Classic Cars

[Nos]

I don't know what it is, but cars nowadays just don't have the same soul and style as the all-metal-machines of yesteryear. And no, I'm not some nostalgic old guy complaining about whipper-snappers and their new-fangled fuel injection and touch-screen navigation. All those things are great. And the interiors in cars have come a long way. But the exteriors have become (for the most part) featureless aerodynamic plastic blobs of neutrality. I'm 21. I was born in the 90's, the decade that brought us, perhaps, some of the most vanilla cars of all time. I just, am not drawn to them. I can drive them. My daily driver is a Mazda 3, and I love it. Great sound system. Excellent, sharp interior. Good fuel economy. But it doesn't do anything for me visually, you know? When I see one going down the road, I barely even recognize it. Not like old cars. Classic, vintage cars, they just get me going. My wife made fun of my yesterday because we passed a transmission shop that had a late-sixties Camaro (maroon, with an off-white stripe around the front end), a '70 Torino (jet black), and a 50's or so chevy parked outside; and I was immediately all over the window, pointing at them like a little child.

But I just can help it! There's something about those cars, (even if they don't get great mileage, even if they don't have all the modern creature comforts, and even if they break down from time to time) that I cannot resist.

Which is why, almost a year ago now, I bought my first classic car. Me and my wife bought a '74 Plymouth Duster. Nothing special. 225 /6 engine. Reliable, and still sounds better than most of today's engines, but not a power-house by any means. I am making this thread because today I'm going to put the final coat of paint on! And this weekend, I'll be finishing up the interior for Cruise the Coast, an annual classic car show on the coast of Mississippi that has literally /thousands/ of patrons. I'm so excited, and I just have to talk about it with someone.

So, does anyone else here have the same old car fetish I do? Anyone else restore/own old vehicles? Care to share or include pictures?

Here's a picture of mine from last weekend's painting session:



Soon she'll be back to her former glory.


EDIT: That's not me in the background. That's my father, who has taught me everything I now know over the course of working on this car. It's been great bonding, really.

[Reeve]

I like new cars, but I also appreciate older body styles. My favorite old body style is the '58 Corvette.

[Kaiser499]

Cars aren't made with the same quality like they used to be nowdays, that's why I prefer the old ones.

[Zelk]

I much prefer newer cars. Old cars don't do anything for me.

[nbm02ss]

I do enjoy vintage Detroit metal. My first car was a '69 AMC AMX, followed by a '72 Duster 340. I currently own a '72 Chevrolet C-10 shortwheelbase fleetside pickup that my dad and I restored:



Despite all that, no vintage car I've ever owned or driven has anything on my '02 SS heads/cam Camaro.

[Nos]

Cars aren't made with the same quality like they used to be nowdays, that's why I prefer the old ones.

Well, the old cars I can afford probably aren't as reliable as new ones, but the bonus is that, if they do break down, I can actually fix it most of the time.

---------- Post added 2012-08-09 at 11:19 AM ----------

I like new cars, but I also appreciate older body styles. My favorite old body style is the '58 Corvette.

Those are very nice, but I find myself preferring the 69 or so Stingrays :3

---------- Post added 2012-08-09 at 11:19 AM ----------

I do enjoy vintage Detroit metal. My first car was a '69 AMC AMX, followed by a '72 Duster 340. I currently own a '72 Chevrolet C-10 shortwheelbase fleetside pickup that my dad and I restored:



Despite all that, no vintage car I've ever owned or driven has anything on my '02 SS Heads/cam Camaro.

God how I would love to get my hands on an AMX nowadays, but they are sky-high collectable. Nice truck, btw.

---------- Post added 2012-08-09 at 11:20 AM ----------

I much prefer newer cars. Old cars don't do anything for me.

And that's completely fine. Everyone has their own tastes. I just don't see anything unique about most newer vehicles (There are plenty of exceptions, but I'm talking about the common trend)

[Reeve]

Cars aren't made with the same quality like they used to be nowdays, that's why I prefer the old ones.

I think newer cars generally do have better reliability than a lot of the old ones, and far better engine technology (power per liter, miles per gallon, etc.), plus their interiors are far better, and they generally have superior handling to their older era counterparts. But if a modern car breaks down, it's not as simple to fix as the older ones were, and the lack of an all metal construction, though it's better economically, environmentally, safety-wise, and performance-wise, doesn't have the same feeling of solidness. I think the newer cars may not feel better sometimes, but they are in fact better.

