My new daily driver

[Barry Wolk]

I want to work out all the bugs before I head across the state of Michigan next month for a Concours in St. Joseph. I don't want to hit the road until the car is totally sorted. I took it out today and was big-time disappointed in the way it went down the road. The front end felt OK, but lane changes were a bitch. I'd turn the wheel left and the ass-end would want to go right. Not a pleasant feeling at all.

Took it back to my shop and discovered that my tire guy must have had a defective pressure gauge as the brand new bias-ply tires only had 12 pounds of pressure in them taking all the stiffness out of the sidewalls. Kinda felt like driving on radials the first time. I should have checked.

The cable brakes pull a little, but I'm going to drive it and make a final adjustment before I leave. Everything else on the car works, except the gas gauge. Turns out the red liquid they use was toxic, so I'll do without. Just like owners of the finest antique cars, I'll carry a stick to gauge how much gas I have left.

I'm having a little trouble with second gear, but a shift into third seems to stop the gears enough to quickly shift into second. It was a little spooky driving in rush-hour traffic, but it did OK. It certainly kept up with traffic.

Hagerty had asked for this car for their young driver's program, but I'm still getting used to shifting it. The whole point of the program tomorrow is to teach young drivers to drive antique cars. There seems to be a bit of reluctance for young people to get into antique cars because most are put off by the manual trans. We've decided to take the '55 Porsche instead, as it's the quintessential learner's vehicle, being VW based at that time. Wish us luck. Not having had children I hope I don't lose patience with them.:mad:

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/1933%20Continental/IMG_4114.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/1933%20Continental/image001.jpg

[Mad Scientist]

I wonder if rather then just telling them what to do if you could explain why they need to do it if that would help?
Of course you would need to keep this technical discussion very simple. Perhaps a drawing or even a sketch of engine, clutch and transmission.

[Barry Wolk]

I believe Hagerty has that covered.

[SLK]

Wish us luck. Not having had children I hope I don't lose patience with them.:mad:


I wish you lots of luck. I enjoy my kids, but I understand why sometimes lions eat their young...:D

Barry, you need to update your signature. You're missing your 33 Continental and your Ford Pick-up.

[Barry Wolk]

We had a blast. My wife sat in the shade and socialized while I was out in the sun all day. I'm exhausted. I taught 36 16-20 year-old drivers to drive a stick. Our Porsche was by far the most requested ride even though there was a Corvette split-window owned by McKeel Hagerty, a Lingenfelter Camaro brought by Ken himself, a new Mustang supplied by Ford, a '28 Packard, a '28 Model A and a 1940 Buick convertible. Wayne Carini also volunteered to teach young drivers to not fear driving granddad's Whatevermobile.

This was Hagerty's roll out of their "DRIVING EXPERIENCE-The art of driving classic cars". They worked with The Automotive Hall of Fame and The Henry Ford to secure an area about two football fields, end to end. They coned off an oval track with three yellow and red flags to signify stop signs. The object being that they would get lots of practice getting the car rolling without going very fast. Every one of my students got better with each lap.

They started the morning program with 18 drivers. They split them up into two groups. One went out to the track and the other got a one hour session on car maintenance. I think they used a GNX, which was pretty cool. My first student made me a little nervous, but was very respectful and very focused. I insisted that anything electronic they had on them had to be turned off. They all seemed to have them, but respectfully turned them off.

In the preliminary session they tried to explain how a clutch worked, on a big screen, but lacked a 3-D representation, and, it went over most people's heads, IMO. I think a working model of a very basic clutch would work better as an educational tool. Some of the people really had no idea what they had just seen so I used hand gestures to give them a 3-D explanation. That seemed to work pretty well.

After the event the facilitator, a friend of ours, came up and said that he questioned all of my previous views that I've professed about children as he was astounded at my patience with them. Wayne and Ken must have been more patient as some of their students were terrible. :(

I let a reporter from the Detroit News drive the car in the unused lot next to the track. It took her awhile to get used to it, then I couldn't get her out of it. She was not tough on the eyes, so I didn't mind. A web reporter for Car and Driver jammed himself into the back seat as I taught one of the students to drive. There was another guy there representing Car & Drivers "Save the Manual" promotion. This guy must have been 6'7" driving a Mazda 2. I don't look up to many people so I noticed what he was driving.

