[justin]

Hey Yall im new to this site. On sept 24 2006 i was parlyzed. well i recently turned 16 and i already have a car and its a manual. So if yall cou help me i would like to know if i could get it adapted if not wut would be the best vehicle to get me im t9-t12 and l1.

[Lee]

Yes you can adapt a manual vehicle and its leagal to drive aslong as you passed your test in a manual pre accident and obviously have full use of your arms. They have a basic accelerator/brake handcontrol with a lever bolted usually to the transmission tunnel and a ratchet on it like a handbrake thats attatched to your clutch. This is so you can push the lever down and it stays there till you change gear and pull the lever back up. It is hard to master at first but once your used to it its fine. If you havnt already passed your test then i not sure on the law about this your better off asking DVLA as in the UK if you get highter rate mobilty componant of the DLA then your allowed to take your driving test at 16 like i did and passed. We were told by the doctors at the hospital this and we asked driving examiners, high up police officers/sargents and alot of people in authority and none knew of this and disagreed. Unless they have changed the law since then 1991, then i would ask DVLA if you live in the UK about this. Sorry if your already aware of this. To make your life easier i would sell the car and buy an auto mate. Much nicer to drive and if your trying to learn how to drive you could do without trying to master handcontrols in a manual car as even in an auto it really hurts your arms to start with. Good luck anyway.

[justin]

Thanks for the help i live in U.S. so i guess i could check on the laws here about it yea it sounds harder. i do have full arm strength so hopefully i can manage it

[Tinbasher]

justin, on Feb 9 2007, 12:14 AM, said:

Hey Yall im new to this site. On sept 24 2006 i was parlyzed. well i recently turned 16 and i already have a car and its a manual. So if yall cou help me i would like to know if i could get it adapted if not wut would be the best vehicle to get me im t9-t12 and l1.

For the adaptation Lee describes you need at least three working arms!

You can get servo clutches which work on the vacuum principal but they cost lots. Personally unless you love your car get an autobox or a tiptonic.

T

[justin]

k thx well since that said wut would be the best vehicle to get. i dont want a van just a car,truck,r suv. thx for all your help:)

justin

[Tinbasher]

justin, on Feb 10 2007, 01:49 AM, said:

k thx well since that said wut would be the best vehicle to get. i dont want a van just a car,truck,r suv. thx for all your help:)

justin

As you are in the USA and I am in the Uk its hard to suggest models. However there are some obvious thngs you need to consider, the most obvious one is how are you gonna get your self and your chair in and out the car!

This would rule out any really small car but here in the UK its really rare for a para to use van we all have smaller cars!

T

[justin]

[quote name='Tinbasher' date='Feb 10 2007, 02:50 PM' post='28487']
[quote name='justin' post='28451' date='Feb 10 2007, 01:49 AM']
k thx well since that said wut would be the best vehicle to get. i dont want a van just a car,truck,r suv. thx for all your help:)

justin
[/quote]

As you are in the USA and I am in the Uk its hard to suggest models. However there are some obvious thngs you need to consider, the most obvious one is how are you gonna get your self and your chair in and out the car!

This would rule out any really small car but here in the UK its really rare for a para to use van we all have smaller cars!

T
[/quote

Well i was gonna put the wheels in the front seat and put the chair in the back unless i was able to put the chair in the front seat. But yea i would rather drive a car,truck, or suv i just dont see myself in a van

[josh27c]

Hey, Justin hows it going?
The names Josh. I read your post and then remembered a similar post I had seen a while back. Check it out and maybe blckchns can answer any ?'s. Also look up his profile he has a personal website where he talks more about his manual Subaru. Hope this helps.
Heres the link

apparelyzed.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2468&st=0

[justin]

I think im going to sell my car and get a truck my friend just got an 06 toyota tacoma and i found it very easy for me to transfer in so now im looking at trucks any sugestions on which truck is best for me. Should i get a single cab, extended cab, or quad cab. also have to put in mind im 16 so im going to have friends with me a lot of times

[milosh]

why the truck? ;)

a lot of SCI people around europe are driving the mechanical gearbox cars with hand controls.

ok... if you vant it be more spacious, buy a break... but, van or truck are not needed if you don't need to stay in a W/C while you drive.

[RYAN68]

if you get a truck, get a ext. cab, with the suicide doors that open and leave alot of room to get your chair in the back seat. I have my 99 F250, ext cab. i get in on the pass. side, pull up my chair and take off the tires, and set them on the rear seat, and close the back door, and slide and pull my chair up onto the front seat. I bent up a 3/16" steel rod to reach over my chair to grab ahold of the door to get it closed. I can be in and out of my truck in about 2 mins tops

[BBender]

BBender

If you want a pick up you can get a crane for the back that stores your chair in the box while your driving. I use one and it works well: you don't have to take your chair apart and it keeps the seats cleaner. Thay are ajustable for all cab types. Good luck and enjoy the freedom of the road.-Barry

[Texaswheelz]

You can pretty much get what you want and adjust to it. I've had a 2 seat convertible, a single cab truck, a 4x4 xtended cab truck(had the above mentioned lift in it for last 6 months I had it, a lifted 4x4 74bronco and a few different 4x4 SUV's. Only one that was troublesome was the single cab truck as there was no room to put anything behind the seat. I had to put the chair in the passenger seat and then stack the wheels and chair on top of it, the seat had no room to recline back or move back and the steering wheel wouldn't tilt up, so it was a pain. All the other vehicles were easy after getting used to them.

My preferences in a vehicle. A back seat to put my wheels in, a reclining drivers seat and tilting steering wheel to have room to pull my chair between me and steering wheel. Plenty of room in back to hold my chair if I have others with me. Cruise control, because on long drives it can get old holding down the hand controls the whole time. If it's a truck/SUV, an oh shit bar to grab hold of.

The lift in the back of my truck worked ok, but it was slow, and when it was raining my chair got very wet and so did I. I can get out and take the chair apart and put in my truck faster I can hook my chair up to the lift and hold it to make sure it doesn't spin and get tangled while lifting up to be put in the back. Also takes up alot of room in the back which lowers your capacity for hauling things(only reason to have a truck).

[justin]

me and my mom r going to look at cars today but she buying 1 for her. but im going to talk her into buying something for her but she can give to me when my pressure sore heals and the doc releses me to do everything witch shouldnt be long at all