Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I wasn't around for 1970, however, the technology of tuning, and the assortment and ease of buying aftermarket parts for your car to make it faster, more powerful, and create a more custom and unique sound in today's market is unparalleled. Mostly thanks to the internet and its great assortment of aftermarket pieces.
My 2001 Camaro Z28 doesn't have many more bells and whistles than a 1970 would. From 2002 to 2018 there are a huge assortment of changes, upgrades, and other new additions that have radically changed these cars. Today's Mustang GT with a 10 speed auto can demolish a 1/4 mile in 11.9 seconds. Pretty darn fast for a car that is still reasonably affordable and comes with a 3-5 year warranty from the factory.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,722 posts, read 58,054,000 times
Reputation: 46190
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stonepa
Nope. 2018 is, until next year. Cars get faster, safer, more efficient, more reliable, and more useful every year. And the choice is amazing.You can get whatever you want(for the most part). In 1970 fast was slow, gas mileage was terrible, reliability terrible, and cars fell apart leaving the factory. No comparison.
OK, what I want in my transportation:
1) NO PLASTICS (they break and are not too strong) very tough to find replacements after 10 yrs
2) No electronics
3) No A/C (not needed in my climate)
4) Crank windows (I expect this thing to last 50 yrs, not 5)
5) Rubber mats / no carpet. Powerwash clean jobs (to get rid of winter manure)
...
99) No SPARK PLUGS!! or ignition system ! (prefer ability to 'push start' if needed when in the boonies)
Can't seem to find ANY of these items in 2018 offerings
I wasn't around for 1970, however, the technology of tuning, and the assortment and ease of buying aftermarket parts for your car to make it faster, more powerful, and create a more custom and unique sound in today's market is unparalleled. Mostly thanks to the internet and its great assortment of aftermarket pieces.
My 2001 Camaro Z28 doesn't have many more bells and whistles than a 1970 would. From 2002 to 2018 there are a huge assortment of changes, upgrades, and other new additions that have radically changed these cars. Today's Mustang GT with a 10 speed auto can demolish a 1/4 mile in 11.9 seconds. Pretty darn fast for a car that is still reasonably affordable and comes with a 3-5 year warranty from the factory.
I'll take the Mustang in a manual. I heard there is already a recall on the new Ford 10 speed autos.
Location: San Ramon, Seattle, Anchorage, Reykjavik
2,254 posts, read 2,738,942 times
Reputation: 3203
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit
OK, what I want in my transportation:
1) NO PLASTICS (they break and are not too strong) very tough to find replacements after 10 yrs
2) No electronics
3) No A/C (not needed in my climate)
4) Crank windows (I expect this thing to last 50 yrs, not 5)
5) Rubber mats / no carpet. Powerwash clean jobs (to get rid of winter manure)
...
99) No SPARK PLUGS!! or ignition system ! (prefer ability to 'push start' if needed when in the boonies)
Can't seem to find ANY of these items in 2018 offerings
Literally no one in the US will buy such a car. So I guess you need to build it yourself.
3) One could pitch a tent inside the engine compartment.
I don't consider it to be "useless dead space". To me, it's "working room". So you can get in there with your hand and wrench and change that rear-most spark plug without having to detach the engine from the motor mounts, jack it up, and get to the plug from under the car. Or work on whatever part needs work without removing a bunch of other parts in order to get access to the bad part.
That's the truth.
I remember working on my 1968 Chevrolet and what a pleasure it was compared to the newer cars...and I am someone who has very small hands
More and more we are seeing it where it's darn near impossible to do simple repairs without having to tear down the whole flippin' car or it's set up where it needs to be taken in for service. On my current car, the trans fluid can't be checked or added unless the car is jacked up so that means a trip to the service center.
Give me an older car any day to wrench on over a newer one
It's fun to work on older ones...new ones maybe not so much depending upon what needs to be replaced!
A lot of cars had crappy brakes and the handling wasn't that great. Fast in a straight line though. Lots of cars with great looks throughout the years. Many people wanted a 2 door resto Charger. The current one is great in many ways though.
Fuel injection and antilock brakes and fuel injection were good upgrades over the years.
I prefer trucks that are trucks, So they were ok back then also. my dad was a Dodge mechanic back then installing rear bumpers and underdash ac units in new 1600 dollar pickups. He brought home new Chargers and Challengers to install AC units to make an extra forty bucks. He got pretty fast at it.
I had someone once comment about how they wish they were 18 again, But in 1968! I told them they would have ended up in Vietnam!
1) A new car was $3000 plus or minus.
2) A handy fellow could rebuild the engine over the week-end with a set of wrenches. While having fun doing it.
3) One could pitch a tent inside the engine compartment.
4) There was a very broad variety in appearances. Now they generally look the same and have Base 1 or Base 2 or Base 3 paint coloration.
5) There was a lot more options.
6) A chewing squirrel or rats couldn't ruin your vehicle.
7) Cars had real style while still being affordable.
8) Lifetime paint job was $40, metallic was $60. Lifetime transmission overhaul was $300.
9) Real bumpers.
10) Common hail storm didn't dent the steel let alone do $10,000 in damages.
11) Insurance was cheap.
12) Maintenance was easy. All of it.
I agree with you on every point. The 1970 Chevelle SS is still a gorgeous work of art. However, the quality of US cars in 1970 sucked. If we still built them like that today, every car on the road would either be German or Japanese. Thank God we saw the light.
I have a book called "A Savage Factory" that details the quality control of an American car maker (Ford) in the 1970s. It wasn't good. Some cars came out fine and lasted for many years. Others were broken down in a few years or less. An interesting observation is that when car sales were good, quality often suffered.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
