Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

[bobyoung53]

Was one of those the darling of the Magliozzi brothers?

Tom loved Dodge Darts, they both hated Peugeots though. "Get that Peugeot outta here!" I see an occasional 60's Peugeot here in Lima and they're beautiful cars, they're all leather, wood, etc, they're like a cross between a Mercedes and a little Cadillac.

They look something like this:

 

[bobyoung53]

I once saw a 1966 Plymouth GTX parked in front of a restaurant me and a friend were eating in. We're looking at it saying, "Wow that looks like a GTX" it had the little hood scoops on it etc. So we went out to looked and yup, it was a GTX and almost in perfect shape, no snow, salt, basically no weather etc. So we're looking at it and the owner came along and we're talking about it and of course the first thing we asked was if it had the original 440 in it (those things were REALLY fast) and he said no, it had a slant six in it, the original motor was at home in his garage, gas is about 5 bucks a gallon here. This is not it but it wouldn't have taken much work to make it look this good.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

When baaad is good! The GNX was my dream machine in the 80's. Still wish I could buy one but they're so expensive now. Wife Carey and I almost bought one in Tucson in 1987. We were just a grand (ha ha) short of the price. Heck we were young!

 

[Charlie Tango]

Did Paul Harvey tell you that? Yup those have to be the ugliest cars ever made, Pacers were pretty ugly too though. I had another drummer friend who had a restored one (why?) and it got laughed at everywhere he went.

I had a work acquaintance in the 70s who offered me a ride one morning when my car was to be in the shop. She pulled up in a Pacer. I took the bus home.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I once saw a 1966 Plymouth GTX parked in front of a restaurant me and a friend were eating in. We're looking at it saying, "Wow that looks like a GTX" it had the little hood scoops on it etc. So we went out to looked and yup, it was a GTX and almost in perfect shape, no snow, salt, basically no weather etc. So we're looking at it and the owner came along and we're talking about it and of course the first we asked was if it had the original 440 in it (those things were REALLY fast) and he said no, it had a slant six in it, the original motor was at home in his garage, gas is about 5 bucks a gallon here. This is not it but it wouldn't have taken much work to make it look this good.

View attachment 3812180

An old friend of mine had a GTX in high school so I've had lots of ride-time in one. His still had its 440 in it.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I once saw a 1966 Plymouth GTX parked in front of a restaurant me and a friend were eating in. We're looking at it saying, "Wow that looks like a GTX" it had the little hood scoops on it etc. So we went out to looked and yup, it was a GTX and almost in perfect shape, no snow, salt, basically no weather etc. So we're looking at it and the owner came along and we're talking about it and of course the first we asked was if it had the original 440 in it (those things were REALLY fast) and he said no, it had a slant six in it, the original motor was at home in his garage, gas is about 5 bucks a gallon here. This is not it but it wouldn't have taken much work to make it look this good.

View attachment 3812180

Don't laugh, I had a straight six in my 78 Nova. When the leaf springs gave up, I had a pair of truck ones installed boosting up the back end. The body was in great shape when it was old, people on the street assumed it was a muscle car and wanted to buy it.

 

[beans-on-toast]

For those with an interest in photography. I didn't realize that when Challenger's booster rocket exploded, the shuttle kept flying and eventually broke apart. The cameras recorded that. The crew cabin remained intact until it hit the ocean.

 

[GwenOnBass]

For those with an interest in photography. I didn't realize that when Challenger's booster rocket exploded, the shuttle kept flying and eventually broke apart. The cameras recorded that. The crew cabin remained intact until it hit the ocean.

... my 30th birthday that day. Lost interest in the subject.

 

[bobyoung53]

An old friend of mine had a GTX in high school so I've had lots of ride-time in one. His still had its 440 in it.

A friend of mine had one too, a 68, he got rid of it years ago but I used to love that car.

 

[bobyoung53]

Don't laugh, I had a straight six in my 78 Nova. When the leaf springs gave up, I had a pair of truck ones installed boosting up the back end. The body was in great shape when it was old, people on the street assumed it was a muscle car and wanted to buy it.

I had a 69 2 door Nova that came with a straight 6, me and a buddy put in a 350 and the 3 speed auto out of a 70 Belair into it and dual exhaust, that Nova moved with that motor, it used to screech when it shifted into second. I sold it to a keyboard player whose wife rolled it, I think there may have been a spot of alcohol involved in that accident. I went and saw it in the junkyard and there was not a surface that hadn't been touched, even the threaded part that held the air cleaner on went through the hood, his wife didn't get hurt as far as I can remember, I think she may have been very relaxed. When I still had it all the neighborhood kids used to yell "Get on it!" every time they saw me coming so of course I had to oblige them.