By the end of the day I was beaten from being under a cloudless day at about 85°. We were well fed and my wife ensured that I stayed hydrated. I was pretty much done for the day at 4:00. A young man came up to me that I had taught earlier in the afternoon and asked if he could drive the Porsche. I told him that I was exhausted and that he had already had his turn. He said he hadn't. I gave him a quizzical look and said, "Right." He said, "No, really, that was my twin brother!" I did a double-take as he pointed out the kid driving the Packard. D'oh, back out I went.

I had a terrific time and would do it again in a heartbeat. I probably burned off 500 miles in clutch material, but it was worth it. It was very gratifying to see the enormous undertaking Hagerty took to keep young people interested in old and antique cars. It was further gratifying to learn of the number of sponsors that chipped in to this program. I was actually astounded to see how involved Wayne Carini and Ken Lingenfelter and the car owners were. It was very fulfilling and a great way to spend a summer day.

The track.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4135.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4134.jpg

The cute reporter.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4132.jpg

Lingenfelter Camaro.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4129.jpg

Ken driving the Porsche.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4133.jpg

Save the Manuals

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4121-1.jpg

'28 Packard

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4126.jpg

'40 Buick

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4127.jpg

'11 Mustang

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4130.jpg

'28 Model A. 10,000 miles in less than 1 year.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4131.jpg

Split window

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4120.jpg

My wife being interviewed by the Detroit Free Press.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4116.jpg

Wayne Carini and us.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/IMG_4115-1.jpg

The very best thing that happened today was that every single one of my students thanked me for letting them drove our car. Apparently parents are still teaching that. I am pleased. It was a good day.

[Barry Wolk]

My wife's interview.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110708/NEWS05/110708047/Teens-get-chance-learn-how-shift-gears?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

[Barry Wolk]

One of the kids mom's sent these pictures with this message.

Glynette,

Attached are pictures of your husband driving with my son Craig! Thank you both
so much for sharing with the kids, they had a ball. They couldn't stop talking
about it the whole way home. You really made their day.

Sincerely,

Linda M

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/DSC_0033.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/DSC_0038.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Gi/DSC_0045.jpg

[Rick Payton]

Barry can I come drive the Porsche too?:D

[Barry Wolk]

Sure, buddy.:D

[Chuck Lutz]

Barry, What a great thing by both you and Glynette. I'm sure these young people will always remember what you did.
PS, I really enjoy CCC with Wayne. Just never new he was as "compact" as he seems next to you and Glynette. :D

[Barry Wolk]

She's 5'7" and I'm 6'5". She fell in love with me when I called her "Shorty". She told me she married me because I was the tallest Jew with the shortest last name.:confused:

I think I should qualify as a minority. How many 6'5" Jews do you know?

[Hal W May]

Barry: Have you tried "double-clutching" just before you slide the gearshift lever into 2nd? It's kinda a timing thing that you'll get used to. You'll learn to make it work 90% of the time. The times that it doesn't work you can always syncro in with revving the engine a little to effect a grindless shift into 2nd.

[Barry Wolk]

I'm finding that I can clunk it into second after grinding into third. I've tried double clutching, but that doesn't seem to work.

If you can't find 'em, grind 'em.

[Barry Wolk]

More exposure and a note from one of the participants.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/hagerty-insurance-joins-the-save-the-manuals-cause-video/

Ms. Salsbury,

Thank you very much for organizing the Hagerty Drving Experience! My friend and I really enjoyed learning about the classic cars, their owners, and especially driving them. I got to drive the Porsche Continental Cabriolet and appreciated Barry taking the time to teach me how to drive his car. My outlook on old cars is completely different now and I want the first car I purchase to have a manual transmission. Thanks again!

Michael G