1970 vs 2016 auto's

[PeterGriffin]

I get the nostalgia of older cars and it would be nice to have a Sunday driver, but screw that as a daily driver. I've set the gap and dwell and greased enough ball joints and rod ends to last me several lifetimes, thankyouverymuch. Seriously, "back in the day" it seemed like every weekend there was always something to do, and if your Made in America 50's-80's vintage car made it 100K miles you threw a party. Now 100K is when you can expect your first "tune up", which really means spark plugs.

Sometimes I get frustrated since newer cars are pretty well impossible for me to work on apart from brakes/suspension, but then I remember, it's rare you have to work on them.

 

[gipper]

I had a 1975 Chevy Vega.... looked great, but what a piece of shit. Aluminum block.... yeah, great idea.

oh yes, the old Cogsworth aluminum engine. for a small car in the day they really were not that bad. Compared to what you get today they were total crap, but in the day if you cared for it right and drove it right there was no reason you couldnt get a good solid 50k out of that engine before it was toasted enough to smear butter on it.

I had a 1976 Vega 4 speed. It was a good car, but it rusted out quickly.

 

[Maryland Patriot]

If it were possible to buy a new 1970 compact auto for its inflation adjusted 1970 price (around $14500) or a current typical compact auto your choice would be?

No doubt about it, the current models. Current automobiles are light years ahead of a 1970's auto from the standpoint of features, safety, efficiency and quality not to mention they'll typically last at least twice as long.

In other words you're getting much more value for the money from today's automobiles, global competition has played a large part in that as well as enormous advances in technology.

The seed of this topic is a conversation I had with some folks at a place called Eric Peters Autos. THEY firmly believe that their personal rights are being attacked (and I tend to agree) because it is illegal to manufacture or purchase that 1970 tech auto in the USA at any price. The politics of the legality is why I figure my topic is OK in this particular forum.

I know Eric Peters and I don't think you have that right. His point is the government has fucked up everything with their regulations on fuel mileage and crash tests, that cars are too expensive, too complicated, and too heavy. I had a VW Jetta diesel in 1979. The damn thing got 55 mpg and ran like top. Thanks to Uncle diesels were regulated so heavily for emissions that Americans got screwed.

You can always count on Uncle to fuck up everything.

I have an 06 TDI, it gets 55 to 61 mpg highway. but then the government stepped in and forced them to burn even cleaner, the burn cleaner but also burn much more fuel now, so even with them burning a gallon cleaner than before, you use enough extra fuel to go the same difference that you are actually putting out more emissions per mile than before and the advances in clean burning are negated due to lower mileage

 

[Iceweasel]

Ford did not make the Gremlin.

I think it was AMC without looking it up. Every car was shit.

Yes it was AMC, they also made that hideous monstrosity commonly known as the Pacer.

On the plus side AMC brought us JEEP which is the reason Chrysler bought them, it was the only thing of value that AMC had to offer.

Didn't they just tweak the military version.

And what a wonder they did for Harley! Almost killed the brand.

 

[Maryland Patriot]

I get the nostalgia of older cars and it would be nice to have a Sunday driver, but screw that as a daily driver. I've set the gap and dwell and greased enough ball joints and rod ends to last me several lifetimes, thankyouverymuch. Seriously, "back in the day" it seemed like every weekend there was always something to do, and if your Made in America 50's-80's vintage car made it 100K miles you threw a party. Now 100K is when you can expect your first "tune up", which really means spark plugs.

Sometimes I get frustrated since newer cars are pretty well impossible for me to work on apart from brakes/suspension, but then I remember, it's rare you have to work on them.

real motors dont have spark plugs. in 250k I have put on an alternator and 2 sets of batteries.

 

[Iceweasel]

I get the nostalgia of older cars and it would be nice to have a Sunday driver, but screw that as a daily driver. I've set the gap and dwell and greased enough ball joints and rod ends to last me several lifetimes, thankyouverymuch. Seriously, "back in the day" it seemed like every weekend there was always something to do, and if your Made in America 50's-80's vintage car made it 100K miles you threw a party. Now 100K is when you can expect your first "tune up", which really means spark plugs.

Sometimes I get frustrated since newer cars are pretty well impossible for me to work on apart from brakes/suspension, but then I remember, it's rare you have to work on them.

