Projects Since its not broke why fix it

I think I have been reading way too many of those car magazines that preach that everything needs to be upgraded and have done some of that on my last few projects,recently picked up a 65 Mercury Montclair and now that I have it driveable the power drum brakes work just fine (just need to readjust) and it runs great with the points ignition. I think I am just going to leave this one alone except for dual exhaust and if the intake manifold ever has to come off then it will get a 4 bbl with a aluminum intake since the cast iron versions are just too heavy to deal with and if it ever needs front suspension work then maybe cut a coil out of the springs since it does seem to sit a little higher in the front then I like but I am just going to drive this one the way it is and see how I like it..

 

Leaving your new car as is...is fine. It's your car.

But...not attempting to better things in one way or another, would have us back in the model "T" days...right ?

I for one like to experiment. It's normally always expensive. Sometimes I fail, many times, I've made things better, BUT...it's always fun, and you always learn.
Like right now I'm altering a semi-high end pellet rifle. Hopefully it won't cost me any money, but it's gonna take a lot...of time to dig some metal out of a part, without hurting that part. Actually I think it may cost me a new carbide cutter or two...

Anyway, yes, new stuff is the way to proceed forward, and not sit stagnant, essentially...going backward, as time continues to march on.

Mike

 

Yep, I still have a couple vehicles with points and drum brakes too and have no plans to fix what isn’t broken. However...I am thinking of replacing some almost new tires on a car because I don’t like the way they look...so, there is that too...

 

Mentioned my 409 buddy in a previous post....he being an old street racer now running mostly on the strip.....he ran the factory brakes - non-power on his 1962 409 Impala and never had an issue stopping...and now runs a later - lets say a 1965 Impala with a built 454 and still runs a stock single feed master cylinder with no issues. Think his car is at a 6.68 index for the 1/8 mile in that big old Caprice. He just says it takes a good foot to stop it !

 

any bets on how long this one stays unchanged? the clock is tickin ....

 

I've discovered as I've gotten older that I appreciate the way an original car drives more and more...

Devin

 

Just because something better came along, doesn't change the fact that old stuff still works...

I think the whole point of this place, traditional hot rodding, is to show the world that you can still have just as much fun with old stuff today, as you could back when it was new.

 

I have this discussion with my wife a lot. I reckon just because someone develops something newer doesn't mean that's better. Mobile phones are an example. They made them with more doo-dads but people whinge about them more because they go flat so quick or go out of range.
If it works don't fuck with it.

 

we change things because we are hot roders, that is what we do. How mush we change them is up to you. I have a 90 year old car with points and drum brakes but just about everything else is upgraded.

 

Maybe you meant to say. more fun.

 

I drove my 55 Ford across the country in 1964 without installing new ign. or brake work. Took me to California & back to Ohio. That 65 Merc is JUST FINE.....if you like & enjoy it, ....just enjoy it !

 

It is going to get one modification and that is a modern stereo,if I could find a original am/fm reasonable I would but it in but I do like the features of the modern stereos. One thing I like about those old radios is when the battery is been disconnected nothing has to be reset.

 

Amen squirrel. Like building that sweet model A and putting juice brakes on it. It's the traditional upgrades that were available. My 57 has the drums still on it, and i hate the fact that some idiot changed the steering box. Guess he was weak

 

I have no problems w bias plys, generators and drum brakes on my cars. That said I seem to have a motto.. "If it aint broke, I'll fix it until it is."

 

I agree with you Jeff as far as leaving as is. I love the way a old car drives. But about the tunes... We all remember running wires/antennas/ hiding units in glove box/etc... But nowadays how about a new fangled stereo box under the seat and wifi to your phone in your pocket?? That's what I plan to do with my truck. It's amazing how good they sound and you can stream lots of radio stations... no wiring!!!

