Vintage Cars

[Rich Riddle]

The wife's 1956 Ford Thunderbird will be delivered next week from the body shop (since January 2019). When it arrives, the wife's 1965 Mustang heads down to be restored (going from blue to white). She won't restore her old 1991 Ford F150 though. She might look for a 1960's vintage Camaro soon. What is your flavor in vintange cars?

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I get tools and tractors; she gets cars

[Andrew Seemann]

I'm partial to '71 Dodge pickups, '74 Valiants (actually all of the Dart based Mopars), mid '60s Binder pickups, and Scout IIs. And some of the weirdo AMC cars of the '70s. I tend to prefer to look at them from afar though; I don't really want the headache of owning one. Although I kind of would like to have a Scout II again. It at least has front disk brakes.

[Mike Henderson]

I restored a couple of early Porsche sport cars (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/Porsche.htm). I enjoyed working on them but when I finished what I discovered is that what I had was an old car.

Mike

[Andrew Seemann]

I restored a couple of early Porsche sport cars (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/Porsche.htm). I enjoyed working on them but when I finished what I discovered is that what I had was an old car.

Mike

Yeah, I got most of my car restoration bug out of me about 25 years ago with my '78 Scout II Traveller. Not sure I want to go through that again. Woodworking doesn't involve crawling on the ground and on your back and getting full of oil and grease and getting rust and grit into your eyes. And you don't end up with a vehicle with no ABS, no air conditioning, no crumple zones, no shoulder and/or lap belts, no airbags, no collapsable steering wheel and potentially 4 way drum brakes with a single piston master cylinder.

I'm glad other people are into old cars though; they are cool too look at.

[Jim Koepke]

Old Volks Wagons were my joy. But after having to get under the dash would give me a back ache for a couple days the love was gone. They were fun when young, but they kind of make one feel like you are riding around in a rattling death trap.

1955 - 1957 Chevies are kind of nice.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

The last of the purely Swedish SAABs for me.
It was the cheapest way to "row my own" gears.

My KIA Optima lease reveals how much things improved.

[Rich Riddle]

I restored a couple of early Porsche sport cars (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/Porsche.htm). I enjoyed working on them but when I finished what I discovered is that what I had was an old car.

MikeIf your new car could talk, it might say, "I am driven by an old man." Perhaps it would call you classic.

[Larry Edgerton]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219849824893928&set=pcb.10219849827934004&type=3&theater

My current project. Plan on driving it to Alaska next summer. Have a rack on the back for my Honda 250 Rally just in case.:D
(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219849824893928&set=pcb.10219849827934004&type=3&theater)

[Stan Calow]

If I had the garage space, a '67-68 Camaro convertible would fit OK. But my dream car would be a '69 Buick Skylark convertible, burnt orange with a cream interior. I've only seen one, way back when, but the memory stayed with me. The cars of today just don't seem as exciting, just complicated.

[Bruce Volden]

There is no car sexier than a 1967 Buick Gran Sport.
Sorry, nothing compares.

Bruce

[Lisa Starr]

Don't have any now days, but my favorite was the 1969 Olds 442 Convertible with 4 speed manual transmission I had in high school.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

YOu folks are WAAAAAY too young!
1934 Ford pickup;
1936 Ford 5 window Coupe;
1937 Ford Coupe;
1940 Ford 4 door sedan;
1050 - 1954 Ford Coupe;
1956 Ford DeLuxe 4 door sedan,
but
Since I prefer Hot Rods, I prefer a modern engine,
I'm actually thinking of having a Ford Eco-Tec(sp?) engine in my 2004 Mazda B3000 pickup.

[Jon Grider]

I restored a couple of early Porsche sport cars (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/Porsche.htm). I enjoyed working on them but when I finished what I discovered is that what I had was an old car.

Mike

Interesting read and a beautiful classic car. I would think that those working by a stripper tank now would be dressed in full PPE garb. Times and cars have sure changed.

[Frank Pratt]

I restored a couple of early Porsche sport cars (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/Porsche.htm). I enjoyed working on them but when I finished what I discovered is that what I had was an old car.

Mike

Who is that young guy in those pics :) Sometimes it's more about the journey than the destination.

[Jerome Stanek]

I would love my 1970 Datsun 240Z back

[Rich Riddle]

I was hoping to see a few pictures.....

[Jim Koepke]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219849824893928&set=pcb.10219849827934004&type=3&theater

My current project. Plan on driving it to Alaska next summer. Have a rack on the back for my Honda 250 Rally just in case.:D
(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219849824893928&set=pcb.10219849827934004&type=3&theater)

Larry, the link doesn't work.

jtk

[Mike Henderson]

If your new car could talk, it might say, "I am driven by an old man." Perhaps it would call you classic.

