Cars the way we remember them.

[paulplom]

YPLAC

[mercrocker]

Those tyre positions are making my teeth itch too...

[BusmansHoliday]

YPLAC

It didn't catch fire there. That was parked like that just after my dad dragged us back home and we were about to push it into the drive.

[Warren t claim]

Does anyone here really want to return to cross ply tyres, static seat belts, non servo drum brakes and having to break out the Mig welder for its first MOT? There's simply no fucking pleasure in having to top up the dashpot in your carb and trying to remember the rule of nine so you can do your tappets every six weeks.

[Eddie Honda]

Does anyone here really want to return to cross ply tyres, static seat belts, non servo drum brakes and having to break out the Mig welder for its first MOT? There's simply no fucking pleasure in having to top up the dashpot in your carb and trying to remember the rule of nine so you can do your tappets every six weeks.

HELL YEAH!

Got cross-ply tyres on the Regal. Don't even need seatbelts! Drum brakes are self servoing. Solid chassis doesn't need the MIG welder for any of its non-existent MOTs. Downdraft Zenith doesn't have a silly dashpot. Tappets are only every 6k / 26 weeks.

Granted there's the odd shoe adjustment and kingpin to grease, but that's done in a jiffy.

[mercrocker]

The only reason I have gone beyond 50s/60s cars for regular road use (even with my currently much reduced mileage) is to preserve the sheetmetal that I can no longer afford to have welded every Spring.

The Minor, for example, puts out warm air under the dash quickly enough, the screen is close enough to wipe frequently and de-ice inside as needed. Choke manipulation is better than wife's Focus at maintaining sufficient engine speed and mixture. Steering much more direct and full of feel - it would still be on crossies if I weren't such a tight arse) and I can't remember the last time I topped up the dashpot (although it is checked frequently).

A new carb and distributor, even on a high mileage clattery engine, has ruled out most breakdown causes. I don't give a fuck about seatbelts (if you crash one of these you will die even if you're strapped in) and as Eddie points out the most common routine maintenance is quick and easy. I can do all the greasepoints in less than 15 minutes (5 of which involve locating my grease gun).

[SiC]

Does anyone here really want to return to cross ply tyres, static seat belts, non servo drum brakes and having to break out the Mig welder for its first MOT? There's simply no fucking pleasure in having to top up the dashpot in your carb and trying to remember the rule of nine so you can do your tappets every six weeks.

HELL YEAH!

Got cross-ply tyres on the Regal. Don't even need seatbelts! Drum brakes are self servoing. Solid chassis doesn't need the MIG welder for any of its non-existent MOTs. Downdraft Zenith doesn't have a silly dashpot. Tappets are only every 6k / 26 weeks.

Granted there's the odd shoe adjustment and kingpin to grease, but that's done in a jiffy.

But when did you last drive that on the roads?

[Eddie Honda]

Does anyone here really want to return to cross ply tyres, static seat belts, non servo drum brakes and having to break out the Mig welder for its first MOT? There's simply no fucking pleasure in having to top up the dashpot in your carb and trying to remember the rule of nine so you can do your tappets every six weeks.

HELL YEAH!

Got cross-ply tyres on the Regal. Don't even need seatbelts! Drum brakes are self servoing. Solid chassis doesn't need the MIG welder for any of its non-existent MOTs. Downdraft Zenith doesn't have a silly dashpot. Tappets are only every 6k / 26 weeks.

Granted there's the odd shoe adjustment and kingpin to grease, but that's done in a jiffy.

But when did you last drive that on the roads?

Er...er...











1992

[bub2006]

I can't remember if it was on the beige or on here where someone said that the best age of motoring for maintenance was through the late 90s and early 2000s. Not for styling or anything like that but for a car being a car and serving a purpose. Not massive rot boxes like earlier cars but some still till rot well (Mazda I'm looking at you) and the engines were relatively reliable with basic ish fuel injection systems and capable of in excess of 100k withought a rebuild. Easily fixable on the driveway and parts are easy enough to get for mainstream vehicles.
Looking in scrapyards today and there isn't many early 2000s motors in. I'm seeing 10 year old cars with electric issues that can't be fixed.

[paulplom]

I agree. Bub's mk4 astra is a perfect example. Virtually rot proof, piss easy to work on and very reliable.
The diesel version was bomb proof too. I did 100k in a van 1.7td with no ftp and I can't remember it ever having a service. Hammered everywhere too.