Reminiscing about older vehicles

[turnkey4099]

Well it seems like the newer engines definitely do last longer. I see a 2012 F-150 on a dealers website that has 255k miles.

My 1989 f150 is over 160k, doesn't burn any oil between changes, mechanically as close t new as possible. replaced exhaust 2x, new struts on front, had to replace all three fuel pumps a few years ago. Body looks like a reject from the scrap yeard. it's been a wood hauler for around 20 years and shows the assoicated damage. Had to replace the tailgate last year, it was so dished in tht I couldn't close/open it any more, bed so dished it would do for a foot bath.

Harry K

 

[PILOON]

I asked my mechanic Son. He says modern electronic sensors, relays, etc., are very susceptible to voltage variations. The commons source of variations are connectors. Very hard to locate the problem. If after searching and finding nothing and the problem disappears you have touched the source and in unplugging, cleaning and replugging the connector you fixed the problem without having ever seeing it...... So, when all else fails, unplug and inspect every connector that might have something to do with the problem area. Understanding the problem might be clear back to the large connector on the firewall or PCM.....

My background is aviation.
A client with an old '50's Cessna had all kinds of intermittent problems and insisted that we try to cure them.
Very reluctantly I put a man on the job. (and had him sign a waiver)
I instructed him to 'make and break' every single connector in the systems and liberally spray the connectors with WD40.
After 4-5 hours of labor and a few cans of WD40 every single avionic system came back to life. The pilot later confirmed that he went on months free of troubles.
That pilot was braver than I as he flew Montreal to Mexico in IFR conditions in that old bird.

For that reason I often suggest WD40 as a cure and maintenance for ignition switches.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Well it seems like the newer engines definitely do last longer. I see a 2012 F-150 on a dealers website that has 255k miles.

I have friend who has a Kenworth Diesel that has 1.5 million miles on it; he has been into the engine at least once though.

 

[ovrszd]

I have a friend that owns a '99 7.3L Powerstroke in a Super Duty. It's got 450K miles with only injectors changed. Otherwise it's just been normal maintenance items like brakes, steering parts, etc. Granted they are hiway miles, but approaching half a million none the less.

 

[bigdeano]

The old cars could last a long time if taken care of. My uncle had a 1960 Pontiac with 265,000 when he sold it. He also had a 1963 Olds that had 263,000. I had a 1976 Vega that had 250,000 when the guy I sold it to wrecked it. My 1973 Chevy K20 pickup only has 97,000, but still runs like new. None of them had the engines taken apart except for timing chains/belts.

 

[ovrszd]

The old cars could last a long time if taken care of. My uncle had a 1960 Pontiac with 265,000 when he sold it. He also had a 1963 Olds that had 263,000. I had a 1976 Vega that had 250,000 when the guy I sold it to wrecked it. My 1973 Chevy K20 pickup only has 97,000, but still runs like new. None of them had the engines taken apart except for timing chains/belts.

And if driven on good roads. "City" cars have it made compared to "Country" cars. In my world cars built before the 80s spent most of their life on a gravel or dirt road. During the wet seasons it was not unheard of to chain up the car. What pavement was available was in horrible conditions I live on a State "hiway". When I moved here in 1979 there were places on this road that cars would drag their undercarriage on the ridges heaved up in the oil/gravel pavement. Oil would run down the hills on a warm Summer day. For what they had to deal with I guess those old cars/trucks did very well.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

And if driven on good roads. "City" cars have it made compared to "Country" cars. In my world cars built before the 80s spent most of their life on a gravel or dirt road. During the wet seasons it was not unheard of to chain up the car. What pavement was available was in horrible conditions I live on a State "hiway". When I moved here in 1979 there were places on this road that cars would drag their undercarriage on the ridges heaved up in the oil/gravel pavement. Oil would run down the hills on a warm Summer day. For what they had to deal with I guess those old cars/trucks did very well.

True city roads are awful, potholes and debris everywhere. Suburban roads are where it's at.

 

[SirReal63]

The 94 F350 is at 390k+ miles, has needed injectors, lift pump and injection pump. All mechanical and I am close to doing some work on it, the turbo could use a rebuild and the fuel tanks need desperate attention. I plan on driving it until parts are no longer available.

The 03 Chevy 2500 HD is about to turn over 307k miles, it has needed a few things, water pump, oil pump and motor mounts. I wouldn't hesitate to drive to Canada in it, or pull the tractor anywhere in it.

 

[ultrarunner]

Nothing is forever...

Right now there is a big push back from the EPA about modifying any certified engine... in California emission controls go way back...

This push even effects vehicles that are now off road only or competition. It's no secret a lot of people would like to see every last old car regulated to the scrap heap or museums... I already trailer a lot of my cars because tags are getting expensive...

A couple years back I went to see a 56 T-Bird in Marin County north of San Francisco... the older guy had it 30 years and it had been in his garage the last 10 and not driven.

We rolled it out and got it started... sounded real good.

Soon several neighbors came out and down to a last one I and he were getting lectured on how irresponsible it would be to put this car on the road... environmentally irresponsible.

The seller apologized and said this is why he was leaving... everybody has an opinion about everything... leaf blowers, chain saws, older cars... even got a lecture about the evils of Henry Ford... from total strangers! I told her I never met the man and asked how she met him... that put a pause in the conversation.

