Last stats. I heard was that only 26% of Americans can drive a manual trans. I personally don’t like auto. trans. Most of the new big trucks are automatics now.
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When I was growing up my neighbor across the street had a 50 something Dodge or Plymouth with a 3 speed manual with clutch plus a torque converter. I think they called it fluid drive if I remember correctly. You could start out in 3rd gear and the fluid drive would eventually get it up to speed. GM had the 2 speed powerglide transmission that we used to call powerslip transmission. Nowadays many of the new vehicles have 6 speed auto transmissions. I’d hate to pay for an overhaul of one of those. 
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A friend had a ‘54 Buick and he asked me to drive him to Detroit to join the navy. On the way home, I came into a small town and dropped the dynaflo transmission into “low” so the dual exhausts would pop and bang. Then I saw some girls walking on the sidewalk, so I dropped the transmission into “low”, but wait. I was already in low, so it went into "reverse’. The tires let out a bawl, the car slowed quickly, slammed me up against the steering wheel causing the horn to blow. I couldn’t get that thing back in drive and out of town quick enough. TomC
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Most of my cars have had manual transmissions. But for towing I’ve heard that automatics are better. Just because it is too easy to burn up the clutch? But big rigs used to have clutches. So maybe it takes a skilled operator to tow with a clutch?
Rindert
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My cornbinder was a manual and it was a snow plow truck for a school before I got it. I had it for about 20 years plowing snow and pulling a 5th wheel trailer over loaded with logs and lumber. Never replaced a clutch or tranny.
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Auto vs manual trans .
This afternoon I needed the wife to pull my log skidder off ( dead battery’s )
First tried my john deere , clutch with 8 reverses and 16 forwards.
I was afraid we was going to break something or get hurt so we canceled.
Next we put my wood truck to it . . She knew how to put it in D and press the gas 
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Jeff, That truck was built to last, heavy duty. It will out last any new truck.
Bob
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Wayne, thats what I like about the automatic transmission it is easy to use for our better half to help us.
Bob
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Sounds like Wayne is trying to say that his Dodge will out pull the Buick… Personnel challenge, indeed!
Just kidding ! Nice skidder, looks strait.
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No No Mr. Jeff .
Just saying wife does best with auto trans .
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Thats good deal, the mersadies diesel i bought was a 78 and i wanted too rebuild the transmission myself,though the rebuild kit was no ware too be found for the 300 D automatics of that year. Most of the american made cars had parts available for more years later on.
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@Bobmac, The battery was too dead to get the display on long enough to read the mileage. Time to buy another 12v starter battery. Ho, the charger was on the battery and still not enough to keep it powered up for more than a second.
Oh well…
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Hmmm. My wife does okay with a manual trans, and my son too. I’m just going to stick with what I have for now.
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When I was driving to the Cleveland Clinic and before the operation I was happy to be driving an automatic. Doubt that I could of done all that driving with and automatic. Pros and cons…
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Now that I bought a battery for this thing I found out that it is tied up in an estate issue and just too much for me to deal with. I think I might get reimbursed for the battery. Oh well, I would rather spend the time on forestry stuff than driving which is something that I am tired of. Also I need to build a small trailer workshop because I need to reinvent myself. I pulled the trigger on a new sawmill, can’t take it with me, and will be obsessed with that and if I do leave before Dad, it will be like I am still there with him. Driving can never compete with making saw dust! Oh, the mini workshop will be off grid! Can’t wait! Need to take as much as possible to the auctions this spring, all ready took most of my music stuff to an auction. Did I say that a Lo-Boy Cub needs gassed…
Balls to the wall!
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What kind of sawmill are you getting?
The mini offgrid workshop sounds very interesting. What is the basic plan there?
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I have an old house trailer, without the house, that I had a homemade band sawmill on. That will get cut down a bit and the shop will be built on it. The front portion will be enclosed and the rear will be open with the roof continuing over the rear open part. I could weld or run a generator on the open portion. Mainly only easy off grid tool will be allowed in like hand tools and cordless tools. All so more difficult off grid tools like welders that need a larger generator. For heat I’m toying with one side a woodgas stove and the other side a rocket stove that feed an exhaust pipe for radiant heat. Downside is the need for power flue fan. It would be my version of a “shoot out” between a rocket stove and a woodgas stove.
The sawmill is a Canadian made swing saw.
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Leave room for a bunk, and an rv sink for washing up. You could camp in it.
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