No, we are not responsible for the health of a car you bought as is over a year ago

[protege]

With 60s and 70s autos these days it also helps to be a mechanic today. There's fewer and fewer knowledgeable mechanics on those cars these days and especially so on 40's era.

At least most things on cars from that era are mechanical, and there aren't any computers to worry about Right now, my MG still runs ignition points, carburetors, and has a manual choke. Easy enough to mess with once you understand how they work. When the car refused to start one afternoon, I took the distributor apart, replaced the points, and had it running again. Much easier than trying to screw with an electronic ignition at the roadside.

[Tanasi]

The talk about Merc's and muscle cars reminds me of the car I'd love to have, but probably never will -- an '04 Mercury Marauder. TL;DR is "It's a Grand Marquis with a Mustang engine" (v8, ~305hp). Mercury only made 'em in 03 and 04, maybe 10K or so produced in total.

My brother was given a used Nissan econobox by my Dad when he was in need of an A-to-B daily driver. Not only did he never get the oil changed *when he already knew it was dry just from the sounds it made*, he made a point of never even checking it prior that point, and acted offended if Dad or I suggested that maybe he should. He ran that fucker into the ground and, after about six months of his abuse (after running out of oil), the engine simply seized up while he was driving along the interstate; fortunately, he was able to get it onto the side of the road before it just stopped coasting along. The engine had fused into a solid block of blue metal O_O

I saw a few second gen Marauders this weekend at the Southern Hot Rod Nationals car show. I saw a lot of cars and trucks. Lots of pictures, I'll try to post some on Pinterist.

Heh. AIUI, those dated from a time when to be a car owner, you practically had to be the mechanic as well.

With 60s and 70s autos these days it also helps to be a mechanic today. There's fewer and fewer knowledgeable mechanics on those cars these days and especially so on 40's era. You don't run into to many Studebaker mechanics these days.

[Mental_Mouse]

When I was young I wanted to have my grandfather's Model A Ford, which was sitting in his barn. An older cousin got to it first, restored it, and promptly blew up the motor.

Heh. AIUI, those dated from a time when to be a car owner, you practically had to be the mechanic as well.

[Ironclad Alibi]

When I was young I wanted to have my grandfather's Model A Ford, which was sitting in his barn. An older cousin got to it first, restored it, and promptly blew up the motor.

[EricKei]

The talk about Merc's and muscle cars reminds me of the car I'd love to have, but probably never will -- an '04 Mercury Marauder. TL;DR is "It's a Grand Marquis with a Mustang engine" (v8, ~305hp). Mercury only made 'em in 03 and 04, maybe 10K or so produced in total.

My cousin bought a brand new car and couldn't be bothered to get the oil changed... Even when she had free oil changes for the first 50,000 miles. She couldn't understand why the engine locked up at 21,000 miles.

My brother was given a used Nissan econobox by my Dad when he was in need of an A-to-B daily driver. Not only did he never get the oil changed *when he already knew it was dry just from the sounds it made*, he made a point of never even checking it prior that point, and acted offended if Dad or I suggested that maybe he should. He ran that fucker into the ground and, after about six months of his abuse (after running out of oil), the engine simply seized up while he was driving along the interstate; fortunately, he was able to get it onto the side of the road before it just stopped coasting along. The engine had fused into a solid block of blue metal O_O

[Sparklyturtle]

Never drove a 3 in the tree, but the car I currently own has a 5-speed manual transmission. I once left it at a car wash while I went inside a grocery store to shop, and gave permission for the car washers to move it once they were finished with it (they were college students earning money for a mission trip.) When I came back out the young man who had moved my car told me he'd had to do it because none of the others out of some 30 college-age people knew how to drive a car with a clutch. My car is a 1995 Geo Metro, and it still runs great despite looking as though it was dropped from a great height.

[Tanasi]

Beyond a tractor I learned to drive on a 1947 Studebaker pickup. Three speed in the floor. It had a hand throttle and manually powered window wipers. It had a hill holder on it so you could pull up on a hill push the clutch in and set the foot brake and then let go of the brake. It would then hold on the hill and when you could go just let out the clutch and hit the gas. It was fun to drive, too bad my Dad sold it to a cousin, it later burned down in a barn fire. Through high school I drove a 1966 Chevy with a six-banger with 3 on the tree and really heavy duty clutch. It was difficult to drive.

[dalesys]

... family entertainment every winter....

