What do you miss about classic cars or cars of the past?

[Rob Hall]

The high belt line and small side windows is all about improving side impact test results.     It's interesting, if I compare the belt line and side window of my '00 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. my '14 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the newer one has much smaller side windows and a higher belt line, thicker A-pillars, etc. 

Edited August 30, 2018 by Rob Hall

[Craig Irwin]

Hardtops (true pillarless hardtops), bench seats, ROOM to stretch out in, being able to see out of the @#$%^ things, column shifters,  doors that didn't lock themselves, a lack of unnecessary electronics, and good styling.

 

[Lizard Racing]

I just had to chime in on this again!

In researching my latest project, a '67 Impala 427, I realized I miss OPTIONS.  Time was you had a choice of five engines, three transmissions and two or three final drive ratios.

You could build your car the way you wanted. Colors were more than black, white or gray.

[Oldcarfan27]

12 hours ago, Lizard Racing said:

You could build your car the way you wanted. Colors were more than black, white or gray.

Yes, a rainbow of colors. Including matching upholstery. 

[espo]

12 hours ago, Lizard Racing said:

I just had to chime in on this again!

In researching my latest project, a '67 Impala 427, I realized I miss OPTIONS.  Time was you had a choice of five engines, three transmissions and two or three final drive ratios.

You could build your car the way you wanted. Colors were more than black, white or gray.

In 1967 I was fighting high insurance rates with a '66 Impala SS 396 4 speed. This was not the hottest setup but respectable all the same for my young family. After talking to my insurance agent we found out that they considered the Bel Air two door as a low risk car even with a V8 and they didn't seem to care which V8. Sooo I ordered a '68 Bel Air two door with the 427 and 4 speed. I had to take the 385 H.P. rated engine because we needed air conditioning. In addition to the 427 4 speed combo I had Posi with 3.55 to 1 rear end, disc brakes, F-41 sport suspension, the full instrumentation with tach in the dash same as the SS option. AM radio with the factory 8 track, once considered high tech - you laugh. I lived in the mountains in southern California so I had to have a rear window defogger. I added the Rally Wheels and the chrome moldings around the windows. There was a light group that gave you a under hood light, trunk light and front fender corner lights usually seen on Caprices. Painted red with the custom black interior. Yes it used to be like Burger King, they'd build it your way.  Three years later the X and her new boy friend traded it in on a VW after he ran it into a tree. You just can't fix stupid.        

[SfanGoch]

On 8/29/2018 at 10:18 AM, OldTrucker said:

The reason no one carries a tool box anymore is because not many would even know where to begin to make a repair (thanks to lack of trade courses in high schools these days) and even those of us that could can't on these new cars that were purposely designed to make it so we can't!

Even fewer know what the different tools are. This Liberty Mutual commercial nails that down perfectly:

 

[SfanGoch]

On 8/30/2018 at 8:58 AM, MrObsessive said:

That brings me to another point about things I miss. A nice, BIG expansive trunk!

The extremely limited trunk space in new cars has put a crimp in wiseguys' ability to dispose of unproductive associates. Why, in the good old days, you could stuff 3 DGIS (Dead Guys In Suits) into the trunk of a Chevy Impala, Pontiac Bonneville or any Caddy with enough room left over for a full sized spare, picks and shovels and ten bags of groceries.

[SfanGoch]

20 hours ago, Craig Irwin said:

ROOM to stretch out in...

There is a correlation between the disappearance of full bench front seats and declining birth rates over the last 35 years.

[slusher]

5 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

There is a correlation between the disappearance of full bench front seats and declining birth rates over the last 35 years.

I miss the full bench seat. 

 

[slusher]

5 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Even fewer know what the different tools are. This Liberty Mutual commercial nails that down perfectly:

 

I like this commercial because it's true. I am glad I showed my son how to change tires.....

[Rider]

I miss seeing the huge luxury cars that went away in late '70's. Lincoln MarkV's were 19'3" long, the front fenders were close to 7'. 

[MrObsessive]

On 8/30/2018 at 5:58 PM, Craig Irwin said:

Hardtops (true pillarless hardtops), bench seats, ROOM to stretch out in, being able to see out of the @#$%^ things, column shifters,  doors that didn't lock themselves, a lack of unnecessary electronics, and good styling.

Pillarless hardtops are sorely missed by me! One of the reasons I dislike four doors and I avoid buying them is I absolutely hate that center pillar blocking my peripheral vision. Because I'm so tall, I need to have that seat back as far as possible. In a four door car, of course the doors are shorter, and that thick pillar is right smack besides my face. Since I'm usually the only one that would drive the car, the seat being further back when I get in, I stand a better chance of ripping my pants as that's happened trying to get in the seat behind the door jamb among other issues. There are some nice four door cars out there-------not a one of 'em is pillarless these days and haven't been since the late '70's.

A two door car.....their doors of course are longer, and that pillar is further back. In my Challenger despite it being a pillared coupe, the post is not super huge and at least it has frameless doors to kinda mimic hardtop styling.

[MrObsessive]

One of my FAVORITE cars of the '70's! If you owned one of these back then, you were telling the world that you had 'made it' and were proud of it!

