I need to vent. (Car rant)

[Valiant Bandit]

Hardcore.

I don't know if last night was one of those "Moment of awakenings" or not, but it surely felt like it. Here's why:

I drive an old car. In fact it's so old, it would be considered "impractical" to drive nowadays. I drive a 1976 Plymouth Valiant. I love the way the car looks, I love the way she drives and I love how she's pretty reliable, considering it's not fuel injected.

I guess you could say the car fits me - I'm an analog boy living in a digital world. I don't have cable television because I think it's a waste of money. I use a 10 year old Apple iBook as my main computer because I think it's a waste of money to buy something newer when this computer does everything I need. I think rock music is dead and it's been on its death bed since the late 90s. My current video gaming system is a 1985 Nintendo NES. I use a Mintolta SRT-101 as my main camera and I loathe digital cameras.

But I just feel like the times are forcing me to upgrade in certain areas - especially my car. I think back to what it must've been like in 1976 when this car was made and how different the times must've been. Wow, Jimmy Carter was president..Damn..Plus I don't think people demanded as much from their cars back then like they do now. On my days off with my wife, I would say I easily put over 150 miles just driving on my Plymouth. That's nothing for a car even from the 80s, but my Plymouth essentially has the same technology that was used from the 50s and 60s. Given that along with the stop and go traffic where people expect you to go 50-60MPH in a 45MPH zone only to stop 10 seconds later and I just feel like a fat kid huffing,puffing and wheezing, trying to keep up to the pack while they do a 2 mile run.

Some of you people on here probably remember how unreliable cars were before they put fuel injection in all vehicles. Well my car's really never stranded me and put me in a position where I'm thoroughly screwed. I've only been stranded at work and it's when I'm trying to get home...And this car usually does this because of the damned gasoline I get out here...I'd say for about every 2 fill-ups, 1 of them has crap gasoline. Again, you guys don't have to worry about that with your new cars.

But it's getting to the point where I'm really considering getting a "newer" car. (Just a car that's fuel-injected.) I vowed I would never own a car that has a carburetor because this is what happens. (My car is still at work right now because it wouldn't start last night.) However my sentimentality gets the best of me especially these 2:

My wife and I had our wedding pictures taken in that car.
That car took us out to California for our honeymoon.

Oyie, that's gonna be tough. But I really want to get another Volvo 240 (I've had 8 of them lol.) or a mid 80's to early 90s Jaguar...And of course I have to save up money. I won't be getting promoted at my job until the 1st week of November.

I guess the point of this rant is sometimes it really sucks to be an analog boy living in a digital world.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Why not just fill it up with premium fuels?

I'm sure you could keep on using it, there are plenty people that use older cars just fine over here (heck, my brother makes a living working on vintage cars and is probably the only 19 yr old you'd see who has a Jag e-type (granted, it's a clone that he's fixed up and sorted everything for himself).

New technology isn't always a bad thing and times change.

You could always just buy a fixie bike (i jest)

[mmbongo]

Originally Posted by Valiant Bandit

I drive a 1976 Plymouth Valiant. I love the way the car looks,

MMMMM. She IS quite striking.

[Pilgrim]

If you're going to drive a car that vintage, you MUST learn how to work on it yourself. There's nothing on that car that a half-intelligent person can't fix, rebuild or adjust in his driveway. The carb on that thing is simple and you can rebuild it if you need to. If the car is unreliable, it's just because you're not keeping up maintenance on it...or it's worn out.

Yes, it's a slug - but it was ALWAYS a slug, it always held up traffic, and the only thing on the road slower than a Valiant was a VW Microbus. Getting stuck behind either one in traffic was a nightmare.

But there are drivers today who still drive as slow as a Valiant can go - I don't see the point in worrying about it. Drive the way you need to - I and 80% of the rest of traffic will just go whizzing by you.

As long as the engine isn't burning oil, the transmission works and the rear end is sound (and wrecking yards can help with a rear end), you can keep driving it. But you must learn to do your own repairs. Heck, you can rebuild that transmission or engine in your garage...but it would be easier to have an independent shop pull it and rebuild it if you want to spend the $$.