 

[bobyoung53]

Don't laugh, I had a straight six in my 78 Nova. When the leaf springs gave up, I had a pair of truck ones installed boosting up the back end. The body was in great shape when it was old, people on the street assumed it was a muscle car and wanted to buy it.

I bought a 64 4 door Chevy Biscayne with a 6/powerglide in it when I first got married in 1972 (first one) that had racing stripes and hood locks on it, it too also had a dent on every surface, it was actually kind of embarrassing, it ran great though.

 

[Jeff Scott]

For those with an interest in photography. I didn't realize that when Challenger's booster rocket exploded, the shuttle kept flying and eventually broke apart. The cameras recorded that. The crew cabin remained intact until it hit the ocean.

That was quite fascinating, actually. I had met Judy Resnik many years earlier at a wedding (a cousin of mine married a cousin of her's).

 

[SoulReflection]

I had a 69 that came with a straight 6, me and a buddy put in a 350 and the 3 speed auto out of a 70 Belair into it and dual exhaust, that Nova moved with that motor, it used to screech when it shifted into second. I sold it to a keyboard player whose wife rolled it, I think there may have been a spot of alcohol involved in that accident. I went and saw it in the junkyard and there was not a surface that hadn't been touched, even the threaded part that held the air cleaner on went through the hood, his wife didn't get hurt as far as I can remember, I think she may have been very relaxed.

I believe I was lucky with my flat-head four old, English Ford. With that, I couldn't get get anywhere close to that performance problem. I did, however "upgrade" to a Mazda Rotary R100. Lucky me!

I did have quite a success story until the "side seals" failed, twice, and the transmission could not take the torque. All within 100,00 miles. Gas mileage sucked.

Fun times back then but, I paid the price of being an "early adopter" . I did get 2nd gear screech, at a price! The Mazda 1500 wagon I got in trade was not that bad but then I moved on to US made vehicles. I have never gone back. I am sure the quality has improved but, with the additional cost of service, at the time, I do not feel compelled to go back to imports...just my experience.

 

[bobyoung53]

I believe I was lucky with my flat-head four old, English Ford. With that, I couldn't get get anywhere close to that performance problem. I did, however "upgrade" to a Mazda Rotary R100. Lucky me!

I did have quite a success story until the "side seals" failed, twice, and the transmission could not take the torque. All within 100,00 miles. Gas mileage sucked.

Fun times back then but, I paid the price of being an "early adopter" . I did get 2nd gear screech, at a price! The Mazda 1500 wagon I got in trade was not that bad but then I moved on to US made vehicles. I have never gone back.

IIRC those early rotary (Wankel) motors had a lot of problems, they were fast though.

 

[bobyoung53]

I believe I was lucky with my flat-head four old, English Ford. With that, I couldn't get get anywhere close to that performance problem. I did, however "upgrade" to a Mazda Rotary R100. Lucky me!

I did have quite a success story until the "side seals" failed, twice, and the transmission could not take the torque. All within 100,00 miles. Gas mileage sucked.

Fun times back then but, I paid the price of being an "early adopter" . I did get 2nd gear screech, at a price! The Mazda 1500 wagon I got in trade was not that bad but then I moved on to US made vehicles. I have never gone back. I am sure the quality has improved but, with the additional cost of service, at the time, I do not feel compelled to go back to imports...just my experience.

I just watched this video about the disadvantages of rotary engines, pretty interesting:

 

[GwenOnBass]

I just watched this video about the disadvantages of rotary engines, pretty interesting:

That's Tom Lehrer song material right there.

 

[SoulReflection]

I just watched this video about the disadvantages of rotary engines, pretty interesting:

Thanks @bobyoung53. This information was not known back then. My life may have been different if it was! As it is said, "who knew"?

 

[bobyoung53]

Thanks @bobyoung53. This information was not known back then. My life may have been different if it was!

If you didn't watch it he even talks about how one side of the motor is a lot hotter than the other side which is very bad for the seals.

 

[SoulReflection]

If you didn't watch it he even talks about how one side of the motor is a lot hotter than the other side which is very bad for the seals.

The term "side seals" has been a problem with me ever since! I never want to go back there.

 

[bobyoung53]

The term "side seals" has been a problem with me ever since! I never want to go back there.

I guess all the combustion only happens on one side of the motor and the other side is a lot cooler where the air gets drawn in as the middle spins around.