I remember when motor cars were simple to fix.

[Levo-Lon]

I drive a cobra with a 1978 small block Chevy in it.

So far I've spent 12 hours trying to track down a misfire. I WISH I had a computer to tell me what's wrong.

Check the cam on the distributor if you have points on that ..
You can get a build up on one of the cam lobes and a very annoying to find misfire.
Give it a good clean with fine emery and see if its sorted.
Tho it could be a lot of things but that's a free fix

 

[screenman]

I remember drum brakes all around, heaters that did not work, smelly carpets, rubbish radio's if you had one, clutches that needed replacing often, poor fuel economy, easily nicked, over heated, unsafe and the list goes on.

Maybe my rose tinted rear view glasses need replacing.

Let us not go back to 1966.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I remember drum brakes all around, heaters that did not work, smelly carpets, rubbish radio's if you had one, clutches that needed replacing often, poor fuel economy, easily nicked, over heated, unsafe and the list goes on.

Maybe my rose tinted rear view glasses need replacing.

Let us not go back to 1966.

Indeed ,ive owned most of those happy days Not

Ive just driven to MK and back..heated seats steering wheel and a wonderful heater.
50 mpg and a good sound system playing Green Day..i'll stick with modern cars ta

 

[screenman]

And what was up with using the bike?

 

[BoldonLad]

I remember drum brakes all around, heaters that did not work, smelly carpets, rubbish radio's if you had one, clutches that needed replacing often, poor fuel economy, easily nicked, over heated, unsafe and the list goes on.

Maybe my rose tinted rear view glasses need replacing.

Let us not go back to 1966.

Ha ha so true!

My first car, Ford Anglia 100E, which, I bought in 1965, I think, from memory, the year of manufacture was 1958.

More rust than metal, grease nipples, vacuum wipers, service interval appeared to be every weekend............ etc

All rubbish, compared to my modern car, on which I open the bonnet so infrequently, I have to check in the hand-book how to do it!

But, in 1965, I was an 18 year old youth, and, I did have SOME fun in that car.

 

[screenman]

Ha ha so true!

My first car, Ford Anglia 100E, which, I bought in 1965, I think, from memory, the year of manufacture was 1958.

More rust than metal, grease nipples, vacuum wipers, service interval appeared to be every weekend............ etc

All rubbish, compared to my modern car, on which I open the bonnet so infrequently, I have to check in the hand-book how to do it!

But, in 1965, I was an 18 year old youth, and, I did have SOME fun in that car.

I bet the engine was not even switched on when you were having some of your fun.

 

[BoldonLad]

I bet the engine was not even switched on when you were having some of your fun.

No comment

 

[Levo-Lon]

[QUOTE 5055368, member: 43827"]They were simple to fix because they needed to be. Much more unreliable than modern cars.

Having said that, I learned a lot from regularly having to fix my old cars such as the Austin Devon and Morris Minor (split windscreen). My favourite for working on was the Triumph Herald, where the whole of the front of the car pivoted over the front wheels allowing ease of access to the engine.[/QUOTE]

Lol yes just sit on the wheel a set the points or do the tappets and plugs.

 

[screenman]

Of course the nice thing about the Herald was it never rusted

 

[Nonethewiser]

I used to work on my own cars and motorcycles back in the 80's, sometimes for enjoyment, sometimes out of necessity - the latter usually being when the blasted thing started to run erratically on Sunday morning and I needed it for work on the Monday! I miss the relative simplicity of older vehicles but none of bad points such as the unreliability, the rust, the poor fuel economy. I do think vehicles had more character back then, but on balance I'd sooner have one of today's products - I chucked my rose tinted glasses away some time ago, nostalgia ain't what it used to be

 

[BoldonLad]

[QUOTE 5055416, member: 43827"]I always thought rust was a non-optional extra on old cars. My tool kit always included a large tin of plastic-padding and aluminium mesh or sheets of glass fibre plus a pop-rivet gun.[/QUOTE]

Plastic padding, glass fibre resin ........ I can still savour the aroma now, forget sniffing glue, smoking etc, pass the Plastic Padding !

Come to think of it, I may even give up the booze and switch to sniffing fresh Plastic Padding, until they issue a health warning, and put a tax on it!

 

[raleighnut]

[QUOTE 5055436, member: 43827"]The old starting handles were necessary on all the old cars I had, so many problems with batteries or the starter motor. One car I had had a lot of teeth missing on the flywheel so starting was pot luck.
.
It may be my memory playing tricks on me but I seem to remember putting the Austin Devon in reverse gear and using the starting handle to move the car backwards on a couple of occasions. Can anyone confirm this was possible?[/QUOTE]
Yep but you'd be in the cack if it started.

 

[screenman]

[QUOTE 5055436, member: 43827"]The old starting handles were necessary on all the old cars I had, so many problems with batteries or the starter motor. One car I had had a lot of teeth missing on the flywheel so starting was pot luck.
.
It may be my memory playing tricks on me but I seem to remember putting the Austin Devon in reverse gear and using the starting handle to move the car backwards on a couple of occasions. Can anyone confirm this was possible?[/QUOTE]

It certainly was, big arms needed though and prefferably spark plugs out first.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I loved the smell of celulose

And body filler

 

[raleighnut]

Ha ha so true!

My first car, Ford Anglia 100E, which, I bought in 1965, I think, from memory, the year of manufacture was 1958.

More rust than metal, grease nipples, vacuum wipers, service interval appeared to be every weekend............ etc

All rubbish, compared to my modern car, on which I open the bonnet so infrequently, I have to check in the hand-book how to do it!

But, in 1965, I was an 18 year old youth, and, I did have SOME fun in that car.

A lad in my village had a nice Anglia, mind you he had shoehorned a 3.0 litre Granada engine into it.