I'm sure it would. However, that Porsche might be thankful that it got a life extension instead of going to the junk yard in the sky:).

Mike

[Mike Henderson]

Who is that young guy in those pics :) Sometimes it's more about the journey than the destination.

For me, it definitely was. My wife hated the car. It had a very tight suspension which made for great cornering but a rough ride. And no air conditioning.

I really wasn't interested in driving it.

About a year ago, I got a call from a guy who had bought the car. He had traced it back and found my web pages about restoring it. He wanted to tell me how much it was worth now:). He said early model 911's were going for about $100,000. I sold it for a LOT less.

[Added note] I kept a record book on the car as I took it apart. For example, I measured every journal and the cylinders and recorded the measurements in the book. I gave the book to the people I sold it to and they passed it onto the present owner. It would be a good reference if the engine was ever disassembled again to see how much wear there was. I had a full set of metric tools and micrometers.

Mike

[Andrew Seemann]

For me, it definitely was. My wife hated the car. It had a very tight suspension which made for great cornering but rough ride. And no air conditioning.

I really wasn't interested in driving it.

Mike

I friend of mine had a Porsche 931 (924 Turbo), and that is what I remember about it. It cornered like it was on rails, but you felt every single pebble, crack, and grain of sand on the road. It was rather tiring to be in for a long ride. I think it did have AC though:)

The other thing about that car was that it had too little horsepower at 700 rpm, and too much at 1500 rpm. The turbo had a habit of kicking in while in the middle of making left turns from stoplights, not good when the intersection was slick.

[Brian Elfert]

I am 48 years old and I really prefer modern cars. They start every time, stop better in the winter, and have air conditioning. My car is a 2016, but it has none of the new safety features. It just has ABS brakes and stability control.

I have a 1995 coach bus converted to a motorhome. I prefer the curved European look of my bus over the looks of the older buses. The only downside is the huge windshields are hard to replace and seem to crack easily.

[Mike Henderson]

Yeah, I used to have people say to me, "They don't build them like they used to, do they?"

And I used to reply, "No, thank God. They build them a lot better."

Mike

[Today, when you go to start your car, it starts. If it doesn't, there's something really wrong. Years ago, you had a sequence to go through. Maybe it was one pump on the accelerator and half choke, then hit the start button. And if it didn't start, you might have to let it sit for 10 minutes or so and then go through the sequence again. And there were problems you could count on. For example, most cars started using oil through the valve guides at about 50,000 miles. Today, people drive a car for 200,000 miles and never do a major repair to the engine. Cars have gotten a LOT better. And a LOT safer.]

[Andrew Seemann]

Ah yes, manual chokes, the ultimate in theft protection. 25 years ago, someone tried to steal a friend of mine's 1965 International 1 ton pickup. They got it about 50 yards down the road on the starter motor. From what he could tell, they never got it started; apparently they could not figure out the manual choke. Actually, he upgraded the theft protection after that. At some point the starter motor got iffy, so he always parked on a hill, so he could roll start it (with the manual choke).

[Rick Potter]

Funny this subject just came up. I have been a car guy for all my life, and my wife and I were just talking about thinning the herd last night. I have spent the last few days taking care of problems with a couple of my cars, that got ignored because of working on the house, and I have to say I don't really enjoy working on them any more.

Right now, we have a '55 Thunderbird, '56 Ford Victoria, '30 Model A Tudor, '02 Corvette, and an '03 Mustang GT convertible. The old ones are all hot rods, and the newer ones are very low mileage. They are all toy cars.

The real cars in the family of three generations of adults who live here are our two Ford plug in hybrids, my F250, the wifes Toyota mini van, the daughters Honda CRV, and the grand daughters Honda Clarity plug in.

All these cars are garaged, except for my pickup, and I am getting tired of staying up with them. As mentioned, my wife and I (about to be 78 soon) are discussing unloading some, and just keeping a couple oldies. As someone mentioned already, some of them have shrunk over the years. I cannot get in the 'T-Bird with the top on, and it is a real hassle getting out of the Corvette now, and someone shrank the door on the Model A, to the point I can hardly get my foot in the door.

I have had cars like this for over 60 years, but we are probably going to shrink the fleet into something smaller, with the bells and whistles the new cars have. Under discussion...sell the Mustang, T-Bird, and Corvette, and get a two year old Mustang convertible (we have always had convertibles)(over 20). Then, sell the mini van and one plug in hybrid, and get a new plug in hybrid mini van.

That should last as long as we do, but damn, I will miss the love/hate relationship I have with old T-birds.

[Ron Selzer]

Funny this subject just came up. I have been a car guy for all my life, and my wife and I were just talking about thinning the herd last night. I have spent the last few days taking care of problems with a couple of my cars, that got ignored because of working on the house, and I have to say I don't really enjoy working on them any more.

