Driving golden era cars in the modern era

[C-dot]

You never learned to drive a manual without a clutch?

I had a ford fiesta 20 years ago that ,much to my new wifes dismay, I drove without a clutch for two months!!!

I just caught this... My brain has exploded a little bit. Unless I'm mistaken, you'd have to match the engine's RPM up exactly with the transmission? I can hear the grinding now! :eeek:

Would this be easier on Golden Era cars?

 

[Gregg Axley]

I could be wrong, but I'm not sure newer cars do that as well as older ones.
Yeah you can do it on older cars, not just golden era ones.
I had a 76 Corvette 4 speed I did it on, but I was usually racing to get in front of someone (to merge), or just playing around with it when traffic was light. No grinding in that car, it went in every gear without the clutch.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

My dad had an 80 Corvette. I put more miles on it than he did. God, I loved that car. T-tops, a ton of attitude. I always have stodgy old man cars, big 4 door sedans and wagons from the 50's to the 80's usually. The 'Vette was a huge contrast. People did get a chuckle out of me cruising in that thing with ol' Conway blasting out the speakers lol

I could be wrong, but I'm not sure newer cars do that as well as older ones.
Yeah you can do it on older cars, not just golden era ones.
I had a 76 Corvette 4 speed I did it on, but I was usually racing to get in front of someone (to merge), or just playing around with it when traffic was light. No grinding in that car, it went in every gear without the clutch.

 

[Talbot]

I haven't done it on anything newer than say 78 (broken clutch cable) so I can't speak for later model cars

I would only do it in an emergency. There can be a bit of grinding depending on the 'box.

Important to keep moving, and a sensitive touch with the stick helps.

T

 

[Bourne ID]

Sensitive touch is right, and an ear for the right rpms, steady pressure on the shifter and your good to go!
The new new clutch on the Plymouth is in, had some trouble locating hte right throw out bearing so we jsut bought the entire clutch assembly new. Modified the clutch pedal pushrod to enable a straighter shot at the clutch arm and she's back on the road running fantastic. Clutch works very smooth and the pedal feels better than it did before.
I've got a little mystery with my headlights now...new sylvania bulbs with a brand new wirring harness but my low beams are practically non-existant. High beams work fine, light up the whole town, but my low beams are more like a nursery night light. I ran an additional ground from each light to the frame yesterday, thinking that might be it. No dice. Not sure what next.

 

[BoPeep]

C-dot - not a Tudor, a Sedan. Very common as it was the low-end model for Ford. But there are lots of repro parts available!

 

[David Conwill]

C-dot - not a Tudor, a Sedan. Very common as it was the low-end model for Ford. But there are lots of repro parts available!

I'm not sure about the "Shoebox" years exactly, but before that Ford called its sedans "Tudor" and "Fordor". In fact, I'm pretty sure period FoMoCo literature refers to the body style on my Falcon as Tudor.

The '49 Ford coupe, with its shorter roofline, sure is a gorgeous thing. I wish they'd done a Falcon that way.

-Dave

 

[C-dot]

C-dot - not a Tudor, a Sedan. Very common as it was the low-end model for Ford. But there are lots of repro parts available!

I'm not sure about the "Shoebox" years exactly, but before that Ford called its sedans "Tudor" and "Fordor". In fact, I'm pretty sure period FoMoCo literature refers to the body style on my Falcon as Tudor.

I get the names now! I always liked that model of car, and it became more interesting once I found out that was the car Donald Turnupseed drove. I understand they were quite common, though!

 

[David Conwill]

The "Fordor" moniker was a bit of ego on the part of Ford, I've always thought, and the "Tudor" name invented to go along with it. As BoPeep points out, Tudors are usually the most common model of any given year because they offered the most bang for the buck. Business coupes and, earlier on, roadsters were cheaper but didn’t offer the space or access most families needed. Fordors and wagons offered excellent space and access, but were more money. I would characterize the Tudor as being the middle of the Ford range of body styles, but it definitely seems to be the most common.

-Dave

PS That Turnupseed article is fascinating. I had no idea he was a hot rodder or a businessman.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Deep down, everyone wants the joy of wagon ownership lol

wagons offered excellent space and access, but were more money.

-Dave

 

[Bourne ID]

Deep down, everyone wants the joy of wagon ownership lol

My first car was a VW Dasher station wagon, Deisel no less!! More bondo than steel and great plumes of black smoke when I stomped on the pedal! It's what I was driving when I met my wife...not sure what she saw in me!! Then I moved up to a Postal Jeep with right hand drive and no passenger seat...my new wife sat on the floor!!! not sure what she saw in me!!

 

[David Conwill]

Oh man. You know it, Tom. I really want a '59 Edsel Villager or Ford Country Sedan.

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Sounds like my old Caprice wagon! Everywhere she goes, black smoke follows! Maybe she thought you were a rebel

My first car was a VW Dasher station wagon, Deisel no less!! More bondo than steel and great plumes of black smoke when I stomped on the pedal! It's what I was driving when I met my wife...not sure what she saw in me!! Then I moved up to a Postal Jeep with right hand drive and no passenger seat...my new wife sat on the floor!!! not sure what she saw in me!!

My dream wagon is a 66 Caprice, with the Turbo-Jet 396 and the TH400 Tranny, in tan.

Oh man. You know it, Tom. I really want a '59 Edsel Villager or Ford Country Sedan.

-Dave

 

[David Conwill]

Growing up, we used to drive past a forlorn ‘65 Chevrolet wagon (I prefer the triple taillights on the ‘65s) almost every day. I think it was being used for storage. I suspect it was too far gone, but I always wanted to resurrect it. We already had the 396 even.

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

That woulda been a great one to save! I like the triple tail-lamps better, too. Dad used to have a 65 Impala SS. I have a couple reasons why I have to go with the 66, though. First year of the Caprice and not the Impala-Caprice, first year of woodie trim, and it was my dad's first car.

Growing up, we used to drive past a forlorn ‘65 Chevrolet wagon (I prefer the triple taillights on the ‘65s) almost every day. I think it was being used for storage. I suspect it was too far gone, but I always wanted to resurrect it. We already had the 396 even.

-Dave

 

[David Conwill]

It may not be too late! You can actually see it here in Google Street View. It’s the yellow thing to the left of the three-bay garage on the east side of the road.

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

There you go! You should see if they want to unload it. So long as the frame and body is alright, it would have potential to be a real winner.

It may not be too late! You can actually see it here in Google Street View. It’s the yellow thing to the left of the three-bay garage on the east side of the road.

-Dave

 

[David Conwill]

I wish. I can't take on a project that big right now, unfortunately. You're only five and a half hours away, though, if you take the high-speed ferry out of Milwaukee...

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat as you. In the past year, I unloaded my 79 Buick, my 58 Chevy, and my 63 Impala. Too many cars laying around and nothing getting done!

I wish. I can't take on a project that big right now, unfortunately. You're only five and a half hours away, though, if you take the high-speed ferry out of Milwaukee...

-Dave

 

[Bourne ID]

And now were on to the next issue at hand, seems my 60 year old fuel tank has more than just gas in it!! The hunt is on to replace the tank and avoid the problems with filters and fuel pump that have plagued me for the last three years. Not sure how we overlooked this one but we'll get her straightened out this week! Otherwise she's running great. Here's one for you all...I'm getting some oil blowback from the breather caps on the valve covers. What would cause this and how do I prevent the mess this is making of my engine bay. It's not much, just a fine mist but after a couple of days on the road it's a real mess in there.