Art & Inspiration Anyone teach their wife to drive 3 on the tree?

Not sure my wife had driven a three on the tree when we met, but she was driving a standard daily. Anyway, I ended up with a very nice 64 Impala with a 6 cylinder and 3 on the tree. She drove it almost daily for quite a while and preferred it over later model stuff.

 

I had my wife set as close to me as I drove our 62 Chevy II, with her left arm around my shoulders,
I then had her put her right hand on the Shifter and with my right hand holding her right hand, so when I was driving and I shifted through the gears she felt the motion of the shift handle and the way the shift felt when stopped in each gear.
I drove this way with her for about a week, then let her shift without my hand on hers.
Then after I knew she could shift the 3 speed well enough we went to a dirt/gravel road, dirt/gravel roads are easier for new people who have never used a clutch before, they don't stall the engine as often bcuz they can spine the wheels on the dirt/gravel road easier and not do the jump bump stall with white knuckle death grip on the streeing wheel or get a bloody nose.
We made a song when shifting as kid's with my Mama and my Dad's old 48 Chevy Pickup Truck, 1st back and down we go, 2nd up halfway and all the way over and up we go, 3rd straight down to town let's go, Reverse was pull inward from 1st all the way up to the top and backwards we go...
I've taught my three Daughters and my Son and a few other family members the same way, as other have said, it's the motor skills we all have, and your Wife is already halfway there bcuz she already knows how to drive a standard on the floor.
Good luck, and remember to be kind supportive and above all patient with her, bcuz she's worth it...

Dustin

 

My wife learned to shift a manual shifting the 4 speed in my 69 Cutlass S. She didn't drive as a teenager because when it was time for her to learn to drive her dad told her she wouldn't be using the family car to run all over the place and that ended her want to learn. Yup she is still stubborn. I did teach her to drive the three on the column shift 59 ElCamino that we had. We drove all over the back roads around where GW Bush's ranch is south of Crawford Tx. At that time you might not see one other car on those roads in an hour. Funny story was that while we still had the Cutlass and she still didn't have a license she ran out of diapers for our son one day and needed to make an emergency trip to the laundry mat so she loads John in the car and loads the diaper pails up and off up the road she goes never having driven that car her self but made it to her Mom's to drop him off, made it to the laundry to wash and dry the diapers and made it back home. My buddy's wife around the corner saw her go by and said she thought she didn't drive.

 

Nope.
Why would a person put themselves through that, besides, I had Muncie 4 speed conversions in the 64 Impala and 67 Nova within weeks of buying them, my mama didn't raise a complete idiot.

 

Did she forget to roll down the window before letting it fly?
A mistake I've done before when coming off an 18 hour shift with only 4 hours in between another 18 shift, I'm thankful my S10 had autopilot...

Dustin

 

My advice? Pay someone else to teach her. That does two things, eliminates conflict and stress between you and her, and you won’t be in the car seeing it being abused.
Win Win I say.

 

Kinky way to get a HUG!

Ben

 

I learned on the farm in an old truck when I was about 11. Just went out in a field and practiced. The toughest part was the first time I had to start on a hill, small feet trying to heel/toe the brakes and gas is tough!!
My wife could already drive a manual when we met.

 

I tried to teach my college girlfriend to drive one; it ended with me yelling and her crying. I believe that whomever invented the Hydramatic had a girlfriend just like her.

 

unfortunately, my wife is one of those who fell into the "left foot braking" habit. my dad taught me that way at 14, but my first drive in driver's ed and the instructor cured me!

 

Hello,

In the early years of our 20 something marriage, we both drove automatic transmission cars. But, as the years rolled into the late 20s, the gas crisis came upon the whole USA. So, my wife being as culturally aware as she could be, decided to sell one of our automatic transmission cars and buy a stick shift car. We looked at several and they were all v8 powered stick shift cars, 3 speeds and a 4 speed. So, she looked, sat in one or the other and we drove around as a trial test drive. For me, they were all nice cars and had lots of power.