Right now, we have a '55 Thunderbird, '56 Ford Victoria, '30 Model A Tudor, '02 Corvette, and an '03 Mustang GT convertible. The old ones are all hot rods, and the newer ones are very low mileage. They are all toy cars.

The real cars in the family of three generations of adults who live here are our two Ford plug in hybrids, my F250, the wifes Toyota mini van, the daughters Honda CRV, and the grand daughters Honda Clarity plug in.

All these cars are garaged, except for my pickup, and I am getting tired of staying up with them. As mentioned, my wife and I (about to be 78 soon) are discussing unloading some, and just keeping a couple oldies. As someone mentioned already, some of them have shrunk over the years. I cannot get in the 'T-Bird with the top on, and it is a real hassle getting out of the Corvette now, and someone shrank the door on the Model A, to the point I can hardly get my foot in the door.

I have had cars like this for over 60 years, but we are probably going to shrink the fleet into something smaller, with the bells and whistles the new cars have. Under discussion...sell the Mustang, T-Bird, and Corvette, and get a two year old Mustang convertible (we have always had convertibles)(over 20). Then, sell the mini van and one plug in hybrid, and get a new plug in hybrid mini van.

That should last as long as we do, but damn, I will miss the love/hate relationship I have with old T-birds.

Rent a Mustang Convertible and drive it at least 300 miles before buying one with the 4cyl engine. Rented one a couple of years ago and not at all happy with that motor. Do have a 2015 V6 Mustang (90k+ now) bought new for the wife, no comparison between motors. No experience with the V8 which along with the 4 cyl requires Premium fuel unlike the V6 which gets 29 mpg on regular fuel.
Good luck
Ron

[Kev Williams]

Actually, you don't HAVE to put premium fuel in a V8 Mustang, or any newer car for that matter. Only necessary if it knocks on lower octane, and no one will ever know anyway because the engine management systems these days react so fast and work so well that adjusting for knock -among other things- goes on completely without notice. My wife's 40th and 60th birthday presents were Mustang GT converts-
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2013 and 1989-- I've driven the '13 for 5 years now, only put 88 mid-grade in it once, and 91 once (91 is premium in these parts, elevation), they made no difference over the 85 regular I normally run in it. The thing is scary fast on any gas! ;)

couple of 'youth' cars--
'67 Coronet R/T, 440, auto- this'ns not mine but was identical to it, gold, black top-- I have no pics of mine :(
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this car was a dog off the line with the 2:73 gears, but throw it in first at 35 and not much ever beat it :)

'70 Coronet R/T (no, it's not a Super Bee ;) ) - 440 six-pac, functioning hood scoops, 4-speed, 4:10 gears, and this is the only pic I have of it :(
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I really really really wish I still had this car...

More to add to this thread later, work beacons...

[Mike Henderson]

Actually, you don't HAVE to put premium fuel in a V8 Mustang, or any newer car for that matter. Only necessary if it knocks on lower octane, and no one will ever know anyway because the engine management systems these days react so fast and work so well that adjusting for knock -among other things- goes on completely without notice. My wife's 40th and 60th birthday presents were Mustang GT converts-.

The engine control systems on modern cars can adjust to use lower octane fuel without knocking but you will lose power.

Mike

[Scott Donley]

Mike, I just have to say, in 1973 I had a 1968 Porsche 911-L, only about 400 imported that year, the only year imported. I loved that car and would trade my new car for it any day of the week. I sold when I was at the Monterey can Am races in the Porsche paddock and some guy from San Fransisco came up to me with an offer to buy I could not refuse. I looked online a couple years ago and saw where one like it sold for a hundred and twenty thousand. That car made me feel alive.

[Frank Pratt]

Actually, you don't HAVE to put premium fuel in a V8 Mustang, or any newer car for that matter. Only necessary if it knocks on lower octane, and no one will ever know anyway because the engine management systems these days react so fast and work so well that adjusting for knock -among other things- goes on completely without notice.

My SIL has an '07 GT that he put a coyote engine in from Ford Racing. It specifically warns not to put less than 91 octane in it. But it's not exactly an average street engine.

[Kev Williams]

They say pictures speak louder than words ;)

Our 2013 Mustang owner's manual:
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Page 158, fuel recommendations. Plain old 87 is recommended, higher for 'severe usage'. I find it funny that Ford states
'do not be concerned if your engine knocks lightly'. Personally, I'D be concerned!
Only 85 octane is not recommended, and this is a dinky 5 liter making 420hp.
I use 85 but never at lower than 4400'. Have never heard any knocking... so I'm not concerned :)
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As to losing/gaining power using regular/premium, if your engine doesn't knock on regular,
you'll likely LOSE power using premium.
This screenshot from an AAA website, 'don't confuse gasoline octane and quality'...
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========

[Frank Pratt]

They say pictures speak louder than words ;)

Oh, I agree. But his engine is not one that you can buy in a car off the lot. This thing is naturally aspirated, but makes something over 500 HP.

