Misconceptions of old cars.

^^^heeeeyyyy now... eaaaasssyyy boy... lol

Try to find a new kid out of a trade school that knows what points are or how to set them or simply how to clean and set a carb correctly (or getting it close)

One thing that pisses me off is that because I am young I get "the look" like I cant tell my ass from a hole in the ground. Then I suprise them that I can hold my own conversation with them... Boy, I hate that look....

One question that pisses me off too: "Can you drive it?"..... and my first response usually is "Well.... I could drive it, but it would be kind of hard to do when it is on JACKSTANDS [or fill in blank]..." or the other response "No it is a museum piece..."

 

People,

There are wankers everywhere when it comes to the old car hobby/scene, fro within it and outside of the hobby..

I prefer to look at it this way: enjoy the fact that we can still drive them, daily if we want. Somehow I get the feeling that the winds of change are a' blowin'.

I also take the attitude that we will be judged by the "John Citizens" out there based on our collective attitudes toward them. I try to be nice and if they are creeps/timewasters/dorks/pinheads/whatever....I say my goodbyes and split....FAST. No point being rude or abusive, if they're non believers (or Infidels as I prefer to think of them haha) then nothing I /we say to them is going to make any difference. Something to think about I guess.

The fact is and has been stated repeatedly here, most people are are brainless sheep that believe hype, marketing spin and Govt bullshit to get them to do what they want them to do. In this case, buy new cars b/c they are greener, safer, carbon footprint, economical etc etc.....

They don't have the ability to be able to think critically any more so what they are told becomes gospel.

Unfortunately this is the way of the world as LESS people are able to think for themselves and MORE are willing to believe everything they are told.

I've been daily driving my 47 Chevy coupe now for some weeks - the responses/attitudes have varied massively.

I just go with the flow and don't worry about it.

Rat

 

It's really annoying when people gives you this "unbelievable face" when they see you having an old car and they would actually ask you if it's safe to ride in your "old car" or does it still start and yes, they would actually slam the door. I mean, what's the problem with having an old car anyway? I find a lot of people here who happens to have lots of money (which they can use to buy the latest model of a car) but they prefer to use an old car. It's just a matter of choice, I think. If a person has a passion for old cars, that's his business. Right?

 

Everybody tells me they want to buy it - or trade even for their expensive late model truck or whatever - that is a real misconception...

 

In my Model A I get
1) Nice rat rod!
2) Hey, you're missing your air filter!
3) That gas tank is unsafe
Many many more. The other day at the post office I had an old timer say "Hey, you lost your fenders!"

 

Haha, I took a customers 38 pick up to the local tyre shop the other day for a wheel allignment, one of the rubber monkeys that works there told me he used to have a 49 pickup exactly like mine, when I told him he was 11 years out he then told me it still had the original engine, I asked him what it was and he told me it was the original matching numbers 440 big block flathead v8, I decided not to correct him and told him he sold a super rare truck, they only made a handful of those. Haha

 

Another major piss off of mine is I am constantly getting asked by non car people about customers cars im building "Will they ever get their money back? and if not, what a waste of time and money"
I get sick of trying to explain that its not about the money, if you like it and are a car guy Its the enjoyment you get from building and driving the arse off it that counts, you are a long time dead.

 

Could not agree more....

 

Should have made a startled look at the fenders and then said to the guy, "CRAP! They were on when I left the house."

 

Yeah I know! I told him that if he found them he could keep them!

 

Or try to find one that can start a stock Model A.

 

Okay, you got me there and I'm 56. I seem to remember something about two levers , one on the steering wheel? Guess I'd be screwed.

 

Haha, yep! One on the left is spark control (all the way up is full retard, and only used for starting) and the one on the right is hand throttle. My A is tuned that I don't need to use the hand throttle, but some you would need to give it 1/4 throttle to get the gas going. Here's a good tutorial incase you're interested. I don't ever mess with my emergency brake and id I try to start with even a 1/2 open throttle I'll flood instantly. So there is finesse required, but this is a good generic guide.

http://modelabasics.com/Starting & Driving.htm

 

OK what happens when you are driving along and you take your foot off the throttle, turn off the key,flip up the retard, pull down the throttle, pull the choke a bit, and then turn the key back on? gggg

 

I generally get good responses from the general public to my old cars, ranging from smiles and thumbs-up gestures to "I had my first shag in one of these".
Regarding the doors, passengers in my coupe are, if anything, a little too respectful, not pulling the door hard enough to compress the seals and make it latch. The misconceptions that get me are from the owners of old cars who seem to subscribe to one or more of the following beliefs: (1) Thou shalt not drive thine old car on a daily basis. (2) Thou shalt not drive thine old car unless it's on an organised run with other old cars. (3) Thou shalt not drive thine old car very far without a modern backup vehicle accompanying it.

