I miss the chrome

[jamespowers]

I believe the Duke boys had a '69. Close enough tho'.
My ride looked almost exactly like this one.
http://www.californiaclassics.nl/images/sold/dodge/charger-1973-01-01.jpg

That is the car Daisy drove before they ran it off a cliff or some such thing. The Duke boys did drive a 69 though. They are both decent cars that you can get power everything on.

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

don't kick me but I like it! [huh]
It is cooler than some of the junk I see rolling around out there.
It has Retro spirit.

I don't mind it much either but I prefer to see it produced with more interior room and a drive train that is a bit better than the 4 cylinder neon engine. :eusa_doh: The style is right though.

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Every time I drive an older car, I enjoy the experience, but I'm reminded how much more comfortable and easy to drive modern cars are.

Ever drive a 50s-70s Cadillac or Lincoln?

Regards,

J

 

[J. M. Stovall]

I don't mind it much either but I prefer to see it produced with more interior room and a drive train that is a bit better than the 4 cylinder neon engine. :eusa_doh: The style is right though.

Regards,

J

That's what stops me on the PT, it's just a little too small. They need to enlarge it about 10%. It does now come with a 2.4 Liter Turbo with 300 HP!

 

[Wild Root]

Every time I drive an older car, I enjoy the experience, but I'm reminded how much more comfortable and easy to drive modern cars are.

Like Mark the Shoeshine boy, I understand that modern cars are much safer, and designed to protect occupants infinitely better in an accident. Having more steel in the body of your vehicle may result in more shock from a collision being transferred to the occupants; I'd much rather have the car absorb the shock, totaling it if necessary, so I can walk away.

I remember clearly that in the 1960' s if you got 100K miles from a car before rebuilding the engine, you were doing very well! Now a car with 100K on it may have only gone halfway through its service life. Today's cars are built with much better engines and drivetrains, and they last much longer. I've bought two cars with 95K miles on them in the past five years. My wife and I just bought a 1994 BMW 325i with 88K miles on it, and we're confident she can drive it to close to 200K miles. (Her last two cars, both Audis, have gone 160-180K miles before se sold them.)

So although I'm a big fan of vintage cars (witness the '58 Fiat Roadster in my garage), for everyday driving and long trips, give me a nice, recent model car every time. I'll travel in more comfort with better suspension and air conditioning, easier and more accurate steering, and better safety equipment. I enjoy and admire nice vintage cars, but I accept that they're outdated and better for fun driving than for everyday use.

To each his own. Call me crazy, I like to feel the road and hear what's going on around me. Today's cars are comfort masters and very easy to drive... but, I find some (not all mind you) are easily distracted with the quiet privet feeling in their BMW's or other late model cars. They're on the Cell phone or listening to loud music and thus, they lose contact with the outside world... Any one notice how so many people don't pull over to the side of the road when an emergency vehicle comes down the road? Most modern cars are designed to block outside noise that most people cant her anything.

I'm a crazy man, I enjoy having the windows down, the fresh air, the sound of my flat head 6 just purring like a happy kitten and just taking my time getting to point A-B in style with out having to rush and brake speed limits. Also, the luxury of falling off of the Police's radar is very nice. Police don't pay any attention to the old cars... if they stay stock.

Falling asleep used to happen to me wile driving a later model car, I used to have the windows down, the AC blasting with some music to stay a wake. Now, when I'm driving and I start to get sleepy, the thought of crashing in a '46 auto keeps me awake! Also, the ride isn't as smooth as a late model car so, the road keeps me awake too.

I feel more comfortable on my large bench seat then I have ever in any bucket seat... I can go and park my car any where and take a nap... I've slept in my car a few times when I needed too... can't do that in a small modern car... to many things in the way.

My car I feel is tailored to me... I was made for an old car and so I shall remain.

Kind regards,
=WR=

 

[jamespowers]

That's what stops me on the PT, it's just a little too small. They need to enlarge it about 10%. It does now come with a 2.4 Liter Turbo with 300 HP!

I hadn't heard about the new engine. That works but I prefer a supercharger to a turbo.
They could make it 10% larger for you but I want one 25% larger with tires that you can't use on a bicycle.
I still like the style and I actually do like smaller cars in some cases---remember the Nash Metropolitan? I would buy one of those new right now. There is a car that you really do not have to do much to to translate into a modern vehicle. I guess it just makes too much sense. [huh]

Regards,


J

 

[jamespowers]

To each his own. Call me crazy, I like to feel the road and hear what's going on around me. Today's cars are comfort masters and very easy to drive... but, I find some (not all mind you) are easily distracted with the quiet privet feeling in their BMW's or other late model cars. They're on the Cell phone or listening to loud music and thus, they lose contact with the outside world... Any one notice how so many people don't pull over to the side of the road when an emergency vehicle comes down the road? Most modern cars are designed to block outside noise that most people cant her anything.

I'm a crazy man, I enjoy having the windows down, the fresh air, the sound of my flat head 6 just purring like a happy kitten and just taking my time getting to point A-B in style with out having to rush and brake speed limits. Also, the luxury of falling off of the Police's radar is very nice. Police don't pay any attention to the old cars... if they stay stock.

Falling asleep used to happen to me wile driving a later model car, I used to have the windows down, the AC blasting with some music to stay a wake. Now, when I'm driving and I start to get sleepy, the thought of crashing in a '46 auto keeps me awake! Also, the ride isn't as smooth as a late model car so, the road keeps me awake too.

