Older or Newer?

[LIMA BEAN]

I had a 48 ford just like that green one i restored years ago. I love how one of the bars in the front of the hood is a hood release handle, always thought that was cool.

 

[rhekman]

They have been doing add-ons since the beginning of time. Dad's '57 Bel-Air has dual power antennea... only one is functional. The factory spotlight built into the mirror is kind of neat though...

That whole car is one big Sea Mist Green (or something like that) and chromium example of form over function.

Good point about the "doodads" phenomenon not being a new thing.

What I really think is missing in modern vehicles is attention to strength and simplicity in all of the "stuff" that doesn't make the vehicle go, but lower its value when they break. This isn't necessarily new, just like your nonfunctional power antenna, or for another example, think of all the "winking" hideaway headlights we saw from cars in the sixties and seventies. The unfortunate thing nowadays is these accessories are hidden away in a computer you can't fix, or built into a switch assembly that's only produced one year and then costs an arm and a leg to replace.

There are some modern "conveniences" I like. My first vehicle - an '84 2wd 4 cyl Ranger - didn't have power steering, power brakes, power anything inside, intermittent wipers, cruise, tilt. It was easy to work on, and I love that about it. But my "new" truck - a 95 Ranger 4wd supercab, also has some things I really appreciate, 4 wheel ABS for example.

I won't miss dealing with setting points, dealing with a manual choke on a minus 20 degree day, or changing out thermostats with the seasons. But worrying about all the other stuff that doesn't make the vehicle move when it breaks is just a pain in the *ss.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, when Ford and other manufacturers can design an engine and trans that can go 100k or more between service, why isn't that same attention being paid to all the other stuff in the vehicle?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, when Ford and other manufacturers can design an engine and trans that can go 100k or more between service, why isn't that same attention being paid to all the other stuff in the vehicle?

AFAIK the federal government has mandated the 100k between service and 100k+ warranties on drive-trains. Without that we would still be stuck with rebuilding at 100k instead of reaching 300k reliably. I can't remember where, but I recall a graph of life expectancy of engines from 1900 to present, it has gotten much better with time. I feel if the manufacturers had their way, planned obsolescence would still be at the 20k mark.

Richard