did you feel when you made the switch? I guess Im just used to an automatic and a bit afraid of how Ill like it if I were to buy the car.

Thoughts?

I drove exclusively manual (modern) cars when I was younger, but switched to an automatic for a daily driver in 2005. My Pontiac is just for fun - so I went with a 4-speed. I love it, and will admit that I think "too bad it's automatic" every so often while checking out cars at the shows.

I am, however, threatening to add a road runner to the stable - and am thinking of going with an automatic for that one.

I prefer the 4spd over a automatic, for the amount of time I drive my older cars it's no problem. That said my '68 is a automatic on the tree. My '69 Vette is a stick but a 3spd so it's a little boring.

Mine is an automatic and I often wish it were a 4 speed. Except when I'm in heavy traffic. To me there is something cool about looking at an old car an seeing that stick poking up through the hump. The newer cars are much easier on the left leg than the old muscle cars.

When it comes to cars of the 60's and 70's automatics don't even enter my mind. To me there's nothing cooler than driving a 4 speed convertible in the summertime. Many times I don't even have the radio on 'cause I'm hearing the sounds of motor as I'm running through the gears. That doesn't happen with an automatic.

Turbo 400 is a lot easier on the left leg in traffic.

4 speeds and curved roads,
 

Made for each other :D

http://s412.photobucket.com/user/SPR...IVE66.mp4.html

http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...ESTDRIVE66.jpg

...depends on your driving...if you do a lot of city driving it will get bothersome very quickly. Compared to new manuals the shifting is clumsy and the clutch is very stiff...that can be a plus if you like the feeling of driving a manly car that you have to fight with a little...i replaced all the original 4-speeds on my cars with modern 5-speeds...sometimes even with a hydraulic clutch...shifts are much better plus you have the overdrive for the highway...best of both worlds. In general manuals are better for a sporty type of driver while an auto is better for a cruiser guy.... depends what you are. I have both and switch according to my mood.

Been my preference after owning/driving OHC-6 4speed, and 428/455 4-speed.
So, studied how to make the TH400 shift smartly, now greatly prefer the TH400.

Also, Hurst CP 4-speed shifter mounter to the TH400 tail gets the Switch -pitch high/low. That will be the basis of the 4l80 manual-shift planetary 4-speed. clutch pedal will unlock the converter (bypass switch will keep it unlocked for full time converter mode).

HIS

Automatic for me! Waaaaay back in my street racing days I sent all but one stick car to the house!

Changed mine to a four speed then a five speed and absolutely love it! Besides, Chicagoland is pretty flat so that makes it even easier.

Both have their merits. I don't own any classic 4 speeds, but I've always owned at least one manual trans car at any given time.

I don't mind automatics in my Pontiacs since they have sufficient torque to motivate quickly no matter what. :) The way my Lemans is set up is fun, the th400 can be manually shifted and the higher stall converter allows me to light 'em up any time I feel like it. :burnout:

That being said, I would like to get a second gen T/A with a 4 (or 5 or 6) speed transmission for some spirited back road driving.

I've NEVER owned an automatic Musclecar.

Every single Musclecar I've ever owned has been a 4 speed. Frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way. My Musclecars are all weekend cruisers. I don't drive them to work so I never really sit in traffic. Honestly, I just can't ever see driving an automatic.

Do this, drive that V8 Musclecar with a 4 speed. Don't listen to the radio, don't talk, wind it out, downshift a few times and listen to the exhaust. Hear that brum, brum. brum, pop, pop, pop when you downshift coming up to a curve, and then listen again as you wind out the gears coming out of that curve. Trust me, you'll never look at an automatic again.

I'll probably ruffle some feathers with this statement but in my opinion, unless your Musclecar sees regular track time it has no business being an automatic.

REAL muscle cars have 3 pedals!PERIOD!Tom

I have always loved manuals however I do own a few automatics. I do have 2 four speeds and a 6 speed in the Vette. I just have a lot more fun in the 4 speeds and the 6 speed. I dont mind shifting.

I like the manuals for the non daily drivers, some prefer to do upgrades to make the muscle cars of the 60s better/easier to drive which is ok, but it is not the same experience as driving the car as they were built. They are the true time machines.

X2 on both of these!

Paul on a car that is not a daily driver the 4 speed is the way to go, its just a better driving experience. You know how I am one of those "stock" guys but I have considered putting a 5 sp in the T/A just to bring the rpms down at Highway speeds. I don't care what its worth I'm going to drive it and shift it and enjoy it till they won't let me anymore.

