OT - Road trip in an old car

Mark Anderson · 2006-05-19T11:58:39+00:00

Found this on stuff:Road trips in old cars are different. There is never a completerelaxation. Automobile journeys used to be harrowing and they still canbe when you are driving a 40 year old car. I think of cars from the'60s as being comparatively modern, but there is no denying the decayof materials over time. Old cars get old. After driving for about anhour, you can feign relaxation and even dramatically stretch your armacross the generous front bench seat but you still can't let down yourguard.Every scent, noise, shimmey, knock, ping or tug must be carefullyexamined and evaluated as most catastrophic automobile failures areprefaced with a scent, noise, shimmey, knock, ping or tug. Theattention that an old car requires becomes a sixth sense as you areable to track issues faster than you can think. It means there are alot of false alarms. When you hear a crow or smell carne asada tacos,before you are even able process what you are smelling or hearing, youleap to immediate terror mode.'What's that! What's that smell!? Tacos! Is that my car? Are tacos acar smell?! Do cars make a cawww like a crow before the trans goes upin smoke?!' I've thought that a time or two;)Mark65 Cruiser

May 19, 2006 23 Replies

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Grumpy AuContraire 20 years ago

And I know a number of people who have done just that and after they break down, bitch-bitch-bitch.

Hopefully, my next road trip will be uneventful...

Jeff Rice wrote:

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midlant 20 years ago

On New Years Eve, 1971, I got into the 1940 President I had used only for parades / local stuff, and set off the deliver it to the new owner on the other side of the Hudson River.

My various thought as the trip progressed on that very morning:

This is stupid. Getting back will cost me more than I get for the damncar, let alonewhat the Doctors bills will be after g that far on such cold day with no heater.

If this breaks down, I'm just taking off the plates and leaving it by the side of the road.

I've forgotton how nice and comfortable a high seat is on a long trip.

Gee, I'm glad this car is Black, with the heat from the sun, exhaust and radiator, I have feeling back in my fingers.

Sure is comfortable - they made cars for long trips back then.

I wonder if this could make it to California.

Well, if Gary changes his mnd, I guess I could find someone in Boston to sell it for me and make out better.

Karl

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Lee 20 years ago

I'll bet your old '62 does not ride or drive like the longer wheel base Cruiser body, Nate. I still have the ragtop with the upgraded suspension and, if I am going to have a 2-door Lark, I'd rather have the drop top version I have now.

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Nate Nagel 20 years ago

Eh, I'll have to do a back to back comparison test if JP still has it when I get the '55 running again. It would actually be a valid test as the cars are set up very similarly, but I used the late model factory sway bars on the '55 rather than the Thibeault ones I used on the '62. Both are nice driving cars but I can't say that I really prefer one over the other in that respect. The view over the hood is nicer in the '55 though :)

nate

Lee wrote:

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