What about Henry Ford's vision with the Model T? New cars nowdays are NOT designed for people. They are designed for the purpose of lining the pockets of the coporate honchos TINGLER (reborn hot rodder)[/QUOTE] I think Henry Ford was one of those "corporate honchos" of which you speak.Have you checked out some of his business practices, and I doubt he didn't line his own pockets.
Amazingly, I agree with everything you just said. I'm usually a highly dis-agreeable person. Like you said, it's not all of society, there are still a few weirdos out there! "I agree that life is a little too complicated these days but when we start looking to blame someone for that we need to look at ourselves first. I think this is what Tingler trying to say. If you don't like the way your life is going, change it. It's really that easy. " Yep... you maybe chained up, but you have to realize that you have the key. Your motto is similar to one of WC Fields's... "When life hands you lemons, make whisky sours."
Brother Tingler preacheth, children!!! Take heed and ye shall be reborn!!! Tingler, I don't know you, but I sure hope we meet up someday!
What is all this crap about dipsticks. We've had dipsticks for 100 years now. Are they a good idea? Hell no!!! We have power steering reservoirs, brake fluid reservoirs, why not oil reservoirs???? What could be simpler? Open the hood, check the oil reservoir, refill if necessary. I've seen people refill the oil through the dipstick hole!!!! Not once, but several times!!! I've seen people add 5 liters of oil to a car when the dipstick is low. Loads of people put the cheapest shit oil in a car requiring high grade synthetics. Lets face it, 90% of the population can't be trusted to top up the oil. So what on earth do they need a dipstick for? And what's all this sh*t about cars being simpler in the past. They certainly were never simpler in America. Americans were the first with electrc starters, the first with power steering, the first to demand air conditioners, the first to pay for electric seats, the first to install automatic transmissions!!!. Hell - my '42 Lincoln has vacuum power windows!!!! Remember the autronic eye? American cars were never simple. What do all the above have in common? All luxury convieniences. Who fitted the first disc brake? - The British. My '59 Rover was the first production car to have disc brakes. Who invented airbags, ABS and electronic stability programs? - The Germans. Hell I've seen older German Mercedes with airbags and ABS but wind up windows, manuel transmissions and no air conditioning. So who has their priorities screwed up. Yep - the American consumer who even today will pay mega money for an intrinsically instable SUV and not be bothered that it doesn't have Bosch ESP on board. Most of the increased complexity we are seeing now is due to incredibly tight emisions regulations. Remember how the emissions regulations of the seventies gave us 4500lb dinosaurs with 160hp?!? Forgotten that guys? Well these days with emmisions requirements a 100th of what was required then, our manufacturers are still able to give us 300, 400 and even 500 hp cars. Anyone out there know that if you have a '06 BMW M5 with 500hp and keep it under 125mph, it'll give you a regular 25 - 30 mpg!!! Well of COURSE it got a bit complicated under the hood. And please please stop using a '01 Ranger as an example of the art of the modern automobile. It's a bastard dinosaur. Just my opinion Edward
I'm gonna be the dick. I've read all these posts and can't help but think some of you are scared of technology. There, I said it. I build hot rods all day. Drive my hot rods when I want to. My daily is a 04 Lincoln LS. with a V8. I drive it the most. Why? Turn the traction control off and it'll spin the tires till you don't want it to anymore. It has a radio. You put funny looking discs into and it sounds pretty good. It has butt warmers AND coolers... cause I need that. $400 later, the computer is hacked and I have full access to all the engine parameters through my laptop. Best part? the look on peoples faces when an oil stained, tatooed, white kid gets out of a lowered Lincoln! You may now return to your new car hater thread.
What's my point? I just spent ten minutes making my point. By the way I'm not German and do understand you. I just think you're being a ludite.
