burningman wrote:
It's amazing just how good-looking a lot of American cars used to be, when you see them in great condition with the right wheels and good colors. And while they are considered archaic now, they could tow big trailers and they could be fixed at home by a guy with some tools and general sense.
They didn't have to go to the dealer every time some "module" that costs $500 went out and set off trouble codes and put the thing into "limp mode".
I've still got my '55 Chevy, and when I finally went diesel for my truck I kept my old GMC carbureted gas big-block truck. I can't sell it because it ALWAYS runs and it's always there ready to save the day when one of our over-complicated later models fails. It has zero electronics. If the rods aren't through the side of the block, it WILL run.
We used to have a '76 Impala with the 350 V8. Parents bought it new in Dec., '75, we bought it from them in '84 and ran it till '97. IN '97 engine went into an '81 Firebird, rad and HEI into a street rod, transmission into a Chevy pickup truck, when it was time to say goodbye to the old workhorse.
It would always start up and run. I recall one day when the temp was 38 to 40 below...I live where they film Ice Road Truckers...many modern cars would not start. I spent part of the morning in the 20 year old Chevy picking up other workers, bringing them to work.
It was reliable, durable, relatively simple mechanically, with no fancy electronics, except an early HEI electronic ignition system. It kept on going, when other newer vehicles surrendered and ran up the white flag.
