The Elio Standard Transmission

[Ty]

I had to do the same thing in an '85 Mustang once... the clutch cable broke and I had to shift without it. I couldn't get into first though unless it was stopped and turned off. I'd stop, turn off the motor, put it in first, wait for the light to turn green, start it up while lurching forward and then hope I'd make a few lights before having to repeat the process. I knew what the problem was but had to get home to fix it. I was just hoping I'd be able to get there before burning out the starter! (I did)

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I had to do the same thing in an '85 Mustang once... the clutch cable broke and I had to shift without it. I couldn't get into first though unless it was stopped and turned off. I'd stop, turn off the motor, put it in first, wait for the light to turn green, start it up while lurching forward and then hope I'd make a few lights before having to repeat the process. I knew what the problem was but had to get home to fix it. I was just hoping I'd be able to get there before burning out the starter! (I did)

Had to do the same with a Ford Ranger. But that was due to a blown slave cylinder.

That was the last Ford that I'd ever buy.

 

[WilliamH]

I had to do the same thing in an '85 Mustang once... the clutch cable broke and I had to shift without it. I couldn't get into first though unless it was stopped and turned off. I'd stop, turn off the motor, put it in first, wait for the light to turn green, start it up while lurching forward and then hope I'd make a few lights before having to repeat the process. I knew what the problem was but had to get home to fix it. I was just hoping I'd be able to get there before burning out the starter! (I did)

Had the same thing in a '72 Vega. 30 miles home while trying to avoid left hand turns. Slowed down as much as I could approaching red lights to avoid having to stop. Like you I knew what the problem was, but what do you do on a Sunday in the middle of no place?

 

[NSTG8R]

Had the same thing in a '72 Vega. 30 miles home while trying to avoid left hand turns. Slowed down as much as I could approaching red lights to avoid having to stop. Like you I knew what the problem was, but what do you do on a Sunday in the middle of no place?

Same thing on my '73 Vega GT when I was out in San Diego....sort of. Wasn't the clutch cable, it was the throw out bear that bought the farm.

 

[ajetmech]

I had to do the same thing in an '85 Mustang once... the clutch cable broke and I had to shift without it. I couldn't get into first though unless it was stopped and turned off. I'd stop, turn off the motor, put it in first, wait for the light to turn green, start it up while lurching forward and then hope I'd make a few lights before having to repeat the process. I knew what the problem was but had to get home to fix it. I was just hoping I'd be able to get there before burning out the starter! (I did)

Had to do a similar thing with an old Chevy 4x4 pickup for a few days until it got to the weekend and I could take the time to fix the problem with the clutch, ended up being the fork between the slave cylinder and the throw out bearing was bent and cracked, the bearing had gone bad also and I think that caused the problem with the fork. Luckily at the time I lived in a small town and wasn't having to drive far.

 

[Mark327]

My bad if I missed it..... Still kinda new here....
The 5\Spd clutch will be mechanical cable, not hydraulic?

 

[Ty]

My bad if I missed it..... Still kinda new here....
The 5\Spd clutch will be mechanical cable, not hydraulic?

I'm going to chime in though I don't know. Most, if not all, vehicles with standard transmissions have hydraulic clutches. They aren't that complicated or expensive. With the engine being so low powered, it could easily be cable operated but I don't see that happening.

 

[Thomas Maule]

A manual transmission is one of the best theft deterrents available. I'm getting one

 

[Lil4X]

I currently have a 1970 Opel GT.

What was your Opel?

I had a '72 57R (later called the Manta Rallye). Most fun I ever had on four wheels. I drove it for over ten years, most of those as my "weekend" car and loved every minute of it. It was lovingly maintained and looked showroom new, even after years of enjoyment. My daughter's pothead boyfriend kept pestering me to sell it to him, so eventually I did, having run out of garage and parking space. In two weeks he'd rolled it TWICE. It was physically painful to see my faithful mount reduced to a collection of crumpled sheetmetal. It it's last moments it gave all to save his worthless hide.

 

[robert109]

Manual vs automatic, I don't think, has anything to do with laziness! For someone that drives two hours a day in what is usually bumper-to-bumper traffic, I will choose the automatic. I don't think that's being lazy. If I'm in traffic, I'd like to be able to take a sip of my Dew now and again.Plus not have to be pounding my foot like I'm in a hoedown for an hour.
Maybe that's lazy...

I agree , I want the automatic. Besides, the engineers of the Elio have already stated numerous times the auto will get BETTER mileage than the manual.