If I had a car that simple and liked it as much as you do, I'd be out in the garage working on it.

[Stumbo]

+1000
Or have it restoed. Lots of cheap and good parts available.

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

If you're going to drive a car that vintage, you MUST learn how to work on it yourself. There's nothing on that car that a half-intelligent person can't fix, rebuild or adjust in his driveway. The carb on that thing is simple and you can rebuild it if you need to. If the car is unreliable, it's just because you're not keeping up maintenance on it...or it's worn out.

Yes, it's a slug - but it was ALWAYS a slug, it always held up traffic, and the only thing on the road slower than a Valiant was a VW Microbus. Getting stuck behind either one in traffic was a nightmare.

But there are drivers today who still drive as slow as a Valiant can go - I don't see the point in worrying about it. Drive the way you need to - I and 80% of the rest of traffic will just go whizzing by you.

As long as the engine isn't burning oil, the transmission works and the rear end is sound (and wrecking yards can help with a rear end), you can keep driving it. But you must learn to do your own repairs. Heck, you can rebuild that transmission or engine in your garage...but it would be easier to have an independent shop pull it and rebuild it if you want to spend the $$.

If I had a car that simple and liked it as much as you do, I'd be out in the garage working on it.

I'll second that emotion. I had a 1974 Dodge Dart back in the late 70s, and I learned a ton of stuff on how to work on a car. I learned to replace a radiator and water pump, rebuilt the carb, even replaced both back brake lines on it. They were really easy cars to repair, and I never thought they were THAT slow. Trans Ams and Vettes would regularly blow by me, but I kept up nicely with the traffic.

[MoD_Scotty]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Why not just fill it up with premium fuels?

Horrible suggestion. Using higher octane gas will only make the gas harder to burn. Most cars of that vintage run best on 87. Contrary to popular belief, higher octane does not mean higher performance, UNLESS your car is tuned from the factory to run >91, like in the case of turbocharged, supercharged, high compression, or variable cam timing-equipped cars.

[Pilgrim]

There is no simpler car (other than a VW Beetle) to learn basic mechanics on.

And cars DO NOT use octane higher than they need - its just wasted money. I don't know why so many people believe that, other than they think "if it costs more it must be better". Not true.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by MoD_Scotty

Horrible suggestion. Using higher octane gas will only make the gas harder to burn. Most cars of that vintage run best on 87. Contrary to popular belief, higher octane does not mean higher performance, UNLESS your car is tuned from the factory to run >91, like in the case of turbocharged, supercharged, high compression, or variable cam timing-equipped cars.

Sorry, was meaning premium as in decent quality fuels, not specifically a higher octane fuel. The OP having mentioned he filled it with lower quality stuff at least half the time.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Sorry, was meaning premium as in decent quality fuels, not specifically a higher octane fuel. The OP having mentioned he filled it with lower quality stuff at least half the time.

Good point. One of the big problems Valiants had was that their owners were cheap. They bought cheap gas, cheap oil and neglected maintenance.

Buy good gas - don't be cheap.

[Valiant Bandit]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

If you're going to drive a car that vintage, you MUST learn how to work on it yourself. There's nothing on that car that a half-intelligent person can't fix, rebuild or adjust in his driveway. The carb on that thing is simple and you can rebuild it if you need to. If the car is unreliable, it's just because you're not keeping up maintenance on it...or it's worn out.

Yes, it's a slug - but it was ALWAYS a slug, it always held up traffic, and the only thing on the road slower than a Valiant was a VW Microbus. Getting stuck behind either one in traffic was a nightmare.

But there are drivers today who still drive as slow as a Valiant can go - I don't see the point in worrying about it. Drive the way you need to - I and 80% of the rest of traffic will just go whizzing by you.

As long as the engine isn't burning oil, the transmission works and the rear end is sound (and wrecking yards can help with a rear end), you can keep driving it. But you must learn to do your own repairs. Heck, you can rebuild that transmission or engine in your garage...but it would be easier to have an independent shop pull it and rebuild it if you want to spend the $$.