Yeah, I miss this size of car too......now they're replaced by imposing trucks and SUV's which annoyingly block my vision if I'm stuck behind 'em.

[Bucky]

15 minutes ago, Rider said:

I miss seeing the huge luxury cars that went away in late '70's. Lincoln MarkV's were 19'3" long, the front fenders were close to 7'. 

The ultimate land barge!! I so wanted one when they were new, but couldn't afford one on 3rd year apprentice pipefitter pay!! LOL

The Bill Blass version is so cool! Gas mileage........what's that??

[Rob Hall]

I love the Mark V... I remember sitting in them at the dealer as a kid...I remember trying to talk my Dad into buying one in '79, but every 3 years he got a practical new Continental sedan (then Town Cars in the 80s) as the family car.  

Edited September 1, 2018 by Rob Hall

[Rider]

27 minutes ago, Bucky said:

The ultimate land barge!! I so wanted one when they were new, but couldn't afford one on 3rd year apprentice pipefitter pay!! LOL

The Bill Blass version is so cool! Gas mileage........what's that??

Highway gas milage is about 300miles/500km per tank. About the same as an AWD Astro van. It's the city driving that sucks, the gearing is 2.45:1, with a 6000lbs car and a seriously under powered 400cid big block it doesn't make for a good combo. 

 

[Rider]

1 minute ago, Rob Hall said:

I love the Mark V... I remember sitting in them at the dealer as a kid...I remember trying to talk my Dad into buying one in '79, but every 3 years he got a practical new Continental sedan (then Town Cars in the 80s) as the family car.  

Me too, I also dig the Town Coupe. I didn't know the Mark V even exsisted 2yrs ago. Now I know 5 guys who between them have 10. Lol

I'd love to have a mint Bill Blass, but it's the Collector Series MarkV's have the better seat option, buckets with a console. 

[slusher]

I had a 77 Thunderbird best driving car I ever owned. Bought it in 84. Plenty of Room...black looked just like the Internet picture..

Edited September 1, 2018 by slusher

[MrObsessive]

I was in high school when that '77 Thunderbird was intro'd in late '76. A number of friends I knew who were also car guys were SHOCKED when we first saw it! "THAT'S A T-BIRD??"......... we thought as we were stunned by the way it looked as the previous number of years the car was super huge and somewhat ungainly looking. I do believe that the '77 and '78 T-Birds broke records for Ford as far as sales so it definitely struck a chord with the motoring public.

I'm always hoping that somehow this car sees the light of day--------kinda like what Revell did with the Torino, 'cept this I think would make a great lowrider subject as well as stock.

[Rider]

1 hour ago, slusher said:

I had a 77 Thunderbird best driving car I ever owned. Bought it in 84. Plenty of Room...black looked just like the Internet picture..

Great looking car, they did ride well, they were affectionately know as the poor mans Lincoln. 

1 hour ago, MrObsessive said:

I was in high school when that '77 Thunderbird was intro'd in late '76. A number of friends I knew who were also car guys were SHOCKED when we first saw it! "THAT'S A T-BIRD??"......... we thought as we were stunned by the way it looked as the previous number of years the car was super huge and somewhat ungainly looking. I do believe that the '77 and '78 T-Birds broke records for Ford as far as sales so it definitely struck a chord with the motoring public.

I'm always hoping that somehow this car sees the light of day--------kinda like what Revell did with the Torino, 'cept this I think would make a great lowrider subject as well as stock.

I agree Bill, they sure would sell a ton. These are often turned into low riders for real, these and the MarkV's are great low rider subjects. I'd like to build up one of the MarkV resin shell kits into a low rider and another like the '79 Bill Blass . 

[Classicgas]

17 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Even fewer know what the different tools are. This Liberty Mutual commercial nails that down perfectly:

 

Yep, right on the money. Saw a girl, late teens, early 20's, trying to open her hood, boyfriend standing there looking like a completely confused dork. Time to loose him sweetheart.

[mchook]

I miss that you could lean on a car without the fear of denting it, the style, or lack of, being able to work on them but most of all the exhaust smell. I know it's weird but if I could can that smell I would. I know it's bad for everyone & the environment but I LOVE that smell. I go to my fathers house every weekend & we work on his old cars. He's been buying & selling antique cars forever so I've learned alot over the years about bringing an old car back to life. Here are just a few he has right now. The 79 Ranchero is the newest old car he owns, There's more but I don't have pics of them all.

[SfanGoch]

4 hours ago, Classicgas said:

Time to loose him sweetheart.

The sad part is that the guys on either side of him are in the same category. Hitting three lemons on the slot machine.

[Bucky]

I like the '77-'79 Ranchero look. The hood is about as long as the bed! I'd like to see them in 1/25 scale, along with the '77-'79 T-birds and Cougars.

[Craig Irwin]

20 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

A two door car.....their doors of course are longer, and that pillar is further back. In my Challenger despite it being a pillared coupe, the post is not super huge and at least it has frameless doors to kinda mimic hardtop styling.

Yes! I really miss 2 door cars, if you want one today your choice is the Challenger, Mustang or Camaro. Way out of the price range of most buyers, and not the most practicable family cars, besides being to low for us old farts to get in and out of. And what ever happened to station wagons?