[Bill Dufour]

I always thought you needed more octane or retard the timing at higher elevation to reduce pinging?
My 1977 Datsun I would retard timing or turn on the water injection above 4,00 feet or so.
Bill D

[Jim Matthews]

Years ago, you had a sequence to go through. Maybe it was one pump on the accelerator and half choke, then hit the start button. And if it didn't start, you might have to let it sit for 10 minutes or so and then go through the sequence again.

That's *character*.

(You forgot to mention the brand logo hat.)

[Ron Selzer]

2004 Ram 1500 reg cab, 8' bed 4.7 v8, auto, a/c bought new by me. This truck ran great, never knocked on reg gas which is factory recommended. Pulled a 16' trailer ok in Ohio on the flats. Went down to Georgia with it on I-75 and would be climbing hills at 35mph at the top , semi's blowing past me on the way up. NEVER KNOCKED, would not downshift no matter what. Same deal when over in Penn. on the turnpike in some of those hills. Daughter had a 99 Dodge Dakota reg cab 6' bed V-6 5 spd manual which pulled the same trailer out of Florida thru Georgia. Trailer had 4' sides loaded for all we could get on moving her back to Ohio. 80 at bottom of hill 76 at top of hill no problem. SO WHAT was happening??
At about 65k miles was advised to try midrange or high test in the 2004 Ram, that truck woke up and pulled that trailer up a hill like it wasn't there. Then got a new wife about 80k on the truck who needed wheels gave the truck to her and got me a 97 Nissan pickup. She started running only high test in the 2004 after she put about 20k on it I had a reason to drive it and it was screaming then, YES she does drive hard so the computer probably changed settings. To this day 190k that truck will get with it if she has been driving it much. It will always get high test as long as I own it, does only get about 3-4k a year on it now
Ron

[Larry Edgerton]

Here it is Jim. I've dropped a lot of money on it since, drivetrain is perfect, now for the coach. Has 54K on the clock.



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[Jim Koepke]

This thread came to mind when this was posted on a friend's FB page:

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jtk

[Mike Henderson]

That's *character*.

(You forgot to mention the brand logo hat.)

I'm not sure if you mean it built character in the driver or if it meant the car had character. But on a cold morning when the car wouldn't start I wasn't very taken with the character of the car.:)

But I suppose it was better than my ancestors who had to manually crank the car. My dad taught me how to hold a crank so you didn't break your thumb if the crank got thrown back.

I'll pass on all of that character and take modern cars that crank off first time, hot weather, cold weather, every time. I look forward to my next car which will be an electric.

Mike

[Ron Selzer]

Never cranked a car but cranked a tractor a lot growing up
Had a 72 Ply Duster with 225 Slant six bought new, you better have a fresh set of spark plugs put in every winter or it wouldn't start when it got cold
Ron

[Jim Matthews]

I look forward to my next car which will be an electric.

Mike

My next car was supposed to be a jetpack.

I'll settle for the self-cleaning "mobility appliance" that comes when I call for it.

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2020-self-driving-car-race/

[Ole Anderson]

Never had a vintage car. Not attracted to anything younger than me. Love drooling over the old rods though. Best I can claim is an '84 CJ7 my son and i have been working on since he was in high school 30 years ago. Dropped a LS in it 9 years ago. https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f22/ole-jay-s-cj7-5-3-chevy-swap-1287392/

[lowell holmes]

This is my idea of vintage cars. :)

https://www.google.com/search?q=model+a+ford&oq=model+a+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l6j69i60.11470j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Arvin R Brown]

I built a Factory Five Racing Cobra with my two boys. Has a 427SB with about 550 hp and 560ish torque. Weighs about 2300 lbs. love taking it for cruises in the beautiful Utah mountains. 438985

[Michael Weber]

Just sold this after owning it 40 years. Right hand drive. Before restoration.
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[Kev Williams]

This is my idea of vintage cars. :)

https://www.google.com/search?q=model+a+ford&oq=model+a+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l6j69i60.11470j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
And here's my idea of an 'upgraded' vintage car (Model A per your link :D )
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I could use this as a daily driver in a heartbeat. Right now the '13 Mustang is my DD, all I do with it is run shipping errands and go shopping, and the occasional 'just because' ride. This old A will hold a few groceries :)

My love of unique vehicles combined with my love of hot rods in general has me really liking this off the wall '51 Chevy gasser-
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--it'll carry groceries, and easy to make those carb adjustments and spark plug changes! :D

I've been seriously considering buying this '39 Oldsmobile--
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-Very nice built mild rod, helluva sweet daily driver :)