Save The Stick: New Leather Keychains From The Manual Gearbox Preservation Society Are In The Shop
You’ve heard it before, right? Someone talking about their modern go-fast apparatus and how much they enjoy putting it in “manual mode”; it’s one of the most cringe-inducing sentences that the three-pedal faithful among us can overhear at Cars & Coffee, both for its hilarious lack of understanding and for its pointlessness. Because the funny thing about the mindset that equates pulling a paddle or pushing a button with using a clutch pedal and a stick shift, is that there’s no shame in driving something without them—most cars don’t even give you an option anymore, and on the basis of pure performance the two-pedal sports cars simply outpace those requiring more human input. So why the need to pretend?
Because anyone that understands driving beyond its basic utilitarian purpose knows that more driver engagement equals more fun, lap times be damned. 2018’s quickest gear changes are measured by the millisecond, and while the quick slap of a high-perf dual-clutch system is cool in its own right it’s got nothing on the pleasure of rowing through them yourself. The Manual Gearbox Preservation Society—a Curb brand dedicated to the stick—understands the joys of a bonafide manual-shift experience, but they’re also pragmatists: this breed is a dying one.
Though there are a few manufacturers still catering to the select few with new car money and old car sensibilities, the forever forward stride of technology is not interested in delaying its progress so a few car nerds can really connect with a perfect 1st-2nd shift at redline. Thankfully our world isn’t dictated by pure practicality though, so if you’re like us and couldn’t care less about such things it’s almost a given that you’ve got something with a manual ‘box in the garage, the driveway, the carport, your aunt’s boss’s neighbor’s storage unit—wherever you keep “the fun one.”
And while it’s just as obnoxious to be a manual-shift snob as it is pretending your paddles are the same thing, there’s nothing wrong with showing your preferences. These subtle key chains are the constant reminder in your pocket that you’ve got a fun drive ahead of you, and they’re a direct but not preachy way of saying “This is better.” The black leather fobs were added to the shop earlier, and today we’ve added the tan fobs to widen the selection. Both are laser-etched with “Manual Gearbox Preservation Society” in a ring around the shift pattern of your choice. So whether you’re a lucky SOB driving a dogleg or else have one of those anachronistic seven-speeds, we’ve got you covered and your keys in check.
