On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 19:06:12 -0400, "ilambert" scribbled this interesting note:
This too is very funny! Take a look at some of the cars we are talking about here! Ever seen the "daily driver's" some of the people here own and operate? I have. Some of them first person! And with no exceptions would I ever characterize any of them as being cheap to own and/or operate, no matter what condition they are in! From a 1950 trailer queen to a mid seventies ACVW, non of them are easy to own, take tons of maintenance (not restoration, not repairs, but MAINTAINENCE, there is a vast difference between all of these activities!), and that means money and/or sweat equity (know what that is???)
When I was in college I bought an eight year old car. it was a 1976 Toyota Celica GT. It had just under 100,000 miles when I bought it. I stopped driving that car a few years ago with just under a quarter million miles on the car and drive train (I replaced the transmission once. Why? Because the original transmission developed a bearing whine and I decided it would be easier to replace it with a used one from the junk yard rather than have that one repaired.) I drove more than one or two sets of tires off that car. I used up two or three clutches. I did most all the work on that car myself. It was far easier to work on that car than any ACVW I've ever had (and I've had a few, over a number of years, in addition to working on other's), especially when you think of all the periodic work cars require. The water-cooled Toyota required far less work. It required far less attention. Mostly all it required was driving. And it too was very fun to drive!
Right now, the '59 Beetle in the driveway needs a little attention. What kind? Off the top of my head here's a partial list: (and I won't even go into what the other ACVWs, three Type 1's, in the drive way need!:~) Valves adjusted. Oil changed. Timing checked and adjusted as needed. Lights checked for ground issues (yeah, I know I went over this car for that a while back, but it never hurts to check again.) New passenger door rubber installed (the original rubber is old. It needs replacing.) New fixed window seals installed (I hope I don't break any glass on re-installation.) New wiper blades (the replacements I put in were crap rubber. Anyone know where I can find better?) New battery pan (what is in it right now is a piece of wood! I have the replacement I just need the time to cut the old out and weld in the new!) Wheel rims restored. New tires (I'm still driving on the tires that came with the car! Gotta' love bias ply tires!:~) Minor rust repair. A body to pan bolt drilled out and replace. New body to pan bushings installed. Front end repair work (this one is a biggie. I just haven't rounded up the parts yet and I drive the car very carefully!:~) New brake adjusting clips installed and brakes adjusted. And if I'm feeling extra frisky I need to prep and paint the car as well!:~)
And all this is on a car that I drive most any time I feel like it! And this is just the list off the top of my head and fails to include any of the other additional items that will turn up as work progresses!
Here's another place to start reading...
-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)