Ever hear something and have a moment of enlightenment?

[FAUlty Gator]

Sitting here having some diner coffee, listening to the local redneck council meeting chatter on and one of the fellers said, “You know, I used to have a truck that had three on the tree and I loved that thing?”

Took me a minute to get what he was talking about then I realized “Oh, a three gear shifter that’s up on the steering wheel tree.” Three on the tree! Makes sense.

Then BOOM! Holy shit…that’s what “Four on the floor” must mean. A four gear vehicle with a foot clutch. I never knew what that meant and now I do. At least I think I do. Right?

Thank you kind redneck!

 

[alaskanseminole]

Sitting here having some diner coffee, listening to the local redneck council meeting chatter on and one of the fellers said, “You know, I used to have a truck that had three on the tree and I loved that thing?”

Took me a minute to get what he was talking about then I realized “Oh, a three gear shifter that’s up on the steering wheel tree.” Three on the tree! Makes sense.

Then BOOM! Holy shit…that’s what “Four on the floor” must mean. A four gear vehicle with a foot clutch. I never knew what that meant and now I do. At least I think I do. Right?

Thank you kind redneck!

May I ask your age?

 

[FAUlty Gator]

May I ask your age?

50. And yes it’s shameful. And yes, I guarantee I’ve said “four on the floor” before just to sound cool. But in reality, I’m what you would call a “take it to a mechanic” guy.

 

[alaskanseminole]

50. And yes it’s shameful. And yes, I guarantee I’ve said “four on the floor” before just to sound cool. But in reality, I’m what you would call a “take it to a mechanic” guy.

We're the same age...I grew up driving my Papaw's "Three on the tree" and my first vehicle was a "Four on the floor."

 

[FAUlty Gator]

We're the same age...I grew up driving my Papaw's "Three on the tree" and my first vehicle was a "Four on the floor."

I immediately knew what three on the tree was for some reason but never heard it before and it immediately clarified 4 on the floor for me. Just a funny/weird thing I guess.

 

[ICWestfan]

Sitting here having some diner coffee, listening to the local redneck council meeting chatter on and one of the fellers said, “You know, I used to have a truck that had three on the tree and I loved that thing?”

Took me a minute to get what he was talking about then I realized “Oh, a three gear shifter that’s up on the steering wheel tree.” Three on the tree! Makes sense.

Then BOOM! Holy shit…that’s what “Four on the floor” must mean. A four gear vehicle with a foot clutch. I never knew what that meant and now I do. At least I think I do. Right?

Thank you kind redneck!

I'm guessing you don't know how to speed shift?

 

[DooBi]

Sitting here having some diner coffee, listening to the local redneck council meeting chatter on and one of the fellers said, “You know, I used to have a truck that had three on the tree and I loved that thing?”

Took me a minute to get what he was talking about then I realized “Oh, a three gear shifter that’s up on the steering wheel tree.” Three on the tree! Makes sense.

Then BOOM! Holy shit…that’s what “Four on the floor” must mean. A four gear vehicle with a foot clutch. I never knew what that meant and now I do. At least I think I do. Right?

Thank you kind redneck!

Close. The foot clutch has nothing to do with it. Three on the tree also has a foot clutch. On the floor refers to the gear shifter placement.

 

[Mayland]

50. And yes it’s shameful. And yes, I guarantee I’ve said “four on the floor” before just to sound cool. But in reality, I’m what you would call a “take it to a mechanic” guy.

Dude. I might be the least mechanically inclined straight male ever, and I’ve known those terms since I was about 18 months old.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I immediately knew what three on the tree was for some reason but never heard it before and it immediately clarified 4 on the floor for me. Just a funny/weird thing I guess.

I've had those moments, BUT I'm old and can't think of any ATM...when I do, I'll revisit the thread.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I'm guessing you don't know how to speed shift?

Funny thing is I drove a stick shift all through college. Four on the floor, actually. Never called it that because it was a piece of shit 1983 Chevy Cavalier.

 

[Aardvark86]

Yes, i walked into a BBQ joint in Arlington and Tony Rice's "Church Street Blues" was playing, and I realized, holy shit, bluegrass is really worth listening to.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Dude. I might be the least mechanically inclined straight male ever, and I’ve known those terms since I was about 18 months old.

I know the 4 on the floor term but never put it together what it meant. It’s like “dual cams”. WTF ever grease monkey, is my car ready yet or not?

 

[Mayland]

I know the 4 on the floor term but never put it together what it meant. It’s like “dual cams”. WTF ever grease monkey, is my car ready yet or not?

LOL. I had a buddy in high school who had a Rambler ( I think) that had three on the tree. I got in it thinking it was an automatic transmission with the shifter in the steering column. Of course in those days you could fire up a car that was still in gear. Imagine my surprise when I started it and went about 20 yards before figured out what was going on.

 

[IMCC965]

I had a HUGE lightbulb moment last week that changed my life, but I forgot what it was.

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

While profound I don't know that my moment of enlightenment was quite as drastic as the OP's.


My daughter was just starting to walk*

"A man lives 2 lives, and the second begins when he realizes he only lives one" .






Similar to OP:

Threshold = floors were covered in "thresh"


History of "baby with the bath water"

Why wedding were originally in the month the bride would take her yearly shower.

"Piss poor" vs "doesn't even have a pot to piss in" ( tanning)

 

[JMNSHO]

In Today’s parlance, one might call such a realization an Epiphany—Feast on that fact.

