Features I Have Old Car, Because It's An Old Car

That's great, that's your opinion. I love old cars, too, been owning, building, maintaining, and driving them for 40 years. Put over 150,000 miles on a chopped 55 Olds. Over 40K on a 54 Chevy. While I like the looks and style of old cars, and especially CUSTOM cars, I converted my 55 Olds (original 324, with aftermarket 3 x 2's) to electronic ignition. Never had a problem, and I love not having to fool with points, especially hidden behind the Tripower.
My 54 was subbed, had AC, and a late 70's Chevy V-8 driveline. It was the best riding, handling old car I ever drove. As I get older, I want to spend less time working on my cars, and more time driving them. I want more reliability,with comfort not far behind. Tired of struggling on the road to repair them. Back in 82, when I built my Olds, I could get most minor parts that broke in any auto parts store. Not any more. Since I like to drive it, next rebuild it will be getting modern a 455, and definitely, disc brakes, as the old drums would not stop the Olds, when cruising down the road at 80-85 MPH.
While I applaud the sticklers to originality, don't disrespect anyone who loves old cars, but likes them to be able to keep up with traffic, and steer and stop quickly to avoid the loonies on the road today!

 

Some people just don't get it. all the newer cars all look alike, same shitty grey plastic interior, grey cloth covered seats,more electronics than a jumbo jet and in five years time it's ready for the junkyard. I love all my old cars and i drive them all as much as i can, i carry a few spare parts in each car and i can fix it on the side of the road.

 

I tend to agree with Chopolds. I love to drive my old car. I tend put some serious miles on it, a 200 mile trip is a Sunday afternoon cruise for me and my wife, and we may have already done a 200 mile cruise the day before! I can drive with the traffic, stop and go as the traffic does, and not worry about weather the brakes are getting hot or not. I'm also well past the point of wanting to fix anything along the side of the road, I did enough of that when I was younger. For your information, the electronic fuel injection and computer controlled ignition system is as easy to trouble shoot as the old points & carbs, if you know how they work. Caring a few parts will get most of them up and running again too! Most of those parts are available at the next auto parts store, can't say that about the points & carb parts any more.

The "new" modern chassis under my coupe is a 1990 chassis, and its 25 years old! It has disc brakes, power steering, power brakes, electronic fuel injection, a computer controlled ignition system, a 5 speed trans, cup holders, and radial tires, and I like them all! I'll match you any day for a reliability run, and we will both have a great day. If you break down, I'll hang around to be sure you get out of harms way, give you a ride to a parts store if need be, and help get you back on the road, but since I have a "modern car" would you do the same for me?

I believe the enjoyment of driving an old car is tied to how safe we feel and about how reliable we think it is. If it meets our requirements, we can all enjoy the ride. Its human nature to believe everyone should have the same level of minimum standards we have, and if they don't, we are concerned for their safety, or their lack of adventure, and want to help them get to our level. You seem to think I am missing out on something because my car is more modern then you think it should be. Rest assured, 20 years ago I was the same place you are now. Sometimes events happen that change our attitude, and change our vehicle minimum standard requirements. That shouldn't disqualify someone from enjoying the old car hobby. Gene

 

My friend Dan Henke's 40 Standard

Real deal built in the 1950's hot rod

324 Olds powered, was flathead powered has had a Olds since 1956

Last painted in 1959!

The car had a bone stock 303 when Dan found it.

He has since built a much stronger 324 with the following-

3x2 Edelbrock intake

N.O.S. 97's

N.O.S. Harmon & Collins roller cam

He also replaced the 40 transmission with a Cad/LaSalle adapted to the torque tube.

15" Merc wheels

Dan drives this car all the time, last year Dan drove it from Upstate N.Y. to Maryland for The Rodder's Journal.

He drives it because it is simple and he can repair it!

 

The other point I would like to is-

The Federal-Aid Highway Act was introduced to Congress in 1952 and passed 1954

The Interstate Highway Act was signed June 29 1956.

By the early to mid fifties cars were being designed and engineered with Interstate Highway Travel in mind.

 

I bought this car out in Az when I lived there. It was a bone stock Grarmma survivor. 230 six three on the tree more door complete with a hand made afghan on the back seat. I added dual carbs and split exhaust just to make it more my car. I love driving her as it takes me back to the 60s when this was modern technology and I was just learning how to drive. Oh, I did leave the afghan on the back seat.

 

Please don't take this as an as sult, but am I they only one thinking that 90% of all new cars look alike
And so does all deuce roadsters.

