I remember when motor cars were simple to fix.

[Drago]

The cylindrical air filter has the meshed in vents on the left. The air goes in there, along the sheet metal chamber, and into the top of the carb upon which it sits. The other pipes are breathers.

Its a nasty old SU carb with the dashpot, but back then it was considered a quality bit of kit

 

[Levo-Lon]

Id think its simply a breather and the air filter.comes off the rocker and nothing else connected ,bar maybe a suction pipe so like every old car

 

[tyred]

When I were a nipper our neighbour bought a Vauxhall Victor brand new. I remember him pointing out to my dad the rust starting to appear round a rear wheel arch, this being on the day he brought it home. He did not appear overly concerned as rusting was a process that began in the showroom back then, there being no attempt to proof against it on anything bar the most expensive cars.

A friend of my dad's who was a lorry driver back in the day went to pick up a load at the BMC assembly plant in Dublin in the late 1960s and seen a yard full of the little FG "thru'penny bit" lorry cabs sitting out in the elements covered in surface rust and they were just taking them into the factory and spraying over the top of the rust so with that level of quality control it is no wonder they usually disintegrated within a few years.

 

[Drago]

That's the float bowl on the bottom/right of the carb. There's a gauze filter at the pump.

Note the plastic spacer on the inlet stub, which reduces heat being transmitted up the metalwork to the carb, which would cause the fuel to vapourise and all sort s of probs.

 

[mustang1]

Yes, I feel like this. Gone are the (in)glorious days when you could get a car running with a screwdriver and a box of Swan Vestas. Mind you it has to be said car ignition systems do seem to be more reliable now and I don't miss points......

But there seems to be a creeping movement towards fancy dancy inaccessible things. I also particularly dislike the movement towards having no dipsticks but relying on sensors that you have to plough through umpteen menu choices. I'm far from a techno grouch but really, was the dipstick that unreliable and hard to use? Is it just using techno gadgetry for the sake of it?

Innate the dipstick in my car. I can't even tell the high and low marks or where the heck the oil has got up to. Pos.

 

[mustang1]

I agree that many things have improved. But I also think some things aren't progress to some people who don't mind replacing headlight bulbs (though an led headlight cost may well force you to scrap the car given the cost) or replacing spark plugs (if you can remove whatever is now in the way or in some cases have use of an engine hoist.) I question this "progress".

I don't even know why LED lights cost more than regular lights. I reckon it has to do with fashion. Even buses have LED and I thought they were all about saving costs. These days I even see lorries with pulsing LED indicators and keep thinking they can't be that expensive.

 

[mustang1]

I also think that we could have some of the modern efficiency/emission improvements whilst retaining some of the potential to do your own repairs. I also wander how much of the benefits of modern efficiency are wiped out by drivers getting a new car every couple of years. Would it maybe be better for the planet to keep cars on the road for longer but maybe retrofit particulate filters/improved catalytic converters... My gut tells me that would be a better option, could be wrong, but we never have the debates/discussion/scientific research into it as its goes so against the grain of the will of the car industry and our wider economic views.

Blame the advent of car leasing for us changing cars frequently.

I like that some cars come with really long warranties these days.

 

[screenman]

I don't even know why LED lights cost more than regular lights. I reckon it has to do with fashion. Even buses have LED and I thought they were all about saving costs. These days I even see lorries with pulsing LED indicators and keep thinking they can't be that expensive.

Set of two headlights for a Mazda 6 that will be £1350 please.

 

[NorthernDave]

Set of two headlights for a Mazda 6 that will be £1350 please.

Bargain! Range Rover Evoque ones are a grand each. And the all singing and dancing ones on a BMW 7-series are knocking on the door of three grand apiece.

 

[Bromptonaut]

When I were a nipper our neighbour bought a Vauxhall Victor brand new. I remember him pointing out to my dad the rust starting to appear round a rear wheel arch, this being on the day he brought it home. He did not appear overly concerned as rusting was a process that began in the showroom back then, there being no attempt to proof against it on anything bar the most expensive cars.

My Dad had a brand new Hillman Hunter in September 1972. By time we went on our annual Autumn Half Term trip to Lake District in last week of October there was rust staining under rear nearside window.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Bargain! Range Rover Evoque ones are a grand each. And the all singing and dancing ones on a BMW 7-series are knocking on the door of three grand apiece.

My son in law works for Marshall land rover
Its the in house built new engins you need to worry about.
They go bang you know, at 15k a time!!!!

 

[screenman]

My son in law works for Marshall land rover
Its the in house built new engins you need to worry about.
They go bang you know, at 15k a time!!!!

I hope he is not in one of the 5 garages they are shutting.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I hope he is not in one of the 5 garages they are shutting.

No fortunately

 

[Profpointy]

Bargain! Range Rover Evoque ones are a grand each. And the all singing and dancing ones on a BMW 7-series are knocking on the door of three grand apiece.

'kinell, my current car cost me £2500 about 7 years ago. And the replacement rebuild engine that's just gone in was a little over £2k.

 

[Levo-Lon]

No wonder hitting a bumble bee writes off a modern car