 

[seminoleed]

I've always understood "4 on the floor", but until this thread, I'd never heard "3 on the tree".

And I'm 73, for crying out loud. Where the hell have I been?

 

[alaskanseminole]

I've always understood "4 on the floor", but until this thread, I'd never heard "3 on the tree".

And I'm 73, for crying out loud. Where the hell have I been?

 

[hydro2.0]

Grew up driving a manual transmission so familiar with shifting gears.

My neighbor restored an old truck which had a 3 on the tree. He let me drive it and it was so foreign and weird to shift by the steering wheel vs in the floor. Did not like

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

Grew up driving a manual transmission so familiar with shifting gears.

My neighbor restored an old truck which had a 3 on the tree. He let me drive it and it was so foreign and weird to shift by the steering wheel vs in the floor. Did not like

I've never driven one, the gears are similar to a motorcycle correct:


3
2
N
1

?

 

[hydro2.0]

I've never driven one, the gears are similar to a motorcycle correct:


3
2
N
1

?

R. 2
| —N—
1. 3

 

[SalAunese]

"A man lives 2 lives, and the second begins when he realizes he only lives one" .

This is especially true for me

 

[mnole03]

I didn’t listen to the words in Blues Traveler’s Hook for like twenty years.

 

[Igor Stravinsky10]

R. 2
| —N—
1.

Grew up driving a manual transmission so familiar with shifting gears.

My neighbor restored an old truck which had a 3 on the tree. He let me drive it and it was so foreign and weird to shift by the steering wheel vs in the floor. Did not like

In high school my brother drove a 3 on the tree Ford (don't remember the model). I didn't like driving it, didn't like the 3 on the tree, so I drove Dad's 4 on the floor 1981 Ford F250. We still have it stored in my BILs machine shed. Haven't tried to start it in years, but now I want to. CSB

 

[OrlandNole]

I've always understood "4 on the floor", but until this thread, I'd never heard "3 on the tree".

And I'm 73, for crying out loud. Where the hell have I been?

Same.

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

R. 2
| —N—
1. 3

Down "in" =1 (towards you)

Down "out" = 3?





(I've just realized there may be some M1 version of "out and in")

 

[goldmom]

I've always understood "4 on the floor", but until this thread, I'd never heard "3 on the tree".

And I'm 73, for crying out loud. Where the hell have I been?

Absolutely no excuse. Shame on you.

 

[SalAunese]

I'm 50 and I remember driving my grandfather's old '68 1/2 GMC pickup that wouldn't die. It sat in the back of the big 90' long shed for years and started up every time. It underwent some mods during its time. Went from a 3 on the tree to a 4 on the floor and from a 302 to a 350 at some point in time.

 

[SalAunese]

Anyone here learn to drive on a John Deere 4010/4020 or AC 7050? ha

 

[ICWestfan]

Anyone know what a "mud fence" is?

 

[Igor Stravinsky10]

I'm 50 and I remember driving my grandfather's old '68 1/2 GMC pickup that wouldn't die. It sat in the back of the big 90' long shed for years and started up every time. It underwent some mods during its time. Went from a 3 on the tree to a 4 on the floor and from a 302 to a 350 at some point in time.

Way off topic, but can I ask about your handle? Were you a CU fan in the early 90s?

 

[SalAunese]

Yea, big time and my sister, aunts and cousins all attended CU. I'm the lone Hawkeye

 

[Igor Stravinsky10]

Anyone know what a "mud fence" is?

I've heard the term, but have no clue what it is. I'm ready for a moment of enlightenment, ICWestfan

 

[gohawks50]

Anyone here learn to drive on a John Deere 4010/4020 or AC 7050? ha

After my brother died last year, we had an auction to sell his farm equipment. The hardest thing for me to watch go was Dad's 1961 4010 gas tractor that he bought before I turned a year old. Dad paid a little over $5000 back in April of 61 for the 4010 and a four bottom plow. In March of 2024 it was still running well and it sold for $5500.

 

[ICWestfan]

I've heard the term, but have no clue what it is. I'm ready for a moment of enlightenment, ICWestfan

The term "ugly as a mud fence" is why I asked. Probably refers to silt control fencing, but this is what I always thought of it as -

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I always explain to my students that your brain is a bit like a spider web. The more threads (knowledge) you have the easier it is to catch and understand new knowledge.
I tried explaining this concept to the idiots that run professional development when the said, you can just google things. To think critically you must have knowledge. This was a great example I used in my class today to illustrate that point. (most don't know what a clutch is or that there is anything other than D). The few farm kids that knew what a manual transmission was, understood statement well.

 

[seminoleed]

Absolutely no excuse. Shame on you.

I led a very sheltered life, apparently.

 

[Rifler]

I've never driven one, the gears are similar to a motorcycle correct:

Most common 3 on the tree arrangement that I'm familiar with...

1 - - - - 3
- - N - -
2 - - - - R

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I didn’t listen to the words in Blues Traveler’s Hook for like twenty years.

So funny. I’ve been playing that on the piano this week and just realized what the hell he was saying myself. Always been a favorite of mine. Just never put it together. Crushing it on piano, BTW.

 

[Igor Stravinsky10]

So funny. I’ve been playing that on the piano this week and just realized what the hell he was saying myself. Always been a favorite of mine. Just never put it together. Crushing it on piano, BTW.

Are you Cam from Modern Family?