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History We build and drive these cars every day but -

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Oct 16, 2019.

  1. Have you ever stopped and thought just how old is the car or truck your driving?

    Our world revolves around old cars but but talking to the causal observer they are amazed at how old these cars are and that we are actually driving them not only around town but across the country, we were approached by last night by a younger couple and when they ask about Brenda's wagon she told them the story, the young guy seemed to hang on every word and then ask again , "How old?"

    Brenda told him sixty five years old, she then said the car is actually a year younger than me.

    With us absorbed in our love for all the old iron the conversation made me think just how old our cars are, heck my old beater is 87 years old and it's in better mechanical condition than my late model pickup. HRP
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2019
  2. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,179

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    Used to think that people and stuff were old at 20 years, then 30 years, etc - now that I have a second cousin that is turning 98 makes 100 the "new" old - a lot of what is old is from what perspective that you are looking from - when shopping for a OT used car how old it is certainly is an important part of decision.
     
  3. I suppose many of us are like our parents & grandparents and were raise around old cars, and with that comes the desire to save all the old signs and memorabilia that goes along with the obsession. HRP
     
  4. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,144

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Danny
    My wife and I were married in the early 80's and her folks came out from Wisconsin.
    We went for a drive and I kept hearing my MIL whispering "look at all these old cars".
    I just thought that because I was paying attention to my driving I didn't notice them.
    Then I went back there and found out why she was saying that, there were not near the number of ten, fifteen and twenty year old cars that we regularly saw here in the West, and the ones you did see had the fenders and rocker panels rotted away.
    I soon realized that due to the roads being salted for winter driving every year they just don't have nearly as long of a lifespan.
     

  5. weps
    Joined: Aug 1, 2008
    Posts: 544

    weps
    Member
    from auburn,IN

    Old is correct. Some of you may be aware of my connection to the Museum. Recently, we moved a car outside from the main building. I said "this car has not been outside this century" (was last driven in 1978) to many puzzled looks of the people helping me, and then it hit them, sure enough, it is 2019. It was a 1912 Auburn.

    To the OP, we say "32" as a description and don't really think much about it
     
  6. Russco
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 4,327

    Russco
    Member
    from Central IL

    I often think while I’m cruising down the interstate sometimes over 90 mph what was the fastest this car ever went back in the 40’s or 50’s while in its stock configuration.
     
    3W JOHN, Hombre, 19Eddy30 and 6 others like this.
  7. Latigo
    Joined: Mar 24, 2014
    Posts: 739

    Latigo
    Member

    When driving an old car you can always walk home. With the vintage airplanes still flying and offering rides, not so much.
     
    Driver50x and 3W JOHN like this.
  8. We did basically the same thing when I was driving down I-85 in my old flathead powered '32 sedan while Brenda was talking on the cell phone.

    Talk about old technology meets new technology no one would have dreamed of a phone being in a old Ford, heck most homes didn't have a phone. HRP
     
    61Cruiser, 3W JOHN, Hombre and 2 others like this.
  9. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,367

    31Apickup
    Member

    Make that 87 years old, for your old beater, that old age is getting to you.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  10. In a few months my car will be 90 years old (engine will be 69 years old).
    Usually the first question I get while getting gas or at the store... or even at shows is, what year is it? or, how old is it?
    When I sit back and think about it, it really is amazing that it is still on the road (on the road again)
    When I am driving it I try to imagine what it must have been like to drive a car like that across the country or on a long driving vacation.
    Chappy
     
  11. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,829

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    age is all relative. these cars are not cool because they are old, they are just cool because they are cool. they were cool when they were new as well, people just didn't notice at the time.

    bought a 49 Chevrolet in 1976. it was an old car... 27 years old at the time. I had a daily driver that finally blew a head gasket and I sold it to the junk yard a few years back, it was 37 years old, but it was not an old car at the time. and definitely not a cool car
     
  12. Yours absolutely correct, some day you too will be senile and forgetful! :rolleyes: HRP
     
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  13. jaw22w
    Joined: Mar 2, 2013
    Posts: 1,671

    jaw22w
    Member
    from Indiana

    My 1926 Ford Model T is now 93, soon to be 94 years old. Yes it is only the body, which was in very good condition, and the running gear is 50+ years old. It is my daily driver until the snow on the road is more than 3-1/2" deep, the front axle drags, which doesn't happen often around here. I have other cars I could drive, but I much prefer the T. It is a hoot to get in it and remember that it was only good for about 45 mph down hill with a tailwind. It'll do twice that now and more, but the old lady doesn't like it. I don't think aerodynamic wasn't even in the dictionary when the Model T was built, at least it wasn't in Henry's vocabulary. Even a little sidewind buffets the car around a lot. The air piles up in front of it pretty quick. I have no interest in driving newer cars. I love my T. I hope I am around to see her Centennial Celebration. I'm pretty sure she's going to make it, but I don't know about me.
     
  14. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    When I tell kids my car is from 1927, they look at me like there was never such a year. Hope to be around driving my (soon to be started) A coupe when it gets to be 100.
     
  15. Yep. Hard to fathom that my '36 Willys was 28 years old when I got it in '64, I have owned it exactly twice that long, 56 years!
     
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  16. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    When I have my 1912 Ford Touring out and someone askes about its age I tell them it was in the assembly line while the Titanic was sinking. The Model T and the Titanic so far apart technically. Bob
     
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  17. My cars are both 88 years old, so I give them a quick go around and try to spot any weaknesses prior to any touring/cruising.
     
