wanna have some fun? Watch someone who is used to fuel injection try to drive a carburated car in the winter! Its freakin hilarious.
I love driving my ol truck around. The fact that it has manual steering, maual brakes, and a granny gear non syncro ****** with straight cut gears. Also, the sound of the early solid lifter motors. Golly! I have my S-10 chevy. Never runs right, and its boring to drive. Put me in my 51 roadmaster, and it never fails to start. Plywood floors, oil on the motor, and a ****** that leaves its mark. I love the fact that you have to put your shoulder into the doors, or else they wont open, it has no side gl***, vac*** wipers, and a straigh piped inline 8. I got manual steering, manual brakes, and a manual ****** in my Nash. Why? Because its an old car, and im building it like that. If i wanted a new car, i wouldnt have bout it in the first place! People dont get why im not putting interrior in it. Its gonna be a low down dirty hotrod. Nothing thats not neccessary to the function of the car. Drive to offend the " modern-ites " and keep the cl***ics on the road!
Old cars are fun. I adapted a Model A brake light switch to my rod, it was a natural. Dam thing didn't work, took it apart and cleaned the contacts, works like new. Try that with your newer stuff and your gone to the parts store for a new one. Ice man
Damn, but I miss TSR! Thanks for the inspirational words. I get to drive my old truck everyday on the commute to work and back, makes alot of difference in the mood at the end of the day. jerry
You guys are really gettin' to me. I have 3 things to add. First, I have a bone stock '51 Ford club coupe with 72,000 miles and the entire original interior. Whenever I give a ride to someone over 40, they all say "this smells just like my grandpa's car". Second, When I was in high school, I had a '51 Ford 4 door (see, I have moved up). Whenever I picked up a date, I'd always tell her "you better move over here close to me, because that (p***enger) door has a bad latch and flies open once in a while". I knew a guy named Jim Swaningson (I think stories like these are better when you have some real names in them), who changed the column shift on his car so it was on the left side of the steering wheel so he didn't have to take his arm from around his girlfriend (Madeline; love it) when he had to change gears. If I remember correctly, it was a blue '55 Ford tudor. Swanny, you out there any where?
You know that particular squeak that 55-57 Chevy door hinges make when you open a door?..it just takes me back man, I hope to always hear that squeak..audiotherapy..aromatherapy, gasoline and rubber and old upholstery...
Yep, even my daily driver has never been over 1980, and I never had a car with fuel injection. I hate the smell of new cars it makes me ill I like the old car smell, even if it is a piece of ****. And I also like that particular squeak that 55-57 Chevy door hinges make when you open the door.
Agree completely. That's why the whole pro-touring thing is not for me. EFI, Power everything, sports car handling, leather seats, etc.... who needs it? If I want all that stuff, I'll hop in a late model daily driver. Adding all the comfort and convenience features removes the "charm". I will make concessions... things like Disc brakes are good to have, given the number of idiots on the road these days. Helps me feel secure, and doesn't take away the "old car feel".
Everyones got to ask the questions too. "Is it supposed to have a hood?" "Are you going to paint it?" "Why are the tires bald?" "Is it supposed to shoot fire?" "How do you get the door open?" "Why does it smell?"
I get asked how to get the door open all the time. I just say, " ya gotta put your shoulder into it! " That always gets a wierd look
I love old cars with wing windows 'coz they cool you off at speed even without a/c. I love old cars with 3 on the tree shifting because my idiot pals can't figure it out. I love old cars with bench seats because lumbar supports ****. I love old cars because there's room under the hood for my hands. I love old cars because old men come over and talk about old times at the gas station. I love old cars because bikers always give you a "thumbs up" while sitting at the light. I love old cars because kids on the street point at my car.
I love old cars beacuse... I love that they are made of metal, nothing like a since of being in a secure beast that wont break it kicked, slammed or slapped around a little bit. I love the looks you get when you pull up. The stare you get when the car is in bare metal, filler, blowing smoke and with zipties at times exposed holding her temporary together. I love the stare you get when you look at some one and can say. " Yes, I build it." The feeling of power, confidence. I love the stare you get when your prizzed award is finished, smok'n hot and can be spotted miles away. I love when people walk up to your car. And ask "What is is?" and you reply, "It's American" I love that feeling of turning wrenches. And being able to fix it without a ton of computers and programs aswell as a tunner shop. The grease, oil, blood, tears and frustration emmited all from your p***ion. I love old cars. Amen!
My beater is kind of the best of both worlds - new enough to have a TBI and an OD transmission, but old enough to be rusty and worn out, and even though it's an '89 the body style came out in '73 and didn't change much the whole time. It's cobbed back together with pieces from three or four other trucks - so many other parts it changed colors. A/C is roll the window down or open the patented GM floor vent that blows air right up your crotch. No cruise, no delay wipers, only has power windows on the front doors because I changed all the doors out, shift linkage blew out the bushings somewhere so I have to slam it into park, leaks oil, leaks ATF, terrible gas milage... but always starts and goes, and does what I need it to do. Probably because of the TBI instead of a tempermental carburator. Not only does it take me places, I've towed loads with it I had no business towing behind it and lived to tell the tales. And it has a gl***pack on it, too.
'59 Mopars had swivel bench seats - best of both worlds. The two outer sections swivel out and the center section remains fixed. Center section has a drop down armrest too. Got one in my '58 Chrysler and yep, she loves to slide across and snuggle up - the armrest never goes down.
On bench seats: I remember being 15 and looking through one of the local cl***ified papers hoping to find a car. I called up one guy and asked what options it had, asked about buckets. The guy laughed and said: "nah, better, its got a bench seat." I thought at that time buckets made a car more valuable. I asked the guy: "how's that better?" His answer was: "Great for getting amorous" On another note, am I the only person who likes the smell of stale gas?
Killer.......Tell us more, cause you are preaching the gospel. There is nothing sweeter than an old car smell and being a gentleman for your women, that all comes with age.
When you drive an old car you can gaurantee that someone will say "my grandfather had one of those", usually when they don't have a clue what they are looking at.
Amen brother! I love this forum its soo much fun having an older car. manual steering, manual brakes, drums on all corners, and flowmasters for a radio. Life doesnt get much better than that. I also love how when you are driving your car sticks out from Everything around you. I miss the old days at one quick glance you could spot of a car was a pontiac, chevy, or a ford. Now all the cars are styled to look the same.
Nothing like driving an old car, well mabe an old truck, then again old tractors are fun too!! I am 62, that might be why! Lets drive them guys and dolls!!
Old cars are such an escape. The old salvage yard across town. Used to stop by every now and again just to walk the yard. I would sit myself down in a random car and think about the history. It's amazing. You can almost hear the kids in the back of the wagon dad just bought. How cool it was that they were going to the lake to bbq and mom packed the basket, towels and buckets. Good stuff. In the back of the yard sat an early mopar that became a window racer. Probably some kid as it looked faster than I imagine it was. Every time I go back I find something different. Pure bliss! If you get a chance, find a yard with alot of old stuff and just take it all in. It's amazing and it doesn't cost a thing. By the way- don't bring a cell phone
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