[Wikiy]

I don't have any interest in cars whatsoever, but purely from the psychological side of the whole thing, i can confidently say that in 50 years people will consider today's cars the same way you consider older cars. It's not a matter of car design, it's only a matter of the fact that ever since you were born, you were getting used to the new designs, up until now, when the new design simply seems like something common and uninteresting. In 50 years, people will be used to whatever design of car they'll have, and because current cars will probably be a lot different to the type they'll have, they'll consider them very interesting and original, simply because they wont be used to them.

[smelltheglove]

i have a '66 valiant convertible that got shelved when the baby came. i'd gotten quite a bit done on it - front disc brakes, 323 posi rear end, complete brake overhaul (its most desperate need at the time). but a hail storm destroyed the top, and the rusted out floor pans let it start sagging. have to fix the sag and top before i can move forward, and i just dont have the time or money these days hopefully ill be able to get back on it some day

[Reeve]

I don't have any interest in cars whatsoever, but purely from the psychological side of the whole thing, i can confidently say that in 50 years people will consider today's cars the same way you consider older cars. It's not a matter of car design, it's only a matter of the fact that ever since you were born, you were getting used to the new designs, up until now, when the new design simply seems like something common and uninteresting. In 50 years, people will be used to whatever design of car they'll have, and because current cars will probably be a lot different to the type they'll have, they'll consider them very interesting and original, simply because they wont be used to them.

I dunno. I still think most 80s and 90s designs are ugly as hell. The 2000s were a huge step up.

[Bigbazz]

Someone want to buy me one of these?

[Nos]

I don't have any interest in cars whatsoever, but purely from the psychological side of the whole thing, i can confidently say that in 50 years people will consider today's cars the same way you consider older cars. It's not a matter of car design, it's only a matter of the fact that ever since you were born, you were getting used to the new designs, up until now, when the new design simply seems like something common and uninteresting. In 50 years, people will be used to whatever design of car they'll have, and because current cars will probably be a lot different to the type they'll have, they'll consider them very interesting and original, simply because they wont be used to them.

I dunno. I still think most 80s and 90s designs are ugly as hell. The 2000s were a huge step up.

I agree with Reeve. Older cars, while sharing styles, just had more originality in comparison to each other than newer cars do. And more features to draw the eyes. Perhaps 50 years from now, people will prefer the cars of my days. And that's cool. But it's not just going to be because it's old. It's going to be because they see something in the sleek, aerodynamic, featureless look of them.

There are new cars I like (Chargers/300s; Lincoln Zephyrs; etc.) And there are old cars I don't like. But as a general rule, I get excited about one far more than the other.

I think newer cars generally do have better reliability than a lot of the old ones, and far better engine technology (power per liter, miles per gallon, etc.), plus their interiors are far better, and they generally have superior handling to their older era counterparts. But if a modern car breaks down, it's not as simple to fix as the older ones were, and the lack of an all metal construction, though it's better economically, environmentally, safety-wise, and performance-wise, doesn't have the same feeling of solidness. I think the newer cars may not feel better sometimes, but they are in fact better.

As much as I love old cars, I agree with you here. New cars feel cheap, but they're much better in many respects. My love is /purely/ nostalgia (can I have nostalgia for something I didn't experience?) and visual. They just look better. Hence why I like the new Challenger.

i have a '66 valiant convertible that got shelved when the baby came. i'd gotten quite a bit done on it - front disc brakes, 323 posi rear end, complete brake overhaul (its most desperate need at the time). but a hail storm destroyed the top, and the rusted out floor pans let it start sagging. have to fix the sag and top before i can move forward, and i just dont have the time or money these days hopefully ill be able to get back on it some day

Pictures? :3

[chazus]

My baby from about two years ago when I was trying to sell. Glad I didn't. Drove this during college a few years back, and now spends most of the time in a conditioned garage. I couldn't actually find any current pictures online, but found an old expired ad from when I was posting >.<

Originally got it back in 90s, was white, and has had years of work done. Didn't run at all at the time, pushed it home, fixed it up.

[Nos]

Someone want to buy me one of these?

I think there's a kit car you can get of one of those, or at least something similar. I'll go back and look again. Kit cars offer the best of the worlds of style, and modern features and reliability, though... They do lack a little of the prestige.


