Driving golden era cars in the modern era

[BoPeep]

Just had to post a quick pic of my new '50 Ford. Runs great and should be perfect for hauling the kids. My husband and I plan to do a bit of sprucing up before she's a daily driver. So excited to finally have one of my own!

A few more photos here http://willowhomestead.blogspot.com/2011/03/shoebox-in-my-barn.html

 

[Big Man]

Just had to post a quick pic of my new '50 Ford. Runs great and should be perfect for hauling the kids. My husband and I plan to do a bit of sprucing up before she's a daily driver. So excited to finally have one of my own!

Nice car.

 

[David Conwill]

Cool, cool, cool, BoPeep. Congrats on the new Shoebox.

Whatever you do, don't shave those rear door handles!

-Dave

 

[Big Man]

Since I got my '48 Plymouth last year, I haven't talked much about my old stand-by '65 Ford Custom 500. My aunt Sara bought this car new in 1965 and when she passed away in 1983 it was left to me. It served as my "primary vehicle" most of the time up till just a few years ago. It's a good car, and only has about 285,000 miles on it. It needs a paint job, but that's about all.

 

[David Conwill]

Since I got my '48 Plymouth last year, I haven't talked much about my old stand-by '65 Ford Custom 500. My aunt Sara bought this car new in 1965 and when she passed away in 1983 it was left to me. It served as my "primary vehicle" most of the time up till just a few years ago. It's a good car, and only has about 285,000 miles on it. It needs a paint job, but that's about all.

Great car! My brother's second-favorite vehicle. I'm awfully fond of the full-size '65 Fords myself - they took the good idea of the '63 Pontiac and perfected, IMO. I'd love a Country Squire in metallic green. I'll bet you get tired of hearing "cool Galaxie", though.

-Dave

 

[BoPeep]

Whatever you do, don't shave those rear door handles!

-Dave

Never! Actually I have a love affair with chrome. Currently all of the missing side pieces are in the back seat and will be returned to their proper places.

 

[Big Man]

... I'll bet you get tired of hearing "cool Galaxie", though.

-Dave

You are right about that.

 

[Travis Lee Johnston]

I have stock rims and Coker white walls on it now but here's my 61 with it's original paint. Sorry about the covered seats, they're in decent condition.

This is my driver BTW.

 

[W4ASZ]

OK, you guys. The mavens down this way seek out and burn real gasoline, none of this ethanol-tainted stuff. What about it where you are ?

:eeek:

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Bo Peep - That's a great shoebox! I hope I see it in the car shows this year!

Big Man - Love the car, my favorite of the 60's Fords. I am amazed you've gotten that many miles out of it, usually if you got 100,000 out of a car in the 1960's, you were sittin' pretty.

Travis - Very cool 61 Impala. I had a 60 Bel-Air, may she rest in peace, as my first car. But mine was a 4-door post.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Nice '65. It make me reminisce about my first car, a '66 Galaxie 500 with a 390 Interceptor V8. It was a former CHP cruiser.

 

[scottyrocks]

I have stock rims and Coker white walls on it now but here's my 61 with it's original paint. Sorry about the covered seats, they're in decent condition.

This is my driver BTW.

My grandfather (dad's dad) had one exactly like this, except maybe for the wheels. For some reason, my dad doesnt remember it, though.

 

[David Conwill]

OK, you guys. The mavens down this way seek out and burn real gasoline, none of this ethanol-tainted stuff. What about it where you are ?

:eeek:

No engine I've had has had a problem with E15. The high-compression engine in my '68 Camaro loves the stuff. My late father swore by it for his LT-1 powered '69 Corvette.

I am thinking about setting up my '28 Chevy engine to run on E85.

I swear ethanol bashing/"pure gas" seeking is how some fellows make themselves feel like "total gearheads". MTBE is nasty stuff; I like ethanol.

-Dave

 

[W4ASZ]

No engine I've had has had a problem with E15. The high-compression engine in my '68 Camaro loves the stuff. My late father swore by it for his LT-1 powered '69 Corvette.

I am thinking about setting up my '28 Chevy engine to run on E85.

I swear ethanol bashing/"pure gas" seeking is how some fellows make themselves feel like "total gearheads". MTBE is nasty stuff; I like ethanol.

-Dave

Thanks for your response. I have no vintage machinery at the moment, but I find that my five year old Kawasaki motorcycle, a KLR650, has a decided preference for plain gasoline. The car, a 2007 Focus, is OK either way.

The professional mechanics I know here, which is a warm and humid place generally, all swear at ethanol blends.

It's the reverse of the old Howlin' Wolf song: "I Asked for Water, She Gave Me Gasoline."

 

[Fletch]

Last summer, the A's-R-Us Ford club did a run of the Dixie Highway thru eastern Illinois. A tv show called Heartland Highways talked to a few of the drivers, who said that only one car had dropped out due to mechanical problems. Not bad for cars approaching, or over, 80yo! That says something about the simplicity, fixability and strong supply lines of the A.

It was a neat event because each town along the route planned events and shared some of their history with the club. One driver said that it was particularly pleasant not to ever have to exceed 40mph. AIUI, the A was always a chore to drive past 40 for any length of time.

The Dixie Highway is interesting in itself as a mid-'teens attempt to get Chicagoans to motor to, and buy land in, Florida (not a migration pattern historians pay any attention to - I don't know if it was successful). The brains behind it was Carl Fisher, who had built the Indianapolis Speedway a few years before.

 

[Travis Lee Johnston]

My grandfather (dad's dad) had one exactly like this, except maybe for the wheels. For some reason, my dad doesnt remember it, though.

I hated those wheels and the tires. But the rims were authentic 60's American Racing wheels. Maybe for somebody elses ride...
Trying to ask my dad about his old fords and 56 Chevy post is like pulling teeth.
One cool thing is I have all the paperwork for this car including the OG sales receipt for 1,200$ sold in El Monte, June 2. My moms first birthday, hah.
I ran into the second owner one time at a car show. Small world right.

 

[Bourne ID]

Just had to post a quick pic of my new '50 Ford. Runs great and should be perfect for hauling the kids. My husband and I plan to do a bit of sprucing up before she's a daily driver. So excited to finally have one of my own!

A few more photos here http://willowhomestead.blogspot.com/2011/03/shoebox-in-my-barn.html

Classic!! I love the 50 Ford and I totally understand your love affair with chrome. The more the better.

 

[ejbhats]

Saw a signature line that read "All hat, and no Packard"! Guess I got both!
A 1948 Packard and soon a Packard hat!

 

[scottyrocks]

I hated those wheels and the tires. But the rims were authentic 60's American Racing wheels. Maybe for somebody elses ride...
Trying to ask my dad about his old fords and 56 Chevy post is like pulling teeth.
One cool thing is I have all the paperwork for this car including the OG sales receipt for 1,200$ sold in El Monte, June 2. My moms first birthday, hah.
I ran into the second owner one time at a car show. Small world right.

My gf's car had the standard steel wheels with these wheel covers, if I remember correctly:

 

[Travis Lee Johnston]

I have those caps too, but they're kinda banged up so I just put them on display in my bedroom.

I dig the bare rim look of the contrasting black wheel whitewall and white car. So that's how I roll.