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  18. Yeah Bob, but Ford didn't sink, good thing old uncle Henry was making cars and not traveling like so many high profile people that lost their lives along with a host of everyday working people aboard the Titanic. HRP
     
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  19. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    Drive everyday?
    I’d imagine less than 10% use their old cars as an everyday driver.
    Mine are 85+83 years.
    That is really old.
    I can remember in the 70-80’s antique cars were considered to be the 1930 and 40 models. Think of that....
    30 year old antiques.
    Cant imagine a 1980-90 car ever being an antique.
     
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  20. proartguy
    Joined: Apr 13, 2009
    Posts: 658

    proartguy
    Member
    from Sparks, NV

    It does amaze me that my preference is 70-80 year old cars. The new ones really don’t appeal to me. Recently a couple of people drove my ‘37 and remarked about how they liked driving it. I think most people don’t realize that our hot rods are fun, capable vehicles. I guess I found what I liked and kept driving them.
     
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  21. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,367

    31Apickup
    Member

    What was that we were talking about?


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  22. I am one of the 10%. I drive my 1931 DB every day when it is running. Right now, I have been doing the brake debate...Dot3 or Dot5 in the brakes. When I figure that out and redo them, I will be using it again as a daily driver.
     
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  23. LAROKE
    Joined: Sep 5, 2007
    Posts: 2,079

    LAROKE
    Member

    Both my trucks were daily drivers for awhile. I put thirty thousand miles on my '55 Chevy truck before starting a tear down because of a leaking rear main bearing. The '37 then became my daily driver and I put seventy thousand under it's wheels before it blew a head gasket and I started its tear down.
     
  24. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    I remember in the 1970s I thought a '57 Chevy was ancient, and looked it too, styling wise. And it was barely 20 years old.
     
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  25. Possibly I over spoke when I said every day but you guys know where I'm coming from, we discuss bthe cars daily. HRP
     
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  26. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,713

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    Something to think about, how many of today's cars will still be on the road, 40, 50, 60, 75 or 80 years from now? How many of them will be shoved in a barn or garage somewhere and found 50 years later? How many of them are actually valuable today and will be even more valuable later on?

    I'd say, not many, if any. Even though technology has advanced and given cars crazy lifetime mileages, that same technology is obsolete in just a few years, replaced by the next big thing. And as they get farther from new, parts are no longer made, so fewer and fewer will be repaired. Only the most popular will be saved, cheap and lesser brands will get crushed for recycling.

    That's the thing about the stuff we love, it's mostly mechanical, and parts can easily be adapted to others. Some of us backfit electronic ignition and a few, fuel injection systems, but for the most part, it's still mechanical. We don't need no stinkin' computers to run our spark and gas. Up to the mid 70's-early 80's stuff is still simple enough to repair almost anybody can do it, the newer stuff you gotta have all kinds of test equipment to tell you a $20 sensor is bad and screwing up your computer.

    And lastly, our old stuff has style, something new stuff lacks. The frame reveal on a 32 Ford, the flowing lines of a 39-40 Coupe, the intricate details on some pot metal emblems, all things today's egg shaped bellybuttons don't have. With a little education, you can tell a Ford from a Chevy from a Dodge just by the details, today you have to read the nametag. Great styling lasts the test of time, lots of folks want a 40 Ford or 57 Chevy, but who wants an 89 Yugo?
     
  27. error404
    Joined: Dec 11, 2012
    Posts: 383

    error404
    Member
    from CA

    My house is 120 years old, so that makes my vehicles seem not as old :)
     
  28. rusty rocket
    Joined: Oct 30, 2011
    Posts: 5,053

    rusty rocket
    Member

    About a month ago I gave my 14 yr old daughter and her friend a ride in our deuce sedan, now the daughters friend has never been around old cars and was in awe when I said let's go of a ride. Five really funny things happened.
    1- how do you get in the back seat? Well you open the passenger door flip the seat forward and crawl in. I guess she had never seen a two door car.
    2- I have seat belts with the metal buckle and catch(sort of like modern day airplane seat belts) she couldn't figure out how to latch them so the daughter showed her how. Again she was amazed how they worked.
    3. So now they are in the back seat, buckled up and I fire the car up, look in the rear view and see the smile on the face of a girl that has never heard a lumpy small block.
    4- the next thing was the funniest thing that happened. I take off go thru a few gears and she says what is this silver thing? My daughter says it's the window crank, so her friend turns the crank and the window went down. She was utterly amazed and had the get her phone out to take a video to send to her folks to show them that the window went up and down by a crank!
    5- so the next question was how old is this car? I said 1932 and I'm not going to tell you it's age you have to figure that out( nothing like a little math quiz on a Saturday) here again she gets her phone out and does the math. With a huge smile she says 87 years old!
    Ahhhh I love old cars.
     
  29. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    I started thinking about it when we were 8 hours from home last weekend!
     
    nochop, 3W JOHN, Hombre and 3 others like this.
  30. My daily is coming up to 50 years old soon, and I have heard the "Oh, I love your old car!" line a few times. I automatically think "when have you seen my (OLD) cars?", but they are talking about my daily shopping wagon.
    I keep thinking that at 50 years old, it's just out of guarantee period. I get so used to having to show passengers how to open & close doors (Just because it's an old car. you don't have to slam the door so hard the paint falls off), how to wind down a window, how to put a non-retractable seat belt on, how to use a vent window (or "air conditioner" as I call them", etc, etc. And no, you can't play your "Boozetooth" through my cassette player!
     
    61Cruiser, 3W JOHN, Hombre and 2 others like this.

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