Teaching the Grandson, To shift a teener |
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Teaching the Grandson, To shift a teener |
PanelBilly |
Feb 10 2018, 11:35 PM
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#1
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,865 Joined: 23-July 06 From: Kent, Wa Member No.: 6,488 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
A friend shared an idea with me a Christmas time that stuck with me. He said that we should give the gift of a skill rather than something we buy from the store. Well, I gave my Grandson a Nintendo gift card, but I also told him I was going to teach him how to shift the 914. He’s only 14. His dad has given him some driving lessons in their truck on gravel roads while out hunting, so he was comfortable behind the wheel already.
On Christmas Day it was snowing in Seattle, so all we did was sit in the car and practice the shift pattern and pressing in the clutch. Still he was happy. Finely, this morning the weather was good and both of our schedules fit. We did an hour of starts and stops. He was very gentle with the throttle so we didn’t have too many neck breaking events. Overall he did great and I had a blast! He even shifted into second a few times. I’m going to need to find a longer empty road for the next lesson. He had to ask me if we could quit because his leg was tired. It’s funny, but he’s the only other person who has driven my car. |
Jett |
Feb 11 2018, 12:46 AM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,674 Joined: 27-July 14 From: Seattle Member No.: 17,686 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Love the idea!
Great job. |
SirAndy |
Feb 11 2018, 12:52 AM
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#3
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Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,954 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
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oldschool |
Feb 11 2018, 02:14 AM
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#4
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,372 Joined: 29-October 08 From: P-town Member No.: 9,705 Region Association: Southern California |
yup..I'm getting ready to do the same with my grandson...all though his only 8 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
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Cracker |
Feb 11 2018, 05:29 AM
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#5
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,148 Joined: 2-February 10 From: Atlanta (area) Member No.: 11,316 Region Association: South East States |
Very cool Billy...good on you!
Tony |
EdwardBlume |
Feb 11 2018, 06:33 AM
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#6
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914 Wizard Group: Members Posts: 12,338 Joined: 2-January 03 From: SLO Member No.: 81 Region Association: Central California |
Nice work. Seems like a good kid. Keep it up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)
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914Sixer |
Feb 11 2018, 08:24 AM
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#7
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 9,040 Joined: 17-January 05 From: San Angelo Texas Member No.: 3,457 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Good job ! Funny how the times have changed. The family vehicle when I learned to drive was a Corvair Monza 4 speed. I never thought twice about using the clutch.
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KELTY360 |
Feb 11 2018, 08:44 AM
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#8
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914 Neferati Group: Members Posts: 5,099 Joined: 31-December 05 From: Pt. Townsend, WA Member No.: 5,344 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Great idea. I tried that with my niece but she never really caught on to it.
Must have felt strange sitting in the passenger seat. |
jpnovak |
Feb 11 2018, 08:47 AM
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#9
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They call me "Nanoman" Group: Members Posts: 231 Joined: 26-August 09 From: Austin TX Member No.: 10,736 Region Association: Southwest Region |
priceless gift. Life skill to drive a manual transmission.
My son is 12 and I get him to shift my 911 from the passenger seat. That's how I started. |
GeorgeRud |
Feb 11 2018, 09:25 AM
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#10
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,725 Joined: 27-July 05 From: Chicagoland Member No.: 4,482 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
I still remember learning on a VW microbus! Great fun. When we taught my son, it was also a special event.
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abes914 |
Feb 11 2018, 09:28 AM
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#11
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Member Group: Members Posts: 366 Joined: 30-March 11 From: Long Beach Member No.: 12,880 Region Association: Southern California |
The simple things that makes everything better.
Thanks for sharing. |
RickS |
Feb 11 2018, 10:37 AM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,408 Joined: 17-April 06 From: 'False City', WA Member No.: 5,880 Region Association: None |
You were far kinder teaching on a flat on trafficked road. My dad took me out for the first time in a 67 beetle. After stalling it about 15 times finally started getting the hang of it until... we were on a busy two lane road that went up a slight rise to a stop sign onto another busy two lane road. In a sheer panic I stalled it about 20 times (he didn’t tell me to use the handbrake to keep from rolling back). Meanwhile about20 cars were impatiently waiting behind me, including a Sheriff car right behind me which I was slowly rolling back into. Hopefully they were feeling some of my pain. At one point I said, dad you drive! He responded, you will do it. Since we are not still sitting there stalling it right now...
