[njsteve]

i love the badges!. Great look. Actually that hill assist has been great for the training sessions with the boy. It times out after one second so it teaches him to quickly move from the brake pedal to the gas on a hill but gives him that second of stationary-ness without freaking that the car is going to roll into the guy behind you.

Reminds me of when I was 14 years old and teaching my older brother how to drive his 1969 Daytona Yellow SS396 Camaro that my dad bought him when he turned 16. He also had no idea how to drive a stick. We were at a light on a really steep hill on the Boston Post Road in Milford Connecticut. He stalled it three times when the light turned green and the old man in the pickup behind us was blasting his horn. My brother just shut the car off, jammed on the parking brake, got out and yelled at the guy "I'M JUST LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE A STICKSHIFT. CAN YOU YOU GIVE ME A BREAK HERE?

He eventually got back in and managed to launch the car successfully forward at the next green light.

And if you are wondering how a 14 year old knew how to drive a stick shift? Well, my dad was always confused which of the 5 kids was which. So when he offered to help me buy my first car at age 14 (a 1969 Z11 pace Car) I was happy to let him. It was only after we got home with my new prize that my mom walks over and says to him: "You know, he is the 14 year old. His 16 year old brother is the one that needs a car. Now go find him a car"

Here's my car at age 14 and my brother's at 16 on the day my dad brought it home...in the snow. (This is what $3,500 bought you in 1977!)