Here is a link to the story about the EPA

EPA: Race cars have always required factory emissions equipment; SEMA: shenanigans | Hemmings Daily

 

[2LaneCruzer]

And if driven on good roads. "City" cars have it made compared to "Country" cars. In my world cars built before the 80s spent most of their life on a gravel or dirt road. During the wet seasons it was not unheard of to chain up the car. What pavement was available was in horrible conditions I live on a State "hiway". When I moved here in 1979 there were places on this road that cars would drag their undercarriage on the ridges heaved up in the oil/gravel pavement. Oil would run down the hills on a warm Summer day. For what they had to deal with I guess those old cars/trucks did very well.

Boy, are you right on! I grew up in an area of Western Oklahoma near the Cimarron River; it was sand hill country, with few paved roads. The sandy, country roads were he77 on suspensions; the sand would eat up the front end, brakes, etc. Of course the technology wasn't as good then, and we were always replacing U joints, wheel bearings, generator brushes, batteries, starters, and if you had a radio, OZ4's. Of course the old cars had a zillion places underneath to grease, and an oil and filter change ever 1000 miles was mandatory if you didn't want to do a ring and valve job every 40,000 miles. I'm told that today's motor is vastly superior to what we had back in the 60's and I believe it. Today's cars are pretty much maintenance free compared to what we had then, but still...lots of great memories.

 

[Alien]

Found some old photos a couple of days ago of some of my old cars.
1952 Ford Prefect
1954? Mk1 Zephyr
1959 PA Vauxhall
1964 Vauxhall (loved it)
Morris 1000 Convertible
2 x Morris 1100 s (they were great cars)
Hillman Avenger Alpine. (new car heap of junk)
New Mazda 808
72 Ford Fairmont
78 Toyota Landcruiser
Chrysler Valiant Station Wagon
New Toyota Corona
Magna
New Ford Falcon (98)
New Suzuki Grand Vitara
New Suzuki Van (business)
New Honda Accord Still got it.

That covers most of them. Few motorbikes thrown in here and there...

 

[nybirdman]

I watch a lot of the car auctions;started buying cars in the 1960's so familiar with the old iron.Seems what commands the most money are the old "looking" cars with modern running gear or "resto rods".Some of them sell for more than the same car in original/reconditioned condition.
So you get a old looking car with fuel injection,air,heat,disc brakes and a modern engine;what's not to like.

 

[Garandman]

//I had a 1976 Vega that had 250,000 when the guy I sold it to wrecked it. //

That is amazing! They defined "burning oil."

The car that cured me of any desire to own anything British. (Until I bought a Triumph Tiger 1050).

 

[ultrarunner]

My 1976 Triumph has been regulated to storage since it last didn't pass emission testing.

I don't know if emission testing of 40 year old carbureted vehicles is the norm elsewhere or an only in California thing?

Part of the problem is many cars from this era have special only to California emission equipment that were often add ons... making them just about non-existent today...

 

[bigdeano]

The last years of the Chevy Vega had very long lived engines, but by then they had a bad reputation, so didn't sell well.

 

[ovrszd]

My 1976 Triumph has been regulated to storage since it last didn't pass emission testing.

I don't know if emission testing of 40 year old carbureted vehicles is the norm elsewhere or an only in California thing?

Part of the problem is many cars from this era have special only to California emission equipment that were often add ons... making them just about non-existent today...

I won't say you are totally on your own with the California emissions thing. But I'll say you definitely are in the lead!!!!

No restrictions here in Missouri that I know of. There are a lot of 70's vehicles driving around here with Historic license plates which even precludes annual inspections.

 

[bcp]

My 1976 Triumph has been regulated to storage since it last didn't pass emission testing.

Bring it to WA. Nothing before 1991 or after 2008 is tested, and then in only 5 counties.

Washington Vehicle Emission Check Program - FAQ

Bruce

 

[ultrarunner]

I looked into bringing the cars to Washington and learned after the first two I would have to pay a Sales Tax of sorts on vehicles I have owned going back up to 40 years... kind of put a damper on things with 50 vehicles...

 

[Alien]

No testing for vehicles required in Queensland unless it is changing owners.

 

[motownbrowne]

No restrictions here in Missouri that I know of. There are a lot of 70's vehicles driving around here with Historic license plates which even precludes annual inspections.

No inspections in WI at all, not annually, not at time of sale. Nothing. I lived in CA for a couple of years, though. We sold a '97 Tacoma that we had bought in Washington. That was a hassle. Luckily it was a 50 state emission vehicle, but someone had previously swapped in a Downey cold air intake. The first smog shop wouldn't look at the thing, but we got a recommendation from a friend and found one that looked up the parts to make sure they were compliant. He actually couldn't find the right info, but got tired of searching and said it was close enough to the K&N that he let it slide. What a relief. The truck was worth about $2,000 more in California than in Washington (supply and demand, I guess) so I'm really glad we were able to sell it there.

Anyway, I'm glad we don't have to deal with it here.

Regarding the original topic, I'm younger than most of you guys, being an '86 model, so my first car wasn't that old. I started out in a '75 Plymouth Valiant with the 225 slant six. That was a great car. Definitely didn't have the safety features or get the MPGs that my current whip does ('10 Honda Fit), but it never left me stranded and stood out in the HS parking lot.