 

I used to listen to AM radio when I was a kid, they played some pretty good music back then, between the cigarette commercials. But now it's just idiots blabbing. Music is one area that I ended up going modern on. You can set a Bluetooth speaker on the seat or dashboard, and use a smart phone to play music (either off the Internets, or as files that are stored on the phone). I tend to stick a modern cheap "stereo" under the dash of cars I'll drive a lot but not keep for long...having a volume control knob is pretty helpful, and being able to put a USB thumb drive with a few thousand songs in it, is nice.

 

I think Jack Kerouac said, "Great things are not accomplished when you yield to trends, fads and popular opinion.".

I can't justify changing something that works. HRP

 

I bought an off topic f100 a few years ago, I had planned the "popular" upgrades. ( aluminum intake, 4bbl, electronic ignition, etc.) after replacing u joints, brake shoes, & upgrading to dual exhaust, with nice quiet mufflers, I realized it drove & sounded pretty nice. Left it alone, & everyone loves my little green original.

 

I “wasted” money changing things one at a time because some of it bugged me or I got tired of the repair. It’s harder at 70+ to adjust drum brakes so they left along with a noisey 56 rear end with the highest gear I could get. Trans was upgraded to take advantage of the new gear. Discs for no more adjusting front brakes. Radio because I could listen to my oldies on Sirius.
It goes on and will continue because I can afford it and don’t want another old car.... now about that AC the wife wants.....

 

I did add self adjusters to the drums on my 59 Chevy truck....so I guess I cheated. But it also has a bunch of other upgrades done over the years, that I would not do today. I've been tinkering with it for 43 years now.

 

I think it depends on the use of the vehicle. If a weekend put-around-Townes, leave it alone. If you plan on longer drives, especially with family, you should think about some upgrades. Then again many parts of the country a 2 mile trip to town can be more dangerous than a 200 mile trip from town to town

Hey, I’m finally going to put discs on the front end of my ‘57. I’ve had the parts for 25 years, may as well use them

 

I do plan on driving it long distances and they did just fine back then so it should do it now,its been about 10 years since I had a vehicle with drums up front so I got to get familiar with getting them adjusted right again. Since the brakes got new wheel cylinder and hoses I am going to get my moneys worth out of those parts,this is going to be a experiment on going back to the basics.

 

Just because it’s not broke doesn’t mean you can’t fix it.


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

My 55 sunliner is going back to a Y block soon and it will stay points and seriously thinking on going back to front drum brakes,the Fatmans dropped spindles I installed required the inner tie rod ends to be shortened and if one would have broke on the road it could have been a problem. It did not seem to stop much better with the Granada discs then with the drums and would go with wagon front drums if this would happen and I know where some are.

 

I fixed alot of unbroke stuff only to make it worse.

 

So far none of the “improvements” I’ve done have been worse than original; all better in fact. Probably the best we’re radial tires. Priced a complete A/C unit today at a local shop that specializes in older auto as well as some normal. Shop was clean and organized. It was within my price range so it will happen this winter...

 

One of my mistakes on my '34 was taking the lincoln drum brakes off and putting discs on. Peer pressure ya know. Never was happy with the setup.

 

Car magazines are funded by companies that sell stuff, of course they recommend you change everything.
I do like dual pot masters, I do like disc brakes (mostly because traffic in my area can get pretty crazy) if i were in a more rural area not as big of a deal.
Points or electronic is preference, points take me forever because I didnt grow up with them and have to look it all up. Most folks on here can set points drunk in the dark.

 

But not anymore bent over a fender with the distributor in the rear when your 75+ years old.. I’ll take the electronic too. Just like adjusting brakes every 6 months and jacking up the car to do it.

 

How else do you set points ?


I guess it’s what you want or expect out of your car.


My 53 Chrysler was a perfect car right out of the box. Couple minor upgrades and drive the shit out of that thing .

my 50 Chevy, to me, in stock form left a lot to be desired. Could not be driven in moder traffic or in the highway.

My 69 Lincoln drove better then any modern car I’ve owned and had every creature comfort offered in modern cars.

every old car I’ve owned has had plus’ and minus. But change for the simple reason of change to me makes no sense.

change to improve, make more reliable , safer or just cooler is great. But change just for the sake of it , meh I don’t get it.