For me it's the body, not the technology. If I was rich I have all the state of the art running gear, engine, suspension, etc on as bone stock looking as I could get it. Yeah, the solid metal dash would need something too. Giant airbag?

 

[there4eyeM]

I had a 1975 Chevy Vega.... looked great, but what a piece of shit. Aluminum block.... yeah, great idea.

The problem was not the aluminum block; many cars had already successfully used them. G.M.'s error was insisting that sleet pistons could run directly in the aluminum, without a cast iron liner as everyone else used. Carbon deposits are harder than aluminum alloy, the block got 'machined' out to greater tolerances, oil went out the openings, etc.

 

[gipper]

If it were possible to buy a new 1970 compact auto for its inflation adjusted 1970 price (around $14500) or a current typical compact auto your choice would be?

No doubt about it, the current models. Current automobiles are light years ahead of a 1970's auto from the standpoint of features, safety, efficiency and quality not to mention they'll typically last at least twice as long.

In other words you're getting much more value for the money from today's automobiles, global competition has played a large part in that as well as enormous advances in technology.

The seed of this topic is a conversation I had with some folks at a place called Eric Peters Autos. THEY firmly believe that their personal rights are being attacked (and I tend to agree) because it is illegal to manufacture or purchase that 1970 tech auto in the USA at any price. The politics of the legality is why I figure my topic is OK in this particular forum.

I know Eric Peters and I don't think you have that right. His point is the government has fucked up everything with their regulations on fuel mileage and crash tests, that cars are too expensive, too complicated, and too heavy. I had a VW Jetta diesel in 1979. The damn thing got 55 mpg and ran like top. Thanks to Uncle diesels were regulated so heavily for emissions that Americans got screwed.

You can always count on Uncle to fuck up everything.

I have an 06 TDI, it gets 55 to 61 mpg highway. but then the government stepped in and forced them to burn even cleaner, the burn cleaner but also burn much more fuel now, so even with them burning a gallon cleaner than before, you use enough extra fuel to go the same difference that you are actually putting out more emissions per mile than before and the advances in clean burning are negated due to lower mileage

Yes Uncle is stupid too.

 

[Maryland Patriot]

I had a 1975 Chevy Vega.... looked great, but what a piece of shit. Aluminum block.... yeah, great idea.

The problem was not the aluminum block; many cars had already successfully used them. G.M.'s error was insisting that sleet pistons could run directly in the aluminum, without a cast iron liner as everyone else used. Carbon deposits are harder than aluminum alloy, the block got 'machined' out to greater tolerances, oil went out the openings, etc.

yep, then remember when the first started putting the aluminum heads on the steel blocks? funny thing happens when to metals expand and contract at noticeably different rates as they heat and cool, they tend to slide against each other until the aluminum wears down and fails. Its why there were so many head gasket replacements back then.

 

[PeterGriffin]

Ford did not make the Gremlin.

I think it was AMC without looking it up. Every car was shit.

Yes it was AMC, they also made that hideous monstrosity commonly known as the Pacer.

On the plus side AMC brought us JEEP which is the reason Chrysler bought them, it was the only thing of value that AMC had to offer.

Didn't they just tweak the military version.

And what a wonder they did for Harley! Almost killed the brand.

American Motors never had anything to do with Harley Davidson. You're thinking of AMF, American Machine & Foundry. Bowling magnates....lol.

 

[strollingbones]

older the 1970....i had a push button dodge dart.....it was like driving a tank

 

[Iceweasel]

Ford did not make the Gremlin.

I think it was AMC without looking it up. Every car was shit.

Yes it was AMC, they also made that hideous monstrosity commonly known as the Pacer.

On the plus side AMC brought us JEEP which is the reason Chrysler bought them, it was the only thing of value that AMC had to offer.

Didn't they just tweak the military version.

And what a wonder they did for Harley! Almost killed the brand.

American Motors never had anything to do with Harley Davidson. You're thinking of AMF, American Machine & Foundry. Bowling magnates....lol.

Yep. That was too long ago for me. Good move getting away from them.