Sweet Cammer Jeff!

All of my classic cars are 4 speeds. I am in process of converting the wife's 66 Mustang from 6 cylinder/auto to 5.0/T-5 at her request, because she prefers a stick as well. I even converted my station wagon from an auto to a 4 speed, and I towed cars all over the western US with that car. Up until I moved to Utah 3 years ago and had to deal with snow, I drove my cars every day, even in traffic, and I still prefer the stick cars to an automatic. My daily driver Ford truck is an automatic; I would have preferred that to be a stick too, but when you trade a $100 Neon for something, it's hard to be too picky....

Importsmasher

Nice 66!

Automatics have their place.:p

Four speeds forever!:old:

Whats your thought on driving around here Craig? With a 4 speed? Im sure since yo know me, the car is an A Body.

FWIW - even my wife insisted on a 4spd in her Camaro...;)

I learned how to drive in a car with a stick. I taught my wife how to drive in a car with a stick. My daughter learned how to drive in a car with a stick.

An automatic would be a deal breaker for me on an vintage performance car.

Myself I prefer a manual trans, street or track. My GTO was my daily driver and weekly racecar for years but have had several with automatics and still have a couple of automatics, my 78 Chevy pick-up and my 85 Grand Prix. The truck gets driven pretty well daily as my left knee won't handle pushing a clutch all the time anymore. Plus my wife can't drive a manual. Besides there is nothing better than hearing someone go through the gears that knows how to shift.

I have a ST10 455 combo in my 71. It sure is fun. The torque from that 455 running through a 4 speed is something that can not be re-created anywhere else. But It does have its downsides. Traffic is a killer. I live in a small town, so its not really a huge deal, but it still sucks. Plus people ride up your ass at a redlight, so dont let your car roll back when you take off.

Im 21 and my knee is always killing me when I drive it. I do have a Centerforce Dual Friction clutch, so it is stiffer then stock.

Im taking it out and going with a TH350. Its for the best, and since Im going with a Turbo LS1 in the near future, it'll work out great.

Now... If I was buying a 5.0, it would be a stick. Hydro clutchs are nice and easy on your leg.

i have 1 AUTOMATIC CAR I WANT TO FINISH..A 68 CUTLASS RAGTOP...

everything else i have are manual cars, or being converted to manual trans..

i owned a 71 GTO 400 3 speed...and stop light to stop light..it was hard to beat...unless ya had a lot of gears or motor..it all just worked..3.23 posi etc..i beat on that thing every single chance i got..id torture it nightly and get up and drive it to work in the morning wityh no issues...except it kept braking left rear wheel lugs..i finally put racing studs on it and that stopped..i loved that old turd..and wish i had it back...


My daily is an auto...and i would never consider a stick driver...but all my toys are manuals or will be a manual...

now im stuck on bench seat 4 speed rubber floor mat cars....gotta have em...i mean just gotta..( i may have a problem)

the only reason im doing the cutlass as an auto, is because its a bucket seat car...and i want a grocery getter that i can just roll the top back, turn up the 8 track..and roll....

I like automatics................. recommend them to all the ladies I know!

My sentiments. Who wants to hear a radio from one speaker. The growl is the sound of choice for me.

I like (& own) them both but given the choice it would be a 4spd any day - although in some cases they come in 3, 5 & 6 spds. :D

X 3

4spd standard trans here, love to drive through the gears, But it can be nasty when driving in the city at rush hour going 5mph. More so if it has lumpy cam and does not like low rpm. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

I have both depending on my mood and what type of driving.

'70 T/A - 4 speed
'67 GP - 4 speed
'70 Z/28 - 4 speed
'63 Corvette - 4 speed
'69 Chevelle SS396 - Automatic
''67 Coupe Deville - Automatic

I guess I like 4 speeds a little more.

I drove my Lemans Sprint as my onlytransportation for years back then, never got old, at least here in flatland. A 5 speed mod made it even more fun, i wouldn`t have an auto for a muscle car.

My son has a Mazda 6 sped for a daily and a ws6 TA for a fun car. He only wants to drive manuals.
It boils down to personal preference...manuals for me in a fun car.

George

I'd have to side with the manual crowd (even my wife demanded a stick in her GXP) BUT I will say I had great fun in a friend's Ferrari with an automatic (paddle shifters).