Here's a couple points for what they're worth. I once bought a '67 Barracuda for $400 & financed it for one year (it was a long time ago). I wrecked it two weeks later & had to make payments on it for a full year. I think that was the last car payments I ever had. I can do without the *outrageous* payments of a *new* car! My dad bought a '60 plymouth new (he worked at a dealer & got it for $50 above cost). It went 100,000 miles before he had to replace the *muffler*, & 115,000 before the alt. went out. We got well over 200,000 out of it & never did any other other repairs. Since he was a trans specialist, one day when he had nothing to do he decided to re-build the trans (since the car had well over 100,000 on it at time). He got the parts first to be sure he had them. Wound up putting the old cluctches back in 'cause they were like new: only new parts used were gaskets & a filter. Don't tell me the old cars won't run longer than the new ones... And I can't stand it when I can't repair one of my cars. I'll change out fuel injection to a carb in a heartbeat if I have to! BTW I built the place I live in (such as it is with the little money I had) including wiring & plumbing, & my parents & I built the last house I lived in. Yeah I know most folks are too stupid or lazy (usually both) to change spark plugs/oil/thermostat/etc., but I can't for the life of me see why they can't make a car that the owner can do so if he/she wants to. ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver" Remember 1/2 of the population is below average.
This is one HILARIOUS thread! A couple points, though. My wifes 98 Mark VIII is customized, hopped up, etc. Though it is 8 years old, it is still not as fast, or dependable as my 50's and 60's cars are when they are properly maintained. I insure 4 of my cars to her 1 for the same $, and maintenance costs are nuts on new cars. I could buy another Falcon for what that power seat track and seat heater cost to replace. She averages 20 mpg to my 18 -22, depending on which car I'm driving. I'm never late to work with my cars breaking down, while my wifes NEW Mustang GT was on a hook 6 times before the lease ran out! Just personal experience. To each his own. There is something, though, about getting up in the morning LOOKING FOREWARD to your ride to work because your old car is FUN to drive. I truely HATE those rare moments I have to get out of my wifes Lincoln in front of a crowd...tatoos, grease and all.
i agree entirely. i paid 600.00 for my '71 BGT in '97. I put one 4 new tires, did the brakes, and flushed the gas tank out. (about 700.00) other than regular maintenance It has had no problems (left me stranded once when the alternator braket broke). Since then i have put 48 thousand miles on it.
I'm sure there are more than two categories of people we are dealing with, here. BUT, most people don't/won't/can't do their own work their cars. So, the car companies cater to them and because people's stupidity, car companies design things to make the stupid people more dependant on them......basically, they'd love it if you'd just send them $400 (give or take) a month and they provide you with a car....when it wears out, you get another. Then, there are those of us that try to do things ourselves (there are some in between, I'm generalizing) that get SCREWED!!! This is where the no dipsticks come into play and MANY other things...... "They're" not going to cater to me, because I want items on a car designed to fit MY style......sleeved cylinders that pull out the top, drop in a new sleeve and piston and you have a fresh engine....oil pan easy to remove so I can get to the bearings after 500k miles, a computer that helps ME.....NOT one that just tells me to service the engine.......tell me what's wrong without having to buy some crazy expensive device just to clear a code because the oxy sensor got a crazy reading 3 months ago.... (BTW, isn't it ALWAYS an oxy code??)...... one of my buddies bought a tundra truck and i though, that's stupid......however, when i raised the hood, i was impressed.....it didn't have HALF the crap under the hood that most modern cars do.....guess what, that actually put the OBDII plug near the very front of the truck so you could get to it, i could reach ALL the plugs with out referring to the owner's manual where it says "use tool #45673, now refer to section 8-3, to remove passenger side plug", it had, get this, your 134a fittings up close to the radiator and VERY easy to reach WOW! and I could go on and on........ We just want someone to cater to the do-it-yourself-er........but, since they won't make money off of us, do you blame them......sucks for us, though KILLER: cars without computers can burn rubber too the luxuries are great if that's what you need/want/willing to pay for i don't care what people think about me no matter what car i get out of i can put a CD player in a model T if it has been converted to 12v i shouldn't have to buy a laptop to crack the secret hieroglyph codes of my engine....what about some cheap gauges or LEDs... I'm fairly computer literate and I'm in NO WAY scared of computers, tech etc.....usually I"m the go-to guy where I work when it comes to puters, but they're just not helping us on the CPU cars... don't get wound up, i'm just offering some rebuttals... EDIT: not directed towards you killer..... but most people that brag on their cars (my buddies) NEVER keep them long enough to have any problems or at the first sign of a problem it's sent packing......what about the poor ole' fella that has a family, making minimum wage buying a used 89 car with 250k on it.....that's scary!! those are the people that stop at my grandpa's and cry about their dual over head cammed engines breaking a RUBBER cogged belt and shoving all their valves in the top of the piston.......they can't fix it themselves because of all the special tools (which I like buying tools, just not those special tools) AND the $2400 price tag.....head bolts that can only be stretched once.....I'll quit It's pure and simple BS!!