There are so few builds today that goes a little different, like install and springs in front or channel a deuce roadster over a deuce frame.

I don't mind them. But I would love to see more cars that looked like a survivor!
Down to lacquer paint, or b ruched primer, channeled with no chop on a Coupe and bobbed rear/bike front fenders.

Sorry I migth have gotten a little carried away there. But that's how I feel.

The only reason I run break less ignition is that there no good point avalible over here, they are too cheap and burn in no time. But if if I've had some good enough I would run them all day! They get burned and loose there platin surface before the plastic is worn out!!!
And condensers are just as bad!

 

If you could still get parts at every gas station I would keep them basicly original except for highway gears but I do not want to wait for parts on the road so mine have drivetrains and brakes that I can get parts at most parts stores as I tend to drive long distance but still have original suspensions so they have the old car feel,mine do not have the room to carry a bunch of extra parts and the usual luggage for a trip so all I want to bring with me is a tool box and some extra fluids. I would hate to pay a tow bill to bring one of my vehicles back home from Daytona Beach or any place that I want to go that is over a couple hundred miles from home.

 

I have no issue with what people do to their car,it is their car.


My issue is someone telling me what I should do with my car.

 

So basically, you guys are restorers.......

 

If you want to be era correct and only use pre-65 parts the differens
betwin stock restorers and hotrod/custombuilder here aint that big.

 

I'm joking...

 

I hear it all the time that I should have kept it all original so no matter what we do to them we will hear people telling us what we should do with so drive it and have fun and let what people tell you go in one ear and out the other.

 

Our rides become a personal statement the longer we have them. I hear people when they ask me, "When are you going to paint it, etc., etc." When the truck is no longer mine, someone else will make their own statement.

 

I agree. I work to keep my car like it would have been in 65 when I really really really wanted a 57. Chevy.

 

Its the always present question on the HAMB, era correct paint.

If you look at old pics of cars an mild rodded a-bone in the 40s was a in original paint or painted.
If you look at a fiftys most of them was in primer or paint. But there was not that many clapped put POS in rust and faux patina.

So if you got a rusted car and claim it's era perfect, you would get a question about paint. But if you had snoopy or the just - Steve Coupe you would never hear a mum about paint.

Then again, that is double standard, but that just me.
I've talked to people at a show who was ashamed to tell they ran a healthy 283, because everybody and his dog would claim that a 350/350 with a th350 is the only good yank motor ever made

Things like that makes me mad and use Internet lingo like; OMG, WTF or shut the F up.

 

Its the always present question on the HAMB, era correct paint.

If you look at old pics of cars an mild rodded a-bone in the 40s was a in original paint or painted.
If you look at a fiftys most of them was in primer or paint. But there was not that many clapped put POS in rust and faux patina.

So if you got a rusted car and claim it's era perfect, you would get a question about paint. But if you had snoopy or the just - Steve Coupe you would never hear a mum about paint.

Then again, that is double standard, but that just me.
I've talked to people at a show who was ashamed to tell they ran a healthy 283, because everybody and his dog would claim that a 350/350 with a th350 is the only good yank motor ever made

Things like that makes me mad and use Internet lingo like; OMG, WTF or shut the F up.

 

I like period correct cars.

I don't care if it's a Model A built in a mid 50's style with early an overhead V8, 15" Merc wheels ect.., or a 65 Chevy II with a 327 tunnel ram, green line gauges, Cragars SS wheels.

As so many have said here a lot of good running cars have been over looked, or cut up when there was nothing wrong with them.

 

First of all; What a great thread! - Great to find people thinking alike myself. I need to confess my background is in restoration, my father is a member in a classic car club and I've been with him in the hobby starting from my early teens. I still hang around the old timers, asking tricks they do when creating something out of nothing. However, over the years I've found "a little bit of period true hot rodding" keeps me ticking. This autumn I travelled over to hang around the TRoG, Wildwood, NJ - What a blast! All those treasures, vintage speed equipment on hopped up flatheads, all the crowd appreciating good old craftsmanship over hi-buck bling bling. I am no racer, but had several inspiring discussions with the people who'd drove them 30's machines for 500...900 miles up there.