I feel more comfortable on my large bench seat then I have ever in any bucket seat... I can go and park my car any where and take a nap... I've slept in my car a few times when I needed too... can't do that in a small modern car... to many things in the way.

My car I feel is tailored to me... I was made for an old car and so I shall remain.

Kind regards,
=WR=

Uh, yeah. What he said.
I find that new cars' power steering over compensates for me. There are a few out there that switch from power to manual as speed increases. That makes more sense at higher speeds than over correcting and ending up looking like the Civic.
I live in Northern California. I really don't need a heater or air conditioning but I have air conditioning in the 55 Chevy---never have used it though. I find push buttons annoying. I prefer knobs and levers. Buttons just disappear into the dash and are so poorly labeled now it is ridiculous. They expect you to be clairvoyant.
I can't work on a single component of the engine without buying scads of computer diagnostic equipment and some of these engines are not tuned to their optimum performance standards. Upgrading them would take the assistance of Bill Gates with all the chips and governors you have to override.
Maintanance I see no problem with. All cars require it. My cars are just cheaper to repair, register and insure. Half of them have well over 200,00 miles on them and they just keep going because people remember preventative maintenance. It makes everything last longer. :cheers1:

Regards,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Uh, yeah. What he said.
I find that new cars' power steering over compensates for me. There are a few out there that switch from power to manual as speed increases. That makes more sense at higher speeds than over correcting and ending up looking like the Civic.
I live in Northern California. I really don't need a heater or air conditioning but I have air conditioning in the 55 Chevy---never have used it though. I find push buttons annoying. I prefer knobs and levers. Buttons just disappear into the dash and are so poorly labeled now it is ridiculous. They expect you to be clairvoyant.
I can't work on a single component of the engine without buying scads of computer diagnostic equipment and some of these engines are not tuned to their optimum performance standards. Upgrading them would take the assistance of Bill Gates with all the chips and governors you have to override.
Maintanance I see no problem with. All cars require it. My cars are just cheaper to repair, register and insure. Half of them have well over 200,00 miles on them and they just keep going because people remember preventative maintenance. It makes everything last longer. :cheers1:

Regards,

J

Yes, what HE Said! I'm simple minded, so, a simple car is what I like. I'm not sure what kind of miles are no my car, the odometer isn't working right now so, I know I have well over 100,000. on it! It keeps going and going and going... preventative maintenance is right! Keep your car maintained and it's going to last!

Speaking about chrome.... I own a vintage car but, it has very little chrome! Only the bumpers, tail light bezels, trunk emblem and hood ornament are chrome plated... the rest is all stainless! YAY FOR STAINLESS! It will never pit and never rust! Just needs a good polish now and again and it's super pretty! That reminds me, I need to get my bumpers re-plated some time this year... what little chrome I have is flaking off! lol

=WR=

 

[Michaelson]

Good luck having that done in California. They're cracking down (make that CLOSING down) chrome plating businesses under EPA law in the next few years.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[Wild Root]

Really? Well, things are said and well, things are done... I've talked to several old car guys who have had crhome work done this year, they've not heard a lick. Oh and the EPA can kiss my... yeah, you know what!

=WR=

 

[Michaelson]

We've already lost a couple shops in Nashville, so I know it's coming your way.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[jamespowers]

Good luck having that done in California. They're cracking down (make that CLOSING down) chrome plating businesses under EPA law in the next few years.

Regards! Michaelson

Yep, thats how this thread comentary started. You just can't make a production car with chrome on it because of the ninnies who don't want you to be able to plate anything.
Rechroming a bumper? Expect to pay at least $275 for a one piece bumper. Separate piece bumpers are much higher.

Regards,

J

 

[Twitch]

Here ya go Matt. Oogle my Packard a while. Just don't drool on the chrome though

 

[Michaelson]

Oh, it's ok....if you like Packards.[huh]

She's a beauty!!

Regards! michaelson

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I've heard through the grapevine that there are still some good chrome shops in Mexico, and that people send stuff down there.

 

[Wild Root]

Yes, good ol' TJ is a hot spot for old car restoration... there's a few guys who go down there to get their work done. I know there are small crhome shops here that do good work... they're just known by some of the local car clubs.

=WR=

 

[Lincsong]

Good old TJ? I had a 1988 white Monte Carlo stolen and it was never found. It probably ended up in good old TJ!:rage:

 

[K by the bay]

Brightwork

Hey Matt , and others. A book you might like is Brightwork Classic American Car Ornamentation by Ken Steacy. Not pics of whole cars but mostly hood ornaments and such.

 

[Atomic Glee]

Normally, I drive a New Beetle diesel - cute & weird like a classic, but much more powerful, comfortable, and one of the safest cars on the road. Plus, it has air conditioning. Sometimes, though, I just get a hankerin' for a classic...which is when my Karmann Ghia rolls out onto the street:

Nothing beats the feeling you get when you're rolling down the street in a classic car. I tend to avoid driving her when it's 6,000 degrees out, but on a nice summer's evening...ohhh yeah.

One area where I differ from most on the FL is that I prefer European cars, but I do love old Golden Era American cars.

 

[Twitch]

BTW- the cost to chrome the Packard-sized bumper will run $4-500 each.