Car guys...

[Timothy]

What late '50s through '60s car can go 100k+ miles without rusting out or generally just falling apart? I have an 2004 Oldsmobile Alero that is running great after 125k miles in ND - no rust, just a little paint coming off the plastic front bumper. What would a Detroit special from the '50s look like after 8 years and 125k miles? And the Olds is safer and better handling than the '58 Mercury I had in the mid 60's.

My Pop bought a 64-1/2 Mustang in 1966 for 1300 bucks used.  I took my drivers test in Michigan in that Mustang in 1973 and drove it all through High School!  It had about 140K miles on her with the original motor, clutch, tranny and no visible rust on her!

My cousin was given the car when I went to boot in late '75 and drove it for a few more years.

Michigan is hell on cars but that one just would not die!  Of course, we took care of her too, pampered was an understatement!

BTW, my father worked for GM for thirty years and nearly always drove a Ford!

 

[billt]

The biggest improvement was getting away from carburetors in favor of computerized electronic fuel injection. Until that time cars were horribly unreliable. Stuck automatic chokes, flooding, poor fuel economy, all were the nasty by products of carbureted engines. Back then it seemed every car had it's own "method" of being started. Some you had to pump the hell out of. Others you would flood if you did the same, especially when warm. Vapor locking in hot weather was a common occurrence. In general they were nothing but an undependable pain in the ass.

Now you simply turn the key, or on the newer models touch a button. As soon as the first piston comes around to it's compression stroke, the cylinder has a proper charge of fuel and air and the engine fires, and runs at the proper RPM without even touching the throttle. In 20 years I've never had either car turn over and not start immediately. I can remember walking to school in the 60's after the first cold snap. At most every stoplight cars sat belching black smoke, chugging away from stuck automatic chokes. Spark plugs were lucky to last 10,000 miles. Now they last 150,000. Fuel injection and unleaded gas are the biggest reasons as to why.

[Magoo541]

I know modern muscle cars can literally drive circles around the origninals we grew up with.  My '70 Roadrunner was nearly 20 years old when I bought it and had been well used for most of its life and I did my fair share of wear and tear on it.  But its still a cool car, looking back at the cars I've lusted over in my life not many have that same appeal of that B Body Mopar.

[twyacht]

I agree with posts regarding modern vs. older...However, my Service Mgr. is taking a 70 Camaro, ground up resto. and putting a highly modified modern Cadillac Escalade 6+ litre as the powerplant, he is also adding 4 way disc brakes from a GMC Denali, with ABS.

Nothing compares to CI, and horsepower,... Especially if you have the bling to get 572ci engines pushing 600+ hp. Gear them right,

and you'll smoke new cars...New LS1 Vette motors, 12 bolt mains,...etc,....

(with style)....

Complete suspension work, and all the modern bells and whistles, while retaining a "stock" look,....

Sweet....

[MikeBjerum]

Looked at the opening to this and all the modifications and one song came to mind

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