EDIT: http://www.thunderranch.com/gto.html

These guys used to make one. Might still be some kits floating around.

EDITEDIT: http://www.factoryfive.com/kits/type-65-coupe/
Factory five also has a similar looking kit, and is one of the best quality kit car companies that exist.

---------- Post added 2012-08-09 at 11:35 AM ----------

My baby from about two years ago when I was trying to sell. Glad I didn't. Drove this during college a few years back, and now spends most of the time in a conditioned garage. I couldn't actually find any current pictures online, but found an old expired ad from when I was posting >.<

Originally got it back in 90s, was white, and has had years of work done. Didn't run at all at the time, pushed it home, fixed it up.

Gratz. Very sharp looking. What engine does it have?

Also, convertibles are hard to come by :3 She's a keeper.

[Reeve]

My baby from about two years ago when I was trying to sell. Glad I didn't. Drove this during college a few years back, and now spends most of the time in a conditioned garage. I couldn't actually find any current pictures online, but found an old expired ad from when I was posting >.<

Originally got it back in 90s, was white, and has had years of work done. Didn't run at all at the time, pushed it home, fixed it up.

My mother had one of these in college. Called it Robert Red Ford.

[smelltheglove]

There are new cars I like (Chargers/300s; Lincoln Zephyrs; etc.)

Hence why I like the new Challenger.




Pictures? :3

the new chargers are an abomination. they would have been cool if they used a different name. my first car was a '69 charger, and REAL CHARGERS ONLY HAVE 2 DOORS!!! RAAAAAAAGE!!!

lol. the new challengers are awesome though.

ill get outside and take a couple of pics here in a bit

[chazus]

Gratz. Very sharp looking. What engine does it have?
Also, convertibles are hard to come by :3 She's a keeper.

Sadly, I found out while trying to sell that it is not stock. The original engine (based off the fender badge) was actually a V6. By the time I purchased it around 1992, a 289 V8 was in there. The V8 is nicer, however the fact that it's not 'original' decreased its value somewhat. Just about everything else is stock (including the glasspack exhaust that was swapped back to original. Totally worth it for the time setting off car alarms though.)

[Nos]

the new chargers are an abomination. they would have been cool if they used a different name. my first car was a '69 charger, and REAL CHARGERS ONLY HAVE 2 DOORS!!! RAAAAAAAGE!!!

lol. the new challengers are awesome though.

ill get outside and take a couple of pics here in a bit

Yes, I understand that rage haha. And "Coronet" would be a more fitting name, but I still like the car :3 At least it's not a cookie cutter car like so many others. I think the 80's charger things were far more of an eyesore.

I've always wanted to get one of the new Charger's or 300's and turn the back doors into suicide doors. That would be acceptable in my book haha.

---------- Post added 2012-08-09 at 11:44 AM ----------

Sadly, I found out while trying to sell that it is not stock. The original engine (based off the fender badge) was actually a V6. By the time I purchased it around 1992, a 289 V8 was in there. The V8 is nicer, however the fact that it's not 'original' decreased its value somewhat. Just about everything else is stock (including the glasspack exhaust that was swapped back to original. Totally worth it for the time setting off car alarms though.)

Seems like most of the market nowadays doesn't as much about swapped out engines. If you're looking at something barret-jackson quality, sure. But your average restoration/resto-mod doesn't seem to suffer much from it. I might eventually swap my /6 to a 360 v8. Hell, maybe a 440 if I'm feeling frisky.

[smelltheglove]

Seems like most of the market nowadays doesn't as much about swapped out engines. If you're looking at something barret-jackson quality, sure. But your average restoration/resto-mod doesn't seem to suffer much from it. I might eventually swap my /6 to a 360 v8. Hell, maybe a 440 if I'm feeling frisky.

they have a hell of a 360 crate out there, you'd be hard pressed to build one for the price. big block would be a tight fit, it is just an a body, lol

[Kalis]

I do enjoy vintage Detroit metal. My first car was a '69 AMC AMX, followed by a '72 Duster 340. I currently own a '72 Chevrolet C-10 shortwheelbase fleetside pickup that my dad and I restored:



Despite all that, no vintage car I've ever owned or driven has anything on my '02 SS heads/cam Camaro.

That Tonka Toy looks almost real.