I was in my 1952 4-speed roadster just yesterday and wound up at the line next to a guy who thought he was a racer. Had it all...tuner options, snorty pipes, Ricky Racer wheels, 200 mph paint, the works. At the green, I could actually hear his foot slam the accelerator pedal against the interior bodywork. As expected, he handily beat me off the line (I have 78 horsepower). As he pulled away, I realized I was hearing a paddle-shifter. Laughed my head off
Sticks will never go away. They are way too much fun to drive. All that will happen is the same thing that has happened to our guitars. These cars will get older and harder to find, and the market will go up with demand.