I need to relearn how to drive a manual and I'm not going to do it on one of my friend's Corvettes.

So, the plan has been to get a third generation F-body that is mechanically sound and has a 5-speed and both me and my wife relearn on that. We figure that the F-bodies are relatively close to the Corvette in drivetrain feel, just smaller engines and at least a little cheaper to maintain.

The plan has been to resell the F-body when we're done. Last night my lovely wife points out four things:

1) Early 80s F-bodies are really cheap

2) I've always loved the early 80s Trans Ams

3) She is not convinced that I would resell the F-body once we had it

4) Pontiac (unlike Chevrolet) has very specific car information for restorers

So, now the plan is to find a 1983 or 1984 5-speed Trans Am, relearn how to drive stick, and possibly partially restore it or fix it up. An added point of interest is that it would be carbureted (no fuel injection with an manual in the early 3rd generation F-bodies) and that would be another learning opportunity.

Am I insane?

I would not buy a car just to learn. Corvettes are just as forgiving and you are not going to hurt it while learning. It might take you all of an hour to learn how, so why would you buy a car just to do this.

Go rent any manual shift car and go to town learning! It won't hurt you or the car.

dont bother.. get a 4th gen ls1. you can get a stock one for about $5000 and it would be ten times more reliable.

Thanks for talking me down, guys - this isn't a "do it tomorrow" thing anyway ...

... I haven't seen any manual rental cars, but I'll take another look. I haven't driven a manual since (no kidding) 1986.

I actually like the looks of the earlier cars better and am willing to give up reliability and performance for those looks. Kind of like when I got the 1985 - I accepted that the later C4s were far superior, but I wanted that Light Blue Metallic color and that narrowed it down to 1984 or 1985.

I'm a fan of the 79 and 80 myself. Had one once with an auto. Had the Olds engine. The Pontiac engine I understand is the prefered power plant. I loved that car. It was a ton of fun.

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If you knew how to drive a manual, you still do. The key is the timing at launch.

I have to say, the clutch feel and takeup on my '92 is about a good as any car I have ever driven. And I have driven a shit load of miles on a manual - every car I have owned since 1984 has been a stick (except our Jeep, but that's an "our", not "mine").

If you want to get the feel of a clutch takeup, drive a lawn tractor. That will get you that sense back into your left foot.

Then drive a car...

So... what brings this on? What is your next plan???? there is more to this than meets the eye.

Also, don't ever try to restore a 3rd gen f-body... they were about the only car that depreciated on the assembly line. Absolute junk.

I would rent a car if it was just to learn. My question is what do you want/need another car for?

Matthew

You're probably correct in that there are probably very few rental cars anymore that are not automatics. Go test drive a ton of new stick shift cars until you get the hang of it!! LOL

Drive up in your Corvette and tell them you want to test drive a new ZR-1 or Z06. They got nice clutches on them!!!

I've let people learn on mine. Cost me a transmission once... but that's another story.

Fly out here and you can drive mine all week. I'll show you how to do burnouts.