One day, she came to me and said she would like a small sporty car, stick shift, of course. So, we found one for her. She sat in it and said, now, teach me to shift and drive this car. Ha! She had automatic cars all of her life since getting her driver’s license. So, this is/was going to be a good test of my abilities. (and how well she listens and tries to do the things being shown and taught.)

She learned about cars from me, rode in and drove the 327 powered 40 Ford Sedan Delivery and liked nice, fast cars. She also liked going with me on our Harley Sportster all up and down the coastline. Her favorite was 25 mile ride along the shoreline to her favorite waterside café for a mid-morning coffee and snack.

Jnaki

What I liked about the whole process was her ability to learn and understand what was being said in my mild mannered method. The small sporty car was a 5 speed, but she never got into the 5th gear. We were ok with staying in 4th gear for 95% of her driving around, once she learned the ins and outs for safe/aware driving.

The first thing was the floor shift. She did not like the column our neighbor had in his truck. But, she said the floor shift was perfect in fit and being right there to use anytime. The clutch was not a racing clutch with a stiff set of springs. It was a simple easy to push down lever and action. We stayed in the garage until she could sit, adjust the seats to her liking and shift from 1 to 4th gear without moving. We took imaginary trips with me telling her how to let out the clutch to a clunk feel and see that the car was ready to move forward.

Now, we did that several times to get into the action in a simple, but efficient way. Clunk and now she was ready to move forward. The shifting part was simple enough as we practiced enough sitting the showroom models we saw. So, sitting in our own sporty car and shifting through the gears, while not moving on the streets, seemed efficient and an easy way to get accustomed to the bucket seats, shift lever and actual movement from first to 4th.

Note:

Once we got to our driving on the street location, she took to it like a seasoned veteran. It was a huge industrial tract after 3.pm. The streets and businesses were empty as most left at the end of the work hours. Very few industrial businesses stayed open past 3 p.m. at the time. So, the streets were empty and wide, with most parking spots empty, too. It was almost a perfect place to learn to drive. My wife liked the open spaces and was able to handle and stop anywhere. She learned to parallel park, and with the small size, I had orange cones to make a space in the empty curb for practice runs.

The one thing I did not account for was small corner off camber slopes at a stop sign. Several corners in the industrial area were stop sign controlled. But, the street went up and over at an angle to make a complete stop. Now, the dreaded “hill start” situation comes into play. For her, no one was behind us, to make it less hectic. But, I kept saying the car behind is tailgating her and to make a stop, plus continue after the legal stop. That threw her for a loop. How to start, once stopped on a small hill and an off camber one at that?

We pulled over and I demonstrated the proper “hill start” procedure to prevent rolling back down the slope into the front bumper of the idiot tailgater, plastered right behind her. This technique involved the emergency hand brake, the gas pedal and smoothness.

First the rpms were normal, the car was stopped and the emergency brake was on. So, no need for the brake pedal foot. The first gear was applied and now it was ready to move forward after the complete stop at the stop sign. Right foot on the gas pedal, left foot on the clutch pedal and hand on the brake release button.

As the clutch is let out slightly, a clunk forward is felt. Now, ready for the gas pedal and release of the emergency lever as one lets out the clutch a little more and the car starts moving forward and not rolling back into the tailgater’s bumper. More gas and acceleration moves your car forward and out of danger.

This technique, once learned can be applied to any car, truck or stick shift application, as long as one has a workable emergency brake lever. Yes, the old GM emergency, locking, foot pedal actuator can still be used, if one uses the pedal as a free wheeling action by pulling on the handle outward. Now that handle can be used like a sporty car emergency lever.

Note 2:

So what did the mean young husband do for a final test for his young wife? We drove up the coast to San Francisco in her little sporty car, with stops along the way in Morro Bay, Big Sur and of course, the grand finale, the hills of famous San Francisco.

In Morro Bay, she encountered an off camber stop sign in the middle of town, with a line up of anxious travelers behind her waiting their turn at the same hill stop sign. Then in Big Sur, the Highway 1 was stopped for some road work and the line up of cars was downhill. We were in the middle a line of cars pointed up hill and a short distance to the blocked road repair site.