Like the OP stated, sharing and experience or a skill is the greatest gift. My dad shared a skill, faith in my ability and above all patience. |
Tom_T |
Feb 11 2018, 10:40 AM
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#13
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TMI.... Group: Members Posts: 8,320 Joined: 19-March 09 From: Orange, CA Member No.: 10,181 Region Association: Southern California |
Good on ya Bill!
Although both our kids initially learned to drive in our 88 Westy, which is an automatic, I also took them both out to learn the stick in our 85 BMW 325e too, which my son picked up easily, while my daughter continued her lessons with her then boyfriend/now hubby. Then later they "shared" a stick shift 88 Honda Civic Hatchback, which is now our son's car - actually now his wife's since August when he got his Tesla S. It just cracks me up when I hear on the news that some bumbling car thief tried to steal some high end Lambo, Ferrari, Porsche, etc. - but left it cuz they couldn't drive a stick! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Yes the modern autos are better, more fuel efficient & shift much quicker than a human - but the stick shifting skill is still good to have! ... as is parallel parking, which I have heard is no longer on the CA driver's test! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) So there's your next "gift", teach him how to parallel park properly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Tom /////// |
mepstein |
Feb 11 2018, 10:55 AM
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#14
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914-6 GT in waiting Group: Members Posts: 19,670 Joined: 19-September 09 From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE Member No.: 10,825 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
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tomeric914 |
Feb 11 2018, 11:05 AM
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#15
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One Lap of America in a 914! Group: Members Posts: 1,263 Joined: 25-May 08 From: Syracuse, NY Member No.: 9,101 Region Association: North East States |
Nice Billy! This is an experience I'll bet your grandson (and you) will never forget. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
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Montreal914 |
Feb 11 2018, 01:37 PM
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#16
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,730 Joined: 8-August 10 From: Claremont, CA Member No.: 12,023 Region Association: Southern California |
Nice! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)
I bet he's looking forward to the next lesson. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) I'm sure he thinks that the 914 is the coolest car, and he's right (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I had my daughter shift from the passenger seat when she was 10 in the Joshua Tree National Park. Now at 16, she's learning how to drive with the family car but I can't wait to put her behind the wheel of the 914. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif) |
snakemain |
Feb 11 2018, 02:14 PM
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#17
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Ronin Member Group: Members Posts: 581 Joined: 14-January 10 From: Aviano, Italy Member No.: 11,232 Region Association: None |
I learned at 7 on a 74 Ford pickup in the hay field, because I was the only one too small to throw a hay bale onto the trailer. 1st gear, clutch, let off, clutch, let off for several hundred bales. Continued a couple years later on the new truck with shifting from the center seat when my dad had shoulder surgery. He'd rarely tell me when to shift or to what gear, even at night...I was supposed to learn.
My wife, before she was my wife, learned when she moved to Italy. Her sponsor was nice enough to teach her because finding a MT car was much easier than an auto. Kids will probably start learning in a few years on my Jeep. |
green914 |
Feb 11 2018, 02:21 PM
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#18
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,467 Joined: 29-March 11 From: Sacramento, California Member No.: 12,874 Region Association: Northern California |
Good Idea! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)
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Racer |
Feb 11 2018, 04:13 PM
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#19
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 787 Joined: 25-August 03 From: Northern Virginia Member No.: 1,073 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
I look forward to passing on the skill..And a few grinds! Stock tailshifter can't be more vague than just about anything.. Like a knife in butter.. "somewhere over here you'll find a gear - maybe 2nd, maybe 4th.. hopefully not reverse!"
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98101 |
Feb 11 2018, 07:42 PM
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#20
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Michael in Seattle Group: Members Posts: 373 Joined: 7-October 17 From: Seattle, WA Member No.: 21,495 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Thank you for the example.
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