You're assuming that no one else here has done the same kind of shit, which is highly untrue. I'm sure there are plenty of guys here that have played with late models.
Thank you 'standardized' testing and No Child Left Behind. I'm not a teacher, I'm a professional test prompter I call for a return to common sense-my model...the 235 stovebolt engine!
WELCOME-TING'LY You have been here and seen where and how I live...... I highly recommend anyone to fix and drive old cars and buy their own town. We embrace you, Brother Tingler.
TINGLER, after giving you such shit the other day about your truck fate has it that i'm buying a 99 Ranger tommorrow, only cause it's a killer deal $500 the front is slightly smashed. my shoe box is no where near finished so i can't join your protest, but i feel your pain.I costantly think a car company could make a killing if they could make a basic car, no accessories, and keep it around 6k, and carborated,but they'll never listen to me cause i don't own a paper that says i paid too much for extra schooling
Dude, you need to find someone else to rebuild your engines if you have to rebuild them every 5 years, seriously.... Up until last year I drove an old car daily (my '59 that AP has for sale, damn I miss that truck), I only stopped because I wanted something different, hence the '60 International, hell I even paid someone in Houston $1200 to make sure it was driveable when I got it, I got fucked and now it's another project in my garage and I've been driving an Explorer when it rains or I need to haul something. Hopefully I'll be painting the International this weekend so I can get the fuck out of that damn POS Explorer. Hell I don't like new houses either, though I didn't build mine I bought one that comes from an era when they did indeed build them better, this ones a 56-57 model. I do most of my own work on the house when I can. I built the office in my shop. I make a decent living with computers, I guess I have a knack for technology but really dig the old stuff, stuff that was designed with form and function in mind. I dig what Tingler has to say, I agree with him, and this year when I stop by his house on the way to the HAMB drags bitch better get in the car...
How much would it cost to build a fiberglass 32 Ford coupe with a small block Chevy, TH350 trans, 8" rear end, junk yard bench seat, rubber floor mats, Earl Schieb paint job? I bet it would cost no more than a new 2006 POS car. Drive the 32 year round, including shit weather, and in the spring crawl under it and spray on some Rustoleum. (spot paint like in the Army) How many years do you think it would last? Would it ever go down to a $100.00 value, or "we will tow it to the junk yard for free", if scrap metal is at a low point. I picked the above drivetrain because it is cheap, reliable, and it's what I am comfortable with, and N.A.P.A stocks parts for, and the fiberglass body for it's reasonable cost and weather resistance. What would the down side be?...... Am I missing something?
A. it's got no originality. B. it's not old. C. it sounds like something Boyd would build. Are you missing something, well yeah... DUHHH
I drive an 87 Lincoln as my daily. Reason: Purchase Price = $600. I will be doing an engine swap and a tranny rebuild. Total cost: $450 Cars this size have saved my ass TWICE in the last 2 years. Once in a Rear-end collision, where If I have been in one of thiose muffin tins they sell now, I'd have been BURIED in it because th rear deck lid woulda been so far up my ass they couldn't remove it, and once when I got forced off the road and My big wide Lincoln slid down a hill instead of doing a barrel roll. I will have $1,100 in a decent car with decent amenities and ZERO payments. AND I KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE and I KNOW it is safer. My backup is almost ready: an 85 El Camino -- totally new power train and custom interior. The original 305 is in the dumpster. I am laying out $650 to have the clutch replaced in the Wifes '96 VW Cabrio. Spread over the last 12 months that is $54.00 payment. No quarrel there. We've driven that car for 5 years now and its paid for, and it gets the groceries just fine. Screw The Automakers. They build for the NEW consumer: The female who doesn't know a wrench from a hammer, and the X-generation male that is too fargin lazy to do REAL work. I am on board!
