You really wouldn't have liked any of the oldschool muscle cars with manual trannys then. It took real men to manhandle those things into gear (muncie m22 rockcrusher comes to mind).

Seriously though, the b&m is like butter to me. I like having a car your average 98 lb weakling can't drive. No power steering, higher effort shifter, ect.... All it needs is a really beefy clutch with alot of effort and I am set.