If I had a car that simple and liked it as much as you do, I'd be out in the garage working on it.

I smiled when I read this. I know how many people get pissed off because I'm driving slow as all hell ahaha...

Yeah I failed to mention I was a manager at a car shop back in Rhode Island for a long,long time until I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia...BUT I do keep the car in great shape.

I think when I changed the instrument cluster out, I got a fuel gauge that was a little off so maybe I really didn't have gas in it. Lol working on that car is a breeze...I just don't have the money right now to "rent" a gauge to adjust the float and such...Once I get this full time job, yeah I was thinking of just restoring it.

I'm about 75% done. I just need to finish up the paint and do some basic carb work.

This is what she looks like now:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...7/120_0520.jpg

It just bothers me that I don't know this car 100% like Jaguars, Volvos, Mercedes and Fords.

Btw, the car started right up when I pulled up to it at work...lol

[stratovani]

Just out of curiosity - what do you have for an engine, 225 Slant 6, or small-block V8?

[Internet Police]

When I read the part about no cable I was expecting to read something about not having a remote control. Damn I was disappointed

[Pilgrim]

AH! If you've been a car shop manager, you're well clued in. Heck, there isn't that much to learn about them. They're pretty basic...and MUCH easier to wrench on than a Jag or Merc of that vintage. (BTW - I've done my share of work on Fiat, Mercedes and Datsun...there's a 1983 280ZX Turbo in my garage that I'm replacing all the vacuum lines on.)

Whether that's a slant-6 or a 318, it's still easy to work on - but I assumed that it's the 6 because you said it's slow. The 318 is one of the snappiest small V8s I have driven.

The 6 was always a slug in traffic...super dependable, good gas mileage for its era, but not quick.

OTOH, you drop a 340, 383 or hemi into it, spiff up the suspension and drivetrain, and revel in 0-60 in 4 seconds while getting 10 MPG. But then you'd be wrenching on it all the time.

You could always move to a VW Rabbit from the 80's...get modern and gain gas mileaeg.

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by stratovani

225 Slant 6,

Otherwise known as "the leaning tower of power."

[Pilgrim]

Yeah, and who the evil genius was that put both the distributor and the oil filter on the side where there is NO DAMN ROOM to work on them, I don't know.

Half an engine compartment left wide open - and nothing but a carb there. Then they hid all the stuff you have to service on a regular basis on the side that you can't reach.

Grumble.

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

Yeah, and who the evil genius was that put both the distributor and the oil filter on the side where there is NO DAMN ROOM to work on them, I don't know.

Half an engine compartment left wide open - and nothing but a carb there. Then they hid all the stuff you have to service on a regular basis on the side that you can't reach.

Grumble.

You do know there's an access panel in the wheel well, right?

[fdeck]

Air bags.
Crumple zone.

[hbarcat]

The answer to your prayers.

Megasquirt - Programmable aftermarket fuel injection:
www.MSefi.com • Index page

I've got this in my '78 Mercedes 450 SEL and it makes the car as drivable as any made today and very fuel efficient.

It requires a bit of work and "creative" engineering to adapt to carbureted vehicles and you'll have to buy numerous sensors (O2, temp, TPS, etc.) but if you're a DIY type of guy then this is really a great option and you can probably get away with less than $400 total although it could run into several times that, depending on how sophisticated you want to get. You can even run other fuels like E85, E100 or methanol (great for racing). You load your own fuel maps (spark maps also if you choose that option) via laptop and there is software that helps you tune it for maximum power and efficiency. Plus there is lots of expert online support on the forum.

There are also other companies that make EFI that are completely self contained, direct bolt-ons for specific vehicles. They are pretty pricey ($1,500+).

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by Mike N

You do know there's an access panel in the wheel well, right?

Access panel in the wheel well? It's been over 30 years since I owned my Dart, but I don't recall an access panel in the wheel well. It sure would have made things a lot easier!