 

One thing that pisses me off is everyone thinking that just because it is old, you automatically want to sell it.
Even worse are the jerks who believe that just because they want it, you MUST let them have it.
Then when I say its not for sale they claim, "Everyone has a price"
Oh yeah?? Try me!

 

Not the nicest response, but the smartass in me would say "Yeah well your mother sure has a price."

 

When I was 25, I'm 35 now, my only vehicle was a '58 F100 with a 223 and a 3 on the tree. Don't be so assumptious.

 

Many guys will say "I like your roadster". See my avatar.

 

i haven't had 'old' car car on the road in 20 years,back when me & the misses got together people would look at my 55 Pontiac 4dr 870 wagon & tell me. i should have gotten a chevy. WTF?
or if you love old cars you HATE newer cars,sh*t i like cars of all era's.it's the idiots that own the 'other' car i can't stand,
i'm sure i'll get 'nice Merc' when i get my hudson done.

 

Is it a big backfire, and a muffler blown open at the seam?

 

To all.... It really is up to all of us to help redirect these misconceptions!!

We've got to show respect. Enthusiasm. Friendliness.

Take an extra minute to explain to the average 'John Citizen' that YOU built the car from scratch with your bare hands, or shipped it from across the country/world.

Explain to them that they are indeed safe and reliable.

Even when they're smart asses and give you lip, throw them a smile and be on your way.

Explain to them that you will never get out the money that you put into the car, but you didn't invest in your Hot Rod/vintage vehicle for economic growth. You simply want to enjoy driving it and owning it.

Go out of your way to take them for a spin.... Hell, let THEM take it for a quick spin.

We need to see ourselves and have ourselves seen as ambassadors of this incredible scene/hobby.

HC.

 

Why would you be looking for an older mechanic to work on a newer computer controlled car? And even though I've installed and wired computer controlled engines in older cars, it's always "Sorry, don't know anything about them." if someone brings in late model cars for "line work".

Misconception about old cars? Any "old" car is a cool hot rod.
Larry T

 

I've also had people tell me I was nuts for building something and would NEVER get my money back out of it. After telling them I do it for ME, I ask them how much their brand new $45,000 car will be worth in five years....

 

Winner!!

That needs to be in big letters across the HAMB

An awful lot of guys on this forum seem to think International trucks qualify as 'traditional hot rods'. Same thing for 48-52 Dodges and other odd rods

 

...If I had a dollar for every dude that called my model-A roadster a "T bucket"
Haha!

This thread is awesome. Because even though I only stumbled on it once it was nearly 15 pages deep, I can say that all of this rings very close to home

 

I get the a lot of comments about the non-power drum brakes on my '66 Buick as well...

People say:
"Oh my! isn't that dangerous? Isn't it really hard to slow down??"

To which I respond:
"Well, your grandmother drove a car with drum brakes just fine... Is she a better driver than you are?"

 

people look at my dads 32 chevy coupe with the chevy bow tie and heartbeat of america on the rear spare tire cover and say what year ford is that?

 

OK, I'm 37, pushing middle age, learned to drive in a F/I car, first car of my own was a 64 camino, carb, points, 4 speed, learned 3-onthe-tree in a buddys 55 F100 a year later.

Had far more cars with points/carbs/manual choke/manual throttle even than F/I since then.

Don't discount the younger generations, the desire is there, even if we didn't grow up with it. There's many kids out there that want a hot rod, but don't know where to start. I have several in training now.

Misconception: It doesn't have fuel injection, how can you drive it daily? You get in, pull the choke, pump the gas pedal twice, then hit the switch!

Devin

 

GGGG yea you got it RF. but as i passed the admin office at my Hi Skool it blew the headpipe off the manifold and the end of the pipe looked like an exploded cigar. I didnt get caught for that one. works good on yappin' dogs also. Happy Daze in '55