Dan Cobb

THAT (see above) is the question.

What is the concensus on this situation?
My neighbors kid has his license, but is anable to drive a stick. His Dad started to teach him in their 64 Valiant Convertible (aka 1 year before owning a Barracuda MIGHT have actually been cool; ever.)
Anyway, the kid is really pretty cool and I MIGHT be able to inspire someone with potential by giving him some practice in the 911.
I wouldn't let him go w/o me, and I wouldn't teach him to be a jerk behind the whhel, etc. etc.

I would try to give him a chance to learn in a decent car. Not his Dad's piece of dirt 'project'.

Anyway, the father is supportive, and even encouraged the idea, which, BTW, was actually mine (I know, big mouth).

Anyway, I hardly ever have time to drive the car as it is, so the battery is almost always dead when I attempt to start it. (Alt is good, batt is bad)

It would inspire me to clean it up and get it back on the road for a nit of bit of 'seat time' in the car that I really miss driving.

It would also help my kharma a bit to give right now and this might be a somewhat self-less act.

What do you think and WHY?

SEE EDIT BELOW

old man neri

Honestly, I think the best place to learn stick is with a driving instructor. That's what I did, the school had a 1.5hr course that got the basics out of the way. They normally do it for the crowd that has never driven a stick before and is going over to Europe or something. 1.5hrs with an instructor who specializes in teaching stick in the instructors car. After that...maybe your car.

Just a thought.

Amber Gramps

Dan my high school car was a 318 Cubic Inch '64 Barracuda fitted with a Hurst ramrod four speed, no H patern, just pull up the release triger for first and try to keep the front end on the ground. If I can learn in that and other such bugs, and grandpa Kennedy's semi's, your neighbor kid will do just fine in the 911. Mine is very forgiving. I have a new stock cluth that will slip and smoke if you drop it with four people in the car. You won't go anywhere if you let it out too fast, but to be learning with you in the car, that isn't going to be happening. Find him a Home Depot parking lot and make him start and stop over and over and over. He'll love it.

rberry951

Personally, I've watched highly experienced stick drivers (including myself) struggle with the G15, but I've never driven a G50, so I cannot comment on that. But I STILL miss sometimes with this thing. But it does teach you to rev match and shift smooth. To teach someone else to drive a stick I think I'd pick an 80ish honda civic. Had a lot of fun in that car...

Regards,
Russell

Antony.

If he nails it in a 911 he'll be able to drive anything ;-) I taught myself to drive a stick but I was a very willing study watching people whenever I could before I got my VW bug as a kid. I'd explain the mechanics of the system to him and let him at it.

blake

I learned stick on my 911SC. I had been driving for 3 years in an automatic, and purchased the SC w/o a test drive. I had my dad drive the car home after purchase, and then spent the next day learning in our long circular driveway.

Would I recommend it for others? Probably not as I almost pushed the clutch through the floor in my buddy's Rabbit when I drove it later that summer. My Porsche's clutch was HEAVY!

Great memories though....

-Blake

abe

Rent a Mazda for a day...let him make all the mistakes on that transmission. Then, you can take him on the 911.
abe

rllevin

Depends how much you worry about your Porsche. I learned on a forklift and the first time I drove stick in a car was a used Bug with a salesman in it. I recently taught my niece. I started her in my VW Jetta TDI wagon and then moved her up. I don't think my heart could have taken her first half hour in my Porsche.

bourgeois911

I've driven manuals my entire life and I can't say there is a whole lot of that experience that applies to driving my 915. Anytime I drive another vehicle with a stick it seems strange to me now.

64_Comet

I learned to drive a stick I started at the top of the hill and finally was able to find first at the bottom after stalling and rolling numerous times (my parents found it very funny). That clutch outlasted the engine in that car (125k miles Saturn) AND it was used to teach all 4 of us how to drive a stick.

My buddy learned on his dad's '97 Cobra. Hillarity ensued, but the car was fine, my friend's dad still has it and far as I know he hasn't had to replace the clutch.

I think he should be fine, unless he is launching the car I wouldn't expect too many problems. The occassional peel out is to be expected, but all the other shifts will be pretty slow trying to coordinate everything.

In the case of my friend with the Cobra, the finally getting it into 1st gear but using too much gas peel out was pretty spectacular. My friend was a little embarassed, but his dad was cracking up laughing (so make sure to have a sense of humor too).

LaughaC

Ok if the first skill taught is how to slowly double-clutch.

I taught myself by sneaking out in my Dad's 1959 Mercedes 190sl when I was 14. He didn't think the car would even start but I got it running and drove it for months before telling him.

We must have looked hilarious to my neighbors the day my older brother caught me driving it. I big brother bragadosio he demanded his turn behind the wheel but he soon stalled it trying to make a 3-point turnaround by an incline. He then tried to talk me into standing between the car and a 5 foot drop it was about go over but instead I insisted I would take over driving. He had been so such an a** about it that when he finally gave up I drove off and made him walk home in shame. Ah, good times...

flatsixnut

I learned on a Ford F100 with 3speed on the column. As far as the learning on a 915 gearbox...hmmm, my wife could drive our Toyota MR2 with stick very well. The 2nd day I had my 911 I let her have a go at it. I had to tell her to stop after numerous 1st gear take off stalls and the strong smell of burnt clutch.

I am actually thinking of letting her hav another go at it now. The new clutch cable makes it so much easier to shift.

As far as the kid goes....if he can learn and drive the 911, then he will be able to drive anything. Your car just sits anyway, and it sounds like you already said you would teach him on it....so do it.

Ed Hughes

I wouldn't due to the added wear, and the resultant cost of the ultimate repairing needed at some point.
We all know that 915's need to have a little special attention when shifting. I probably couldn't stand sitting next to him with the inevitable missed shifts or slipping of clutch. Use it as a reward when he shows proficiency in something else.

Stevie 77 930

Every teenage boy (and girl) needs to learn how to drive a stick. Back in the 70's we all learned on VW's...pretty easy then.....fast foward to today, I tried to teach my son on my BMW 325 IS and the clutch take up was so soft that he struggled on a regular basis. I put him in my 930 (with a 915 gearbox) and he was smooth as ever. The take up on a Porsche clutch and the 1st gearing make it east to learn. Learning to shift was the next and immediate lesson.... now he's teaching he's classmates (not in my cars)

lfe132

I was taught how to drive a stick in a 1970 912; that's what got me started wanting to own a Porsche. I taught my 16 year old son how to drive a stick in my '84 Carrera. It's all in how the person is taught. Find a place to teach them that has a decline. Point the car in the decline direction, as they have their foot in the clutch and then let off the brake the car starts to roll in the direction you want them to go and that's how they get the hang of it. Then move on to lever ground. Piece of cake if taught properly.