You Know You Are Old When

[goeduck]

My dad always bought cars with 3 on the tree. One day we kids were talking about 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. My mother asked which gear was 1st and which was 3rd, even though she had been driving cars her whole life. We were astonished at first, but once she said she was taught Low, 2nd and High were the gears, her question made sense. If dad was not so cheap, she would have a 4 on the floor with numbers on the stick shift. One thing about 3 on the tree on the cars, the gear pattern was always the same.

 

[MossRoad]

3 on the tree also allowed for bench seat in front with plenty of room for your date to scoot over so you could put your arm around her.

One time my wife picked me up in her Chevelle with bench seats and column shift automatic. I hopped in the passenger side and slid over next to her and told her to put her arm around me...

She told me to get back on my side of the car.

 

[JethroB]

My Mom and us four kids learned to drive in the same WWII Jeep MB. (Dunno if it was a Ford or a Willys) My dad bought it from the Army when he was discharged in 1946 and they soon after married. Dad’s daily driver until the mid 60’s. It was in the family until about 1973 when I was the last to learn In it. I can still remember stretching my right leg to hit the starter and work the gas pedal at the same time.

 

[WinterDeere]

3 on the tree
4 on the floor
5 over drive

Drunks used to say, "four on the floor, and a fifth under the seat.'

My sister had a Malibu (1976?) with a floor shifter and a bench seat. Weirdest combo I've ever seen, outside of pickup trucks.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I bought MILs '74 Nova but wished I had one she had before that...'69 Chevelle SS 427 4 speed, red & black vinyl int.
She never owned a 4 door car.
She lost her permit in her 80s, macular degeneration. Wife went by with Mustang straight shift. Mom couldn't see it hardly at all but sat in it...then asked to drive it. We argued a bit then she said living there since 1932 she knew the streets! So she took off going around the block. We heard tires squawk each perfect gear change. She pulls up, gets out with a big smile saying "my last drive".
She passed at 97.

 

[Jstpssng]

I bought MILs '74 Nova but wished I had one she had before that...'69 Chevelle SS 427 4 speed, red & black vinyl int.
She never owned a 4 door car.
She lost her permit in her 80s, macular degeneration. Wife went by with Mustang straight shift. Mom couldn't see it hardly at all but sat in it...then asked to drive it. We argued a bit then she said living there since 1932 she knew the streets! So she took off going around the block. We heard tires squawk each perfect gear change. She pulls up, gets out with a big smile saying "my last drive".
She passed at 97.

That's a nice thing to remember her by!

 

[JasperFrank]

When you just don't want to fix any thing any more.

 

[Willman]

Drunks used to say, "four on the floor, and a fifth under the seat.'

My sister had a Malibu (1976?) with a floor shifter and a bench seat. Weirdest combo I've ever seen, outside of pickup trucks.

My brother had a 1969 Chevelle SS with factory 4 on the floor and bench seat, you couldn’t put the seat all the way forward

 

[WinterDeere]

My brother had a 1969 Chevelle SS with factory 4 on the floor and bench seat, you couldn’t put the seat all the way forward

I'd bet you could, but then you'd only have 1st and 3rd, with no reverse!

 

[masseyrider]

Drunks used to say, "four on the floor, and a fifth under the seat.'

My sister had a Malibu (1976?) with a floor shifter and a bench seat. Weirdest combo I've ever seen, outside of pickup trucks.

I had a 77 Ford Granada with 4 on the floor and bench seat also. 4th was overdrive.
The shifter looked like it belonged in a big truck. By no means was it a short shift.