Duhhh, Zman I am talking about building a vehicle that would be a replacement for a late model, that could be driven daily in all kinds of weather. The cost of this vehicle would have to be kept within reason, because it would be a daily driver, that would take a beating (especialy in Wisconsin, year round). Boyd doesn't put rubber floor mats in his cars, and have Earl Schieb paint his cars....duhhh. I guess you didn't grasp the concept I was trying to explain. I hope you don't think it would be a good idea to use an original steel 32-3w and drive it year round instead of a new Detroit auto. This idea is sort of off topic for the H.A.M.B., but so was this thread. I have to agree that owning a "newer" car with all it's fancy shit is very frustrating, at the least, and I was just trying to suggest an alternative, and not describe how to build a "perfect" H.A.M.B. hot rod. This is an insite to common sense as I see it. I guess we aren't on the same page. Also does anyone know if they still make "skinny" 15" or 16" Bias ply snow tires?
I think he knows what you mean, he was just being goofy...... I've thought about this for a long time......what would be the best combo........for mileage, etc....... i'd rather spend 20k on something like you're talking about than 20k on something without a dipstick...... this thread still has me fired up! that's the only thing with my old trucks......RUST and fast......never thought about a plastic 32 coupe for a daily....put a hood on it, heater, etc.....good idea
Another vote for old cars and no car paymeents. Tag on my daily 78 F-150 daily sums up my opinion. lol
Trying to keep a 60-70-80's vehicle on the road everyday is one thing. But I don't like the idea of buying a fiberglass kit car that is placed onto a frame and then place my wife and kids in it to go to soccer practice. Federal mandates may add expense to our everyday lifes but one has to admit...crash tests have improved todays cars and saved lives. I'm not into paying 400 to 500 dollars a month on car payments either. But realistically, .. Is it really the fact that these new cars are a reliability or safety burden?? Or is it the fact that they just too expensive for most of us to buy and use? I think if I had the money......my everyday would be a brand new car changed on a weekly basis/
Jeez you guys. It's obvious to me that none of the banger guys read this thread. The Model T DIDN'T have a dipstick on it! It had a sight glass on it so you could see how much oil was in it, but (at least in my case) the sight glass gets dirty fast and it's very difficult to read, so it's easier just to drain the oil and put in a fresh gallon. If you don't believe me, feel free to stop by and have a look-see at my '26 Ford that gets 18 mpg and tops out at 45 mph. Still fun though.
Just fab up a roll cage, and install some race car belts. It would be better than the 1960's lap belt, and padded dash! Just because fiberglass was mentioned, doesn't mean KITCAR. When I talk about orig. steel cars I don't say patched together 70 year tin ...out of respect for the guys that like to do that kind of work. I consider fiberglass an alternative to all that fab work. Orig. 32 coupe bodys are either too expensive, or are too far gone for me. If I could wave a magic wand, I would have a completely stainless steel 32 coupe sitting in my driveway right now.
WELL, if I had your money, I'd drive a really cool 37 coupe and a billy bad butt early 30's truck...... Seriously though, I don't doubt that the new cars are safer (another whole issue and I'm not talking an early 60's tank vs. a geo metro- just over all) and the relliability is most certainly there. Heck, my wife's rice burner is hitting 160k and other than regular maintenance- knock on wood- it has been great. BUUUUUT, WHEN (not if) if goes down, it's like an old razor blade. You pretty much have to throw it out.......unless I want to spend some pretty good jack on special tools and parts that I can't buy at a swap meet. I'll bet stock pistons for a 96 Camry are a dime a dozen...... I guess it all boils down to what you said, money. If I had the jack I'd drive whatever I wanted to drive; heating my butt, giving me back rubs at the red light........ Some are willing to fight the battle of making the car payment Some are willing to fight the battle of trying to save money by keeping their old heep on the road Some would like to be able to afford something better (get off butt and get better job???) Some...... Some......
I sure do, hell yeah, drive the cowboy-dog-piss out of it. As soon as my roadster is done I'll be driving the shit out of it every day I can... And it's a hell of a lot harder to find a 22 Buick Roadster than just about anything Ford.... Cars are meant to be driven, Guitars are meant to be played, putting shit like that under glass or locked up in a garage is stupid..... Drive 'em if ya got 'em.....
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