Then to the above posting by Jeff; Sorry I do not get the point; What parts you refer to?
What I keep with me are the distributor contacts, cap, plugs, fan belt, some hose clamps, fuel hose, some wire... DO not take much space in glove box or corner of the trunk.
More than that, no need, because whatever happened, no one does full engine overhaul on the road. It may be different over there, but here in Europe the "Service Stations" do not have no longer room for doing the overhauls, nor do they stock much anything but oils and plugs. There are no mechanics working of the modern day "service stations", either. Further, the way I see it, the "life line" parts for the old ones are more easily available than the corresponding parts for the new cars: Back in the old days there were few suppliers for components and at least from the 50's to 70's the components were standardized. Now'a'days even the common components such as ignitions coils are different from engine to engine; not to mention parts like fuel jets or computer chips. You certainly won't find those parts at any service station, thus tow truck calls if anything fails - with old simple machine it's way better changes to fix it on the road.

 

I like stockers as well, my background is oval track racing.

My Father (Willard Palmer) built somewhere between five to ten racecars, and several race engines.

He also crewed for several late model, and sportsman cars.

My great uncle Leslie Kellerhouse was N.A.S.C.A.R. chief steward at Fonda speedway.

Another great uncle Don Weyl crewed for Sam Craft on a A.A.A. Big Car (Indy Car) in the mid to late 30's toured the east coast and mid west.

I like drag racing, sports car racing,ect...

You can't be brainwashed into liking just a very small part of this lifestyle.

It is my than just a hobby in my eyes.

 

Crap, I hear the same thing from my pop and he's been hot roddin for 50+ years. He has fallen into the street rod trap since the 80's.

 

irony...

 

Hey now, watch it there Bub, them's fight'n words.

 

Sorry I messed up my message by started telling my background - It really does not matter.
What I really wanted to tell, is that I found a lot of comments I could said this very thing myself:

- right to the point: There are good things in cars of every decade, but IMHO mixing them you get frankencars without a style. I have an interest to past, also I admire the style and engineering of the yesteryears. My understanding and experience is that the cars were built to be driven then and they do the job as well today, providing you maintain the condition (or rebuild). Take my Dodge, it's not restored as definition, but rebuild as per original spec. Spiced with period accessories. Also I added a 1954 overdrive, which was not available for Dodge in 1948 (but should have been). Lowered by blocks a couple of inches (not too much) to make it mine. Next step will be double carb set up and split 3+3 exhaust for better breathing.

Amen, Rob Lee. - No worse turn off but 80's style small steering wheel in a 1940's car cabin...

So do I. As a matter of fact we drove some 300 miles away in my 20 yrs old car to see the races on most summers in the early 80's when I was fresh with my drivers license. Good times.

 

I know this is another case of me rocking the boat.
But I'm just saying they are all the same if you look at a 32! No cars like this anymore


They are all in unchanneled, heavily chopped, fenderless and with white or red tuck'n'roll interior. The biggest difference is if they fun flathead or SBC.

And don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a 32, they look good, but nobody tries something different with a deuce. That's why I'm an A-boner kind of guy.

And if you wants to fight me, bring it on, I got thin arms and thick skull. And o got plenty of bandages and cooled beer. [emoji41][emoji12][emoji482]

 

I don't have any problem with 'restorers' at all...or 'hot rodders'....I'm just glad to see an old car 'reflect' an appreciation of the old classics in whatever decade, in whatever form or direction the individual chooses. Cars are meant to be enjoyed and sharing the outlook in whatever way it is appreciated. I learned ya' just can't please everyone, and if an old car/hot rod makes someone smile, ....old parts, new parts....just to keep em' on the road is enough for me.....'that' is what makes it worthwhile, in my humble opinion.....to pull up to a 'new' car, and see them take a 'double take' at mine, is enough to make me smile

 

Driver's Education, Mr. Hunt, 1965- " keep a distance of 10 feet for every 10 miles an hour you are going between you and the automobile in FRONT of you. Hands at "10 and 2" on the steering wheel."

And don't do things that distract you (texting, changing CD's, reading, making lunch, etc. when you're driving) that's what girlfriends are for. ( and an occasional "feel").

I have mechanical brakes( OH, my GOD!!!) and they work fine if I pay attention to driving. (and double the clearance amounts quoted above- plus I can only go 45 mph!!) ( and don't text, have a radio, a girlfriend, directionals, high beams, an e-brake---- sounds illegal, doesn't it?)

Good for you, Robert!

 

Very nice.

This is what I like to see!

Someone taking what may not be the popular car,driving, having fun, and modifying it.

Just like they did in the old days!

 

I'll just sit here and drink beer while you guys fight!

 

I am looking for a women with a large checking account and a top notch racecar!

Send photograph of racecar!

Let's not get too far off topic.