Probably 1/2 our population ...

[butlersrangers]

... would not get this:

[trapdoor4570]

I haven’t seen a starter button on the floor in a LOOOONG time.

[King carp]

I would call that theft proof in this day and age.

[butlersrangers]

I interpreted the foot 'button', on the left, to be a high-beam/low-beam switch. (?)

My Uncle had a 1949 Buick Dynaflow Sedan, back in the late 1960s.
The factory starter/switch was discreetly linked to the accelerator pedal.

When I was visiting one time, my Uncle asked me to take his car and pick up my cousin.
It was her day off from a job 40 miles away.

I hopped into the old Buick and turned the 'ignition' key with no result. I fruitlessly searched the dash for a start 'button' or pull-out switch.
After fumbling for minutes, I had to go back into the house and sheepishly ask, how to start the thing?!

[trapdoor4570]

The old ‘49n DeSoto had the starter button on the dash. But the ’51 chevy army surplus pickup had that big steel button on the floor. Can’t remember how to go from low to high on that old thing. Never drove it at night. When the starter wore out we just parked it on the hill and let it drift a bit to start it. My brother finally got the starter fixed. Quite an experience for a flatlander from Florida.

[Dick Hosmer]

Never owned an American stick. First car was a '49 Olds V8 Hydramatic. Mom had a '52 Mercury hardtop, 3 on tree, don't recall starter setup. My Austin-Healeys had a key and push button on the dash, with headlight beam switch on floor far left.

[butlersrangers]

My first 'stick' was a ten-year old Morris Minor 1000, that I bought for $200, as a High School Junior.

Mercifully, the steering wheel was on the left!

You turned 'on' the ignition key, set the choke, and then pulled a 'starter' knob.

It was a rust bucket, but 'fired-up' pretty good! Hey, it had leather bucket seats!

[King carp]

On my uncles farm in Michigan he had a surplus jeep as a site vehicle. The starter was on the floor as shown in your illustration. When your feet could reach and work the pedals you were allowed to drive it. My driver's ED classes started when I was 12 years old!

[waterman]

My first car was a '47 Studebaker. The starter button was on the floor, but IIRC, it was between the brake pedal & the gas pedal. We had an old Chevy pickup with the setup shown.

[psteinmayer]

When I was in trade school as a 15 year old, the instructor threw me a set of keys and said "Go get it!" It was a stick... and I learned to drive a stick between that parking space and the shop!!! (Having a Ford Model A in the garage growing up helped me understand the clutch and gears although I never did drive it)

My first car was a 74 Vega with a Muncie Rock Crusher 4 speed (yes, Vegas had the same 4 speed as Corvettes). Then, I had a 78 Fiat, again with a 4 speed. The last manual I owned was a Mini... a 66 Riley Elf (a TRUE Mini) when I lived in New Zealand. When I leased a Dodge Challenger 9 years ago, I wanted a stick, but took what they offered me. To be honest, I really love driving a manual!