Apparently you can no longer get a full size pickup with a manual - is this really true? Buddy of mine bought one of those
Government
Motors
Charity trucks a couple years back, a CHevy. Said they offered only automatics. Said Ford and Dodge were the same. Automatic tranny and crammed with electrical convenience gadgets that break, power-everything. You're right, Stan - they're forcing the consumerism crap onto everyone by building crap you either can't fix or isn't worth fixing. Been going on for years, just look at the plug-n-play-then-throw-away electronics world.
The story about Bill's daughter learning to drive a stick reminded me - I got to teach my mom how to drive a manual with a '82 Mercury Lynx. That was a hoot! Got her to where she could drive it fine, then she just gave up and made dad trade it in for something with an automatic. Sheesh.
Great story, the red head was smokin' hot wasn't she? Well she was in my mind anyways...
She was, but in that 'girl-next-door', wholesome kinda way. Beautiful, really. Turned out to be from a very wealthy family but you'd never have known. She wore Levis and flannel shirts, cut off shorts in summer, etc. Not into warpaint....er....makeup, or all the catty pretenses.
Somewhere I have a photo taken before going to her prom. If I can find it, I'll post it. Funny for a couple reasons, including the '68 MOPAR connection. A story unto itself.