 

[Maryland Patriot]

I get the nostalgia of older cars and it would be nice to have a Sunday driver, but screw that as a daily driver. I've set the gap and dwell and greased enough ball joints and rod ends to last me several lifetimes, thankyouverymuch. Seriously, "back in the day" it seemed like every weekend there was always something to do, and if your Made in America 50's-80's vintage car made it 100K miles you threw a party. Now 100K is when you can expect your first "tune up", which really means spark plugs.

Sometimes I get frustrated since newer cars are pretty well impossible for me to work on apart from brakes/suspension, but then I remember, it's rare you have to work on them.

For me it's the body, not the technology. If I was rich I have all the state of the art running gear, engine, suspension, etc on as bone stock looking as I could get it. Yeah, the solid metal dash would need something too. Giant airbag?

I like to keep things stock looking too.
Although I did change my headlights over to the European style projection beam halo's with the LEDs and Xenon lights. I just like the look of it.

 

[Iceweasel]

I get the nostalgia of older cars and it would be nice to have a Sunday driver, but screw that as a daily driver. I've set the gap and dwell and greased enough ball joints and rod ends to last me several lifetimes, thankyouverymuch. Seriously, "back in the day" it seemed like every weekend there was always something to do, and if your Made in America 50's-80's vintage car made it 100K miles you threw a party. Now 100K is when you can expect your first "tune up", which really means spark plugs.

Sometimes I get frustrated since newer cars are pretty well impossible for me to work on apart from brakes/suspension, but then I remember, it's rare you have to work on them.

For me it's the body, not the technology. If I was rich I have all the state of the art running gear, engine, suspension, etc on as bone stock looking as I could get it. Yeah, the solid metal dash would need something too. Giant airbag?

I like to keep things stock looking too.
Although I did change my headlights over to the European style projection beam halo's with the LEDs and Xenon lights. I just like the look of it.

Did you do the whole package? I hate the guys that stick the HID bulbs in stock reflectors and burn holes in your retinas.

 

[Maryland Patriot]

I get the nostalgia of older cars and it would be nice to have a Sunday driver, but screw that as a daily driver. I've set the gap and dwell and greased enough ball joints and rod ends to last me several lifetimes, thankyouverymuch. Seriously, "back in the day" it seemed like every weekend there was always something to do, and if your Made in America 50's-80's vintage car made it 100K miles you threw a party. Now 100K is when you can expect your first "tune up", which really means spark plugs.

Sometimes I get frustrated since newer cars are pretty well impossible for me to work on apart from brakes/suspension, but then I remember, it's rare you have to work on them.

For me it's the body, not the technology. If I was rich I have all the state of the art running gear, engine, suspension, etc on as bone stock looking as I could get it. Yeah, the solid metal dash would need something too. Giant airbag?

I like to keep things stock looking too.
Although I did change my headlights over to the European style projection beam halo's with the LEDs and Xenon lights. I just like the look of it.

Did you do the whole package? I hate the guys that stick the HID bulbs in stock reflectors and burn holes in your retinas.

I did the whole thing. even changed over the running lights and turn signals.
also did the Euro lights on the back. My backup lights are like freaking stadium lights, I have a concern with starting the woods on fire when I back out of my driveway.

 

[peabody]

 

[Maryland Patriot]

hey, isnt that one of the Village People?

 

[MrShangles]

Ford Pinto, I let mine run totally out of oil, it stopped running and I went and got 4 quarts of oil , put it in car and drove off. do that today


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Iceweasel]

I did the whole thing. even changed over the running lights and turn signals.
also did the Euro lights on the back. My backup lights are like freaking stadium lights, I have a concern with starting the woods on fire when I back out of my driveway.

Nice. I want to do that someday to my F150. I replaced the yellowing lights with more modern after market replacements. $70 and it spiffed up the front end nicely.

 

[gipper]

Ford did not make the Gremlin.

I think it was AMC without looking it up. Every car was shit.

Yes it was AMC, they also made that hideous monstrosity commonly known as the Pacer.

On the plus side AMC brought us JEEP which is the reason Chrysler bought them, it was the only thing of value that AMC had to offer.

Didn't they just tweak the military version.

And what a wonder they did for Harley! Almost killed the brand.

American Motors never had anything to do with Harley Davidson. You're thinking of AMF, American Machine & Foundry. Bowling magnates....lol.

I had an AMF Harley what a peice of shit.