What good is First Gear?

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by Argess

Hey Silverback, you're supposed to laugh at me, not pick on me.........LOLOL.

I'm sure it's not spinning, but all the previous posts on "it's your tires" are making me unsure. Anyway, I'm not nailing the throttle. It doesn't lunge forward, it's the opposite...during the shift, it feels almost like I am braking. But you're correct.....I am having trouble with the 1-2 shift.

I've been driving this car since 1996. No accidents, no "almost" accidents. In fact, I've never had an accident with anything, and although no Cobra, I've also owned a Datsun 240Z and a lightly modified 82 RX7. I've been driving since 1976 and seem to have got along so far without injuring anyone, and that includes driving in and around major US and Canadian cities. And that also includes 14 years of a 100 mile + commute (return included) during maritime winters which include snow, slush, ice and black ice. oh-oh...time to "rap-on-wood" before I do get in an accident!!!

Only thing I ever owned with an automatic transmission was my 66 Mustang with a 289. I'm not a fan of automatics.

There are no HP Driving Schools anywhere within ....probably 1000 miles of where I live, but I would like to attend one.

To be a bit fair to myself, I find almost all manual transmission cars are a bit difficult until you get into 2nd, but the Cobra seems much worse. AND, in many of the dragstrip Cobra videos (like on Youtube), I see the driver shifts into second pretty early. I guess I can do that OK...."shift low and go". However, did you ever see one of those acceleration graphs of a Cobra? The 1-2 shift seems to be pretty high in mph. So I'm trying to get a little more revs up before the shift....and it just ain't working for me.

Anyway, I find nothing wrong admitting in public (i.e. the net) my faults when the purpose is to request help. Perhaps you have some tips you can share so I don't have to attend a driving school?

Okay, I will laugh at you and not pick on you.

If it feels like you are braking during the first to second shift, you're timing of the throttle lift to clutch depression is off. You should feel very little if any deceleration during the shift. Sounds to me that you are letting off the throttle to early compared to when you are depressing the clutch. That is why it feels like you are braking. Work on your timing and I believe you will see a huge improvement.

I have a good friend of mine that loves performance cars, but cannot drive a stick to save his sole. Ernie never could get the timing right, and he just finally gave up and has driven automatics ever since. I could loan him my car for a week and tell him that if he could pull of a good shift, just once after a week, I would give him a $100,000.00, and my money would be safe.

Your name isn't Ernie by chance is it?