Old mohair interiors, the T bucket I have(wife doesn't like the smell after I drive it),the 66 Chevy truck that I did have, and (a little off topic) the smell and sound of a vintage Saab 900 turbo. Do I have to pick a favorite??
I will always remember, a recording session for a CD for an old band. We were lucky enough to get a brilliant local player to add some steel on a few tracks, and I went over to listen and watch her recording her tracks. I got there a little late, so she didn't see my 49 until I was helping load-out at the end of the evening. As we walked out, she stopped when she saw the car... "Ohmygosh! Who's car is THAT?" - Mine - ''Wow! Can I SMELL it?!?" - Sure - She got in the drivers seat and leaned her head back, inhaled deeply, and "Ooooh. I LOVE the smell of old cars..." I'll always be grateful, and proud to be on a little record that nobody will hear, but playing with someone who has won multiple grammys. But I'll also always remember how much she loved to smell my car.
Indeed. Watching her hear the songs, write her charts, and compose her parts (which were PERFECT) on the fly was quite intimidating. Then we bonded over the car.
I got called into a manager's office because I had a smell, and he was concerned that it would affect my advancement in the company. I was commuting my '65 Vette, which burned half as much oil as it did gas. I guess my OT driving coworkers weren't hip to that scent combined with an original old car interior. I love it, glad to hear I'm not the only sicko.
Funny you post this up today. We got a 1965 Mustang in on trade today at my work. First thing I did was hop in and take a whiff
I had an old three-door Suburban years ago that we used to tow our racecar. The previous owner was a pipe smoker and he left behind an aromatic "patina" that I found quite enjoyable. At some point I had an old three-speed trans in the back and the side cover had only been put on finger tight. It rolled around a bit and a couple ounces of gear lube leaked out into the carpet on the load floor. The combination of gear lube and pipe tobacco was intoxicating. I loved to open the door on a hot day and just breathe it in. In the non-automotive category, it's hard to beat a freshly opened can of Play-Doh.
I came out of the grocery store one time to find an older guy, (like 90 or so) huffing the flathead in my roadster. He ran off when I saw him. Must have sparked a memory for him!
My wife says that my Ute smells like a Mechanic's car, I'm oblivious to it. She, my wife, can't drive in a modern car (anything under about 20y/o) because she "can't stand the smell". It makes her feel ill!
My dad took me to see midget cars in the early 1950's the smell of them running caster oil in 60v8's and little offs. Can't ever remember anything else smelling like that .
I have some old tools that smell just like that. They are all came in tool army green pouches, love that smell x2 Wife knows when I have been out in the truck... it is a great smell. Also the smell of burning diesel from a loco.
Hilarious! When I get home from work, I park in the driveway, walk through the garage, open the 41 coupe door, take a whiff, close the door and go in the house. Before reading this, I had just put the kids to sleep, went to the garage, took a sniff, ran my hand over the fenders, came inside and read this. Awesome timing.
When I go to a car show, I always stick my head in the open windows, and enjoy the aroma! I also love the smell of my garage after i race my 64 c-10. the smell of VHT and rubber lasts a long time. The smell of freshly rattle canned steel rims ain't to bad either!
Marvel Mystery Oil, Castor Oil, Mor-Lube parafin base oil, STP & 30 wt (mixed 50/50 makes a pretty good machinists lube). Is it weird my favorites are all oils?
I love the smells of driving olds cars. But I can't smell it on myself. Current g/f loves it and associates the smell with me in general. Somehow, after I work in the garage and wash up w/ lava, she thinks my hands smell like cinnamon? As long as the likes it, cuz it's not going to change anytime soon
that nice peet moss sound deadening material smell of my 64 dodge dart was only trumped by the smell of peet moss car fire it smelled like for 3 weeks after notching it.
Engine # 3 was a big 1965 C-70 with a 348. She always did her duty well into the 2000s, we never had any real trouble out of her. After my 94 F-150 was wrecked by a drunk I spied a 65 C-10 at a lot. We looked it over, it was a fresh restoration. I climbed in and cranked her up. It smelled lust like Engine 3 on the inside. She would have been a good truck for me.
First off, I'll admit that I didn't read all the posts. Usually I don't do that but with the topic I figured that I could comment on it without reading what everyone else had to say. I LOVE the smell of an old car. The gas, oil, musty interior, all of it. Old trucks have another smell. You climb into an early 50's landrover with nothing but aluminum and a vinyl cushion. The old gear oil smell is awesome. An old garage smell is great too. The wood that's saturated with oil, dirt and chemicals. You can almost smell the history.
the clean but old smell of an old car really puts me in the old car state of mind, add to that straight burned gas and exhaust smell and you have pure happiness to my nose. i have however really learned to tell whats wrong with a car just by the smell, smell of burning oil meaning something is blown or someone doesnt own a funnel, burnt wire smell leads to a... well burnt wire, a voltage regulator has its own funky carbon smell when its out, and a blown head gasket is a scent im waaaaaaay to familiar with anymore. maybe its because of my bad vision or blown out ear drums but i guess the smell of an old car is pretty importnat to me.
After I got my 57 running good enough to drive to work one of the other "old guys" was looking at it & said later "I was looking at it & could smell gas (94 carbs dripping) & remembered Oh yea, its an old car". He gets it too.
Mohair and grand mas perfume in the de soto MG is liquid wrench Convert Desoto is combo of 30 wt and mohair and a gd cat Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
My first old car was a '26 T back in 1967, and I can still remember the smell when the transmissing inspection cover was removed. Gear lube in a race car after it comes into the pits after a race. The smell of an old body shop after they just painted someting. Old money after making a swap meet sale. Bob
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