As trained, she was the driver of the sporty car and she saw the jam up ahead. So, she gently stopped, set her emergency brake lever and waited until the all clear sign was given. When the flagman waved, luckily my wife parked well behind the car ahead. As soon as the flag was raised, that guy started and should have gone forward, but rolled back a foot or so, before he jammed his throttle and moved forward. Not a good “hill start” for sure. But done 90 % of the time by most drivers.

Now, it was her turn and she gently did her learned “hill start” procedures and not an inch was lost downhill. She moved forward with ease and confidence. It was the same thing all over hilly, San Francisco. Once learned, never forgotten. 10 years later, she sold her sporty car and got a 5 speed sedan. not an inch was lost on any hill thereafter to this day. YRMV

 

my wife grew up in the country, family had hay fields and the sort so she learned at a young age.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys!
I got her in the car yesterday, and she rowed through the gears OK sitting still.
My plan to get her rolling is to take her on a date this Friday, and I'll get too drunk to drive.

It should work out.

 

Yes, My '56 (souped-up / Daily Driver) Chevrolet

 

Lynchburg has a lot of hills. I hope you don't like the bumpers on the Plymouth too much ...

 

I have a set of scrubby ribbed '50 plymouth bumpers, might be time to swap them on as a sacrifice!

 

SWMBO learned to drive her father's 62 Chevy with 3 on the tree, and even to unjam the linkage, IN TRAFFIC, while on her learners permit. Long before I met her. Thank god...

 

Wife's first car was a 1951 Plymouth enough said

 

Recalling previous threads about driving old cars, I'm surprised that there hasn't been more mentioned about negotiating the non-synchro first gear issue or double clutching.

 

she didn‘t even ask if she could. Just jumped in and figured it out. That was handy when I broke my shoulder on our first day on vacation in 2016. She drove me and the Chevy home 500 miles . No problem. Old cars are Not for is guys only , our girls love them too. Sit her in, let her go.

 

Since 2005, my wife has been driving a floor shifted AUTOMATIC transmission car. At this point, I'm not sure she could handle a column shifted AUTOMATIC!

40 years ago she picked out a 65 Barracuda that had a 4 speed manual on the floor. She sort of managed to drive that, only because she wanted to drive it bad and I wouldn't put an automatic in the car. Teaching her how to drive the floor shifted car was a huge challenge back then.

If I was in the OPs position, I would be buying me, or her, a "new" ride. Trying to teach my wife how to drive anything at this point would be crazy. If the time comes she needs a different ride then the one she now has, the story will be "Dear, its time for you to pick out what you want to drive."

Tell me again, why can't you use your 48 Plymouth?

 

One of my Realtor referral partners bought a 1950 Studebaker for her 18 year old son to drive. She asked me to help teach him to maintain and drive it. I'm glad to show the young un how to drive his 3 on the tree but I would be in divorce court...again, if I tried to teach my wife.

I gave up teaching her anything after a skiing debacle a couple decades back. An accidental turn down a double black diamond mogul run on My Bachelor (skier groomed, no machinery) nearly cost me half of everything I own. She still brings it up to this day. After that I go skiing and she goes to the ski school, and we meet for lunch. Let someone else teach em.

 

Billy they never forget and they won't let you forget either!

 

I took a seasonal job that requires me to drive my own vehicle. While not using a 2 door is only "not reccomended" I dont think me riding the ol'Plymouth is going to fly.
I would love to buy another car, but we are planning on moving our family out of the country as soon as our house sells.

I took @1Nimrod s advice, and today took a short drive with my wife shifting, it went really well.
Luckily, a girlfriend of my wife's taught her to drive a stick a 13 years ago.

And no kidding about them never forgetting anything. Once I poured out a half cup of orange juice i thought was left from the day before...nope, she had just set it down. She brings it up to this day, and that was a decade ago!