Me, I'll always take a stick over an automatic. I was raised in the bay area with nothing but hills on the surface streets and you better damn well know how to drive a stick in the bay area. If your vehicle rolls back 3" you're going to bump the car behind you. My commute vehicle was a 65 stick shift Chevy C 10 my 31 mile commute would take me 2 hours on the way home. Move 4 feet, clutch in and stop. move 3 feet, clutch in & stop for 30 miles. My current daily driver is a 2002 PT Cruiser with a stick 231,000 miles and still commuting 60 miles round trip to work & back but I now live in the central valley, hills are nonexistent and traffic is pretty much nonexistent a real cake walk for a commute.
For me a muscle car isn't a muscle car unless it has a stick. But that's just my opinion. My 62 Catalina is a 4 SPD and a blast to drive I wouldn't give my stick up for anything.

X2! My brother is a Mopar guy, and all of his cars have been automatics. I tell him "God created automatics so girls could drive too!"

Importsmasher

A stick car will always be worth more and more desirable that an auto car. I myself could care less if auto or stick. The last stick car I had was an M22, loved that sound and feel of that car.

I thought he created automatics so you could put your arm around your girl while driving.

BUY IT!!!

Here is how my cars went..

1967 Tempest Coupe Hdtp
326 2 speed AUTO 2.56
Swapped to
400 2 speed AUTO 2.56
swapped to
400 TH350 AUTO 2.56
swapped to
400 4 speed Manual 2.56
swapped to
400 4 speed Manual 3.23
swapped to
400 5 speed Manual 3.23

Manual is better hands down!!

1967 Tempest 4 door wagon
326 2 bbl 2 speed AUTO 2.56
swapped to
326 4bbl 2 speed AUTO 2.56
swapped to
326 4bbl 4 speed Manual 2.56

4 speed wagon that gets 22 mpg consistently on the highway!! Get the 4 speed car and never look back!:attention

Thanks for all the replies. The more I think about it, the more confident that Ill like it.

As I said before, I like driving a stick. Ive just never owned one in a fun car like this.

Something I read on the trunk of a car about 35 years ago and it has always stuck with me. It said "I'd Rather Eat Worms Than Drive an Automatic"

Paul,get the stick,or turn in your man card.

I've driven nothing but automatic older cars. I finally picked up a manual transmission car a few months back and it's a different change. Mostly my foot just gets annoyed at riding that super heavy clutch in traffic. Other than that it's great fun.

My first GTO was a 4speed as this one is now. I would never have an automatic in a GTO of any year. 66 Tempest Custom and 63 GP were daily drivers and I actually didn't miss the 4peeds with them.

The 1st GTO was my 1st car and was a daily driver for the time I had it. Not really a great thing to have in the winter months up north on icy roads. But now days seeing this one is out only on dry roads Spring Summer and Fall, it's the only way to go even with the traffic here in my neck of the burbs.

So I say go for it... you'll have more fun with the 4speed Paul. ;)

All my Pontiacs (GTO's) over the last 30 years have been automatics. That being said, I have a preference for manual shift. Just a better experience in my opinion. May do something about it in the near future!

Well I wouldn't want to loose that. Hey is that card worth money like a credit card? Can I buy parts with it?

Well,you asked for my thoughts.:p I was just razzing ya
I would think this is not a daily driver,if that were the case I'd say maybe don't get it. It's hard to drink coffee,steer,and shift. That's the only time it bothered me on a daily driver car.
On our older cars a 4-speed is the only way to go IMO. The times where I did have a muscle car w/auto trans,I was always wishing it were a stick. The only time I wish it were not is at the dragstrip. Driving it in heavy traffic does not bother me either. The padal is a lot stiffer than the newer cars,but I'll be driving stick till my knee gives out. I don't think you would even think twice about the shifting after you get used to it,you would just hop in and go.

I mentioned in another thread a week or so ago of hitting miserable traffic when driving down to the Petersen museum with our club. I didn't really think anything about it except how crappy it was inching along for over an hour in stalled traffic. Got down to the museum and one of our guys was limping walking around the museum. Then it dawned on me - the only one of us in the group with a 4-speed.

My manual has been off the road for awhile and I am really getting the urge to speed up getting it back on the road - even if I'm the next one hobbling around. It's worth it.

A few years ago i bought my son a T shirt with a picture of a clutch, brake, and accel pedal on it. The caption read "The MAN pedal".

`nuff said.

George