(whisper) "When do you think he'll figure out we swapped out his snow tires for racing slicks?"

[Argabarga]

78' Dodge D200 Pickup


Headlights, Wipers, Radio, Engine..... you may choose any 3

Also 2WD, all the "Fun" of RWD, none of the sporty looks, and the family entertainment every winter.... "HEY! EVERYONE TO THE FRONT WINDOW, HE'S TRYING TO GET UP THE DRIVEWAY AGAIN!!!!"

[protege]

First car I had, was an '87 Ford Tempo that I'd "inherited" from my dad. While it looked OK, it had a *lot* of mechanical and structural issues. Mostly because he didn't maintain it, but some of it was because it had been hit. I put up with the stupid brakes, the driver's door flying open, no heater, the nasty rotting milk smell, etc. for about a year. That's when the car went out with a bang--literally. While driving home one afternoon, it began to overheat. Not wanting to stop in the ghetto, I had no choice but to drop the windows, crank up the heater, and continue on. As I was turning of into a parking lot, the engine blew up As if that wasn't enough...someone rear-ended the now-dead car, writing it off Good riddance. I junked the remains and about a then-three-year-old Tercel instead. Had that for 6 years, then bought my first new car in 2000.

If I had kids, there's no way in hell they'd be behind the wheel of a Mustang, Camaro, or similar car. There's a reason why insurance premiums are so high on those things. Too much power for a newly-licensed driver to handle--many of them end up wrapped around trees or telephone poles. No, they'd be getting the slowest cheap car I could find. Kid doesn't like it? It's either take the base-model economy car, or take the bus instead.

[nutraxfornerves]

My first was a 1955 VW Bug that my parents had bought new 10 years ago. It had all the power of a lawnmower and was so beat up, there was zero concern about body damage. The manual transmission was no longer an H; it was more like an X. Great learner’s car. I kept it for 5 years and taught a lot of people how to drive stick with it.

I once heard an episode of Car Talk, where the caller was a mom who wanted to buy her teenage daughter a good used car. Mom had a decent budget and wanted the guys to help her choose from among the ones her daughter suggested, all of which, of course, were cars that a teenager would think are the bee’s knees. The guys spent forever convincing Mom to buy a tank instead, for the same money. They pretty much told Mom, do you want your daughter to think you are a cool mom while in the hospital (or worse, the morgue) or do you want her to be mad at you, while having wheels and staying alive?

[mjr]

The first vehicle I had was a 1992 Chevy S10 pickup.

It was a manual transmission. I didn't know how to drive a 5-speed. I had to learn pretty quickly. I probably could have learned more about it (like how to proceed after a stop sign on a hill).

It was a good little truck. It had an amplified stereo system in it, and I had to swap the stereo when someone stole mine, but that was a good truck.

Though a guy I knew who lived down the street from my grandmother had a red 1967 Mustang that he wanted to sell for $2,000. He'd just gotten a new engine put in it, too. I just didn't have the money.

There was also a Pontiac Fiero for sale in the neighborhood where I lived. Didn't really have the cash for that, either.

[Racket_Man]

Reminds me of my first car; '77 Chevy van with no front brakes, and a '72 steering wheel and gear. Probably not the best vehicle for a 16-year old, but that van taught me to be cautious and to plan ahead. Thank goodness I only had it for a few months.

I learned on a 1976 Chrysler Cordorva big fat V8. After I got my license I drove most of the time my parents 1976 Ford Maverick family car straight 6 250 BIG DIFFERENCE and it sucked.

[Tanasi]

GrassRoots Motorsports magazine. Their focus is on race cars, including ones that don't look so pretty. They have a "2K challenge" every year where the budget is equal to the year, and they are fans of the various "crapcan racing" series. (E.g., Lemons.)

I don't for sure remember which one but a friend was given either a Ford Granada or Fairmont just to get it out of the way. When he was getting it back into a road worthy state he discovered it was a factory re-skinned Fox-body Mustang. He removed the 2.3 four banger and replaced it with 5.0. Talk about a sleeper, a grand-ma car with a dark heart. It would fly.

It sounds like she's getting a lot of use out of those shoes.

Most of those shoes are so uncomfortable that you can't walk out of sight with out removing them. I mean really how many pairs of red and black heels does one person need?

[dalesys]

... doesn't go very fast."

Whackypaddleya say 93mph fast...