Here is to all the HAMBers who have ditched late models, I'm done with new vehicles

Hey, the oil came out of the ground, he's just putting it back.

 

ROTF LMAO!

 

My newest is the 85 Chevy truck. If it should die someday I can have another 350 in it within a couple of days. My rods are 41 Ford coupe and 34 Ford pickup. Both flathead powered.
I like a distributor to twist on and a carburetor to tweek on.
My wife has a new Kia and I have yet to look under the hood.

 

I've never heard of oiling the undercarriage around here, but hmmm

I got rid of anything never than 1967 (when the government starting screwing up cars) and now have a 61 Meteor wagon for a regular car. Original 332 is getting a few updates, a 4 barrel and headers and electronic ignition. It should help the mileage and power both. The next thing would be to find clutch linkage and ditch the slushbox.

I am using up my collection of FE parts and not spending any money on it. If the engine kicks a rod i've got 390's and 428's to stick in place.

 

I know this is not a tech post for OT crap

I am fairly decent technically, mostly because I can follow directions. I know it will take me more than 10 hours to get from here



to here



set the cams and be back in 10 hours

I heard from a co-worker that the new sudo hemi's have 4 timing chains also, so it sounds like a trend to complicate.

I may get after this during winter but I'd rather spend time on my 52 pontiac.

 

my wife has 3 late models, but my newest is an 87 (it was free), next oldest is a 70 (sorta the kid's), and then we get into the 50s stuff

 

thats why i do my own work

 

I'm a tech.....and yea...newer vehicles can be a real pain in the ass.....really it comes down to researching the product before you buy (repair costs & reliability). Most people aren't aware of how complicated newer vehicles can be to service......the more technologically advanced or exotic....the more they cost to fix....even vehicles you woundn't think, can be expensive.

The newer 5.7 & 6.1 liter hemi's have the cam in the block...its a pushrod motor...no 10 foot long timing chains...

 

I havent owned a car built after 1967 for the last 8 years...................and I dont plan to ever again.

 

I happen to like the smell of leaded gas, only place I get to smell it is on airplanes, even 100LL has way more lead then premium leaded for cars ever did.

 

If those cars smelled of gas like that there is a problem. And your idiotic comment about the environment is just that idiotic.

 

I'm building a new (coast to coast driver) right now. 54 ford panel...made the frame, and built the motor. My new rule is...no computers on anything. I want to be able to fix anything that might go wrong on the road. I kept it simple with a carb and a HEI.

 

I drive an OT 2002 Nissan product every day and has 91K miles on it so far. This is a reliable point A to point B car that is ultra reliable and cheap to keep.

If you HAVE to buy a new or newer car, do your homework first. Check the online reviews through Auto Trader or Cars.com for example. Open the hood when you go shopping, crawl under it too. Research it for timing belts as opposed to timing chains.

IMHO, anything from Chrysler is a must to avoid. I wouldn't consider a GM product and Fords are the best out of the former Big-3. Anything with exotic vavle trains is only looking for trouble.

Bob

 

Shouldn't you be running points then? An HEI uses transistors to power the coil up and down, and while not technically a computer, it is from the 70's when things got all fancy like.

 

I love my '07 HHR and the XM radio, heated seats, etc......

Letting my wife drive it for a while (Saturn is ill), so I've been daily-ing my '72 Chevy pickup.
Diesel, no heat, no radio, manual steering, stick shift. FRICKEN FUN! Worlds ugliest diesel dually! Nice loud dual exhaust too!

 

I actually had more trouble with old points, condensers, and coils than I ever had with that little module in the hei. I am looking for simple repairs is all. Two 5/16 away from being back on the road if it breaks.

 

Saturn is ALWAYS ill....if they weren't already DOA, I'd say I'd never buy one again!

 

Try finding anything that isn't exotic..... Most every mfr has DOHC, crank triggered multiple coils, etc.....

 

My daily is my 51 Chevy business coupe. And I just got my fiance a 65 Corvair in sweet shape for $800. Shes been driving it every day since we got it. We just like being in older cars. Except for the 89 GMC Safari van I picked up for 300 bucks from a towyard auction. All I had to do to it was put gas in it to be a driver and my parts runner.

 

We (I work at a dealership) say the new cars suffer from T.M.E. (Too many electronics)

 

Yup

 

If I lived in a place where it was always warm, sure, I'd drive an old car every day. No snow, no salt, no sticking door handles, no frozen locks, no snow tires, no old parts to snap off in -10 degree weather, no frozen windshield wipers, no need for a defroster that may or may not work all that well..... Piece of cake.

Old cars are fun, but when you need to go to work, 75 miles round trip, car sitting outside at 6 AM covered in 6 inches of snow, with an inch of ice under the snow... and your choke won't close on the carb, won't idle.... old cars are less fun.

Pete

 

I'm currently struggling with the coolant system on my '89 Olds Delta. Front wheel drive, fuel injection, and other computer controlled shit is a joke.

I'm never buying a new vehicle.

 

Only have been drivin' the '40 for a few years now, best thing I ever did.

 

quit the import/honda game and got me a 1962 ford falcon station wagon currently my daily driver!

 

You know in all honesty I haven't found a new car or truck that I honestly could give a crap about. They all seem to look the same. My newest junk is a $500 station wagon. Though not really HAMB friendly it gets like 30 mpg, I can haul all kinds of crap in it and I don't care if I scratch it. I put pinstripes here and there on it and when I get tired of it I remove them. I think it leaks from every creavice and interior gets wet but I don't care. The ac gave it up a long time ago and the radio works on its own time. The heat works and there's no stinkin cupholders or cellphone holder. I can haul carpet in it or a johnboat. Now it might blow up tomorrow and thats okay with me. I'll cross that path when I get there. Beaters are neater.

 

I wish I could drive a old car year round but the salt in the winter will eat them up quickly,my daily is a 89 crown vic with the good old 302 and had no problems in the 2 years I owned it. I will drive a OBD 1 vehicle before a OBD II due to them having many more things to turn the check engine light on,if I ever move to a warmer climate my 65 custom 500 more door will become year round daily driver.

 

I sure didn't know you were having that kind of trouble
with that Kruzer! I always felt that a good ford was a old Ford I mean 1940 and older Your Stove-bolt would be a good plan , Heavy metal , 10mpg, cheap tags, It don't get much better than that My S10 with
270,000 miles ever starts nickle & dimeing me in goes a 350 with a carb.
Things will get better---Trade it off for a Honda!

OL Deuce

 

I have never owned a car newer than 89. F- all that new crap. I'm a recycler man, I will never buy a new car.

 

I seem to have great luck with "late model" cars.
I have a '96 4.6 V8 Tbird with 166k miles on it. Bought it in '98 with 28k on it and the only problem I have is the Check Engine light comes on if the gas cap isn't on tight.
Also have an '01 F150 Super Crew King Ranch with the 5.4 and 104k on it.Bought that in '05 with 43k on it and the only problem is 1 coil pack went bad.
I run Super in both,change the oil at least every 10k miles and they still "run like a champ".