 

In truth I can never figure out why people male or female think that a three on the tree shifter is so freaking difficult to deal with.
Pull the lever back toward the wheel with your fingers and then down to first. Let out the clutch and speed up and move it up and let the spring take it forward and up again to second. let out the clutch and speed up until you need to go into third and push in the clutch, slip the shifter straight down two clicks to third if you feel it go through the neutral spot at all. Need to back up, pull the handle to the wheel and then up and you are in reverse. Maybe because I learned it 63 years ago when we had a 51 Ford Victoria.
When I was 18 I taught my 16 year old sister to drive a stick in my car simply by getting on the dirt road 1/4 mile from the house that was on the All dirt roads jaunt to her boyfriend's house where she wanted to go and told her that she was going to have to drive the car to get there. It took her a few false starts but she got the handle on it and we made it there on one piece and while they played kissy face I got to snoop in the brush near his place and look at some old car bodies that were out there. Came the closest to ever getting bit by a rattle snake that day when I flipped a car body up and there was a snake under it and his dog spotted it before I did and let me know it was there.

 

I stepped away from this thread at first as I once kinda got tired of teaching at tractor trailer school.
And The OP said she had clutch experience.
Since the clutch and hill aspect has developed, so here's a bit of magic, I found as a kid in Pop's Chevelle.

A good time to explain that motors develop more power as revs increase.
First A demo. Stop on a hill ( with no traffic )
( this does not apply to modern cars where the clutch pedal doubles as a neutral safety switch,
If that is the case, demo with a different car,,, just to teach this principle. )
The hill needs to, or should be, enough to challenge the car weight. Of course right lane, not in traffic.
Stop, apply foot brake. Shut down motor, select 1st gear. Foot off of clutch, foot off of brake.
Slowly push clutch down until car begins to creep back. Raise pedal to where the motor friction holds the car from rolling, and yet slight more pressure will allow to roll, and less just holds it.
( Now the miracle ) Turn ignition to start the car should remain still, even at idle.
Holding left foot in same place, engine can idle; or, use gas, revving up won't move the car.
Ready to go ease up on clutch and feed gas to power the car up hill.
The lesson to learn here, is that the clutch pedal is in control of moving the car.
The gas is needed to power the motor.
So heel and toe, toe and heel can be on the gas once the clutch is raised to the point of friction.

 

Taught 2 of my daughters to drive a 3 speed. Took a while but they got it...
Teaching my son was a piece of cake.

 

Don't know how old your kids are; but if they are old enough to laugh and make fun of her when things don't go right; leave them at home or with a sitter.

After 30 some years, our kids still tease her about trying to drive my bosses stick shift mini van.

 

Its all fun and games, but sometimes a guy has to consider the circumstances, before he acts.

I have been married to my wife for 48 years. This length of time together teaches a guy some life experiences. Maybe it would be helpful to share some of those.

My wife is a wonderful person with many talents, and we have a great relationship. She has strengths and weaknesses I do not have, and I have strengths and weaknesses she does not have, we complement each other because we both understand this.

My wife does not possess much in the line of mechanical abilities, we both know this. Over the years we have managed to get her to recognize when the car does something it normally doesn't do, and have her tell me about it. I have learned to address those things as soon as she tells me about them, so she keeps telling me about those new developments when they happen. She has her own car, I don't drive it very much (sometimes she gives me permission to drive it). I don't like it much, but she loves it. She picked it out, she drives it, its hers (she even buys her own gas). She has been driving it for 20 years, and it has 150,000 miles on it. Her intent is for it to be the last car she has to drive. Until the car, or her ability to drive it, changes things, I intend to keep it that way as well.

At this point in time, there will be no driving lessons of any kind unless its something she wants (which would really surprise me). When she was younger, she was more willing to learn more things automotive, but now she is perfectly intent to remain at the place she has been at the last 20 or so years.
My job, as her husband, is to not place unnecessary burdens on her. Teaching her to drive a 3 on the tree would be a huge unnecessary burden. One we are not going to experience, regardless of how easy some may think it would be.