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  #16  
Old 01-08-2016, 10:38 PM
Geoff Bourquin Geoff Bourquin is offline
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I can see the potential for this to degrade into a big nasty "new vs old" foodfight, but I'll try to avoid that.
I do prefer the older cars, but I agree the new cars can do some cool stuff, especially when you compare MPG in the 70s to MPG today. And you were right on the horsepower ratings, but I think today the ratings are the best possible under perfect conditions, while the horsepower ratings 45 years ago were pretty mellow to keep the insurance companies off of their back. A 440 six-pack could make more power than rated if you un-detuned it.

13 seconds 0-60?! Something must have been out of whack. I had a 360/727 in my 74 B-100 van and it was doing 7.9 seconds with 150k miles on it. It did have headers and stubby little glasspacks on it so that may have helped a little bit. Got 16mpg cruising on the interstate but with my foot in it I burned more fuel than a 747. I am not going to reveal how fast I got it to go.

I think the style of cars between the late 50s and early 70s was the best. By the mid 70s those horrible 5mph bumpers made almost all of the cars look like crap. It seem that todays cars all look pretty much the same. Perhaps that's because they have figured out a shape that works aerodynamically. A lot of the old cars looked really cool but had the aerodynamics of a sheet of plywood.

Having spewed all of that let me say this about the picture at the beginning of this thread: AWESOME!!
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  #17  
Old 01-09-2016, 01:50 AM
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Electronic M Electronic M is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rca2000 View Post
HOWEVER....take a look at some of the specs on those old cars. I do NOT think ANY of them could out-run my malibu with it's 3.1 V6..and it will get DOUBLE or BETTER fuel economy while doing so !!

I have driven , or at least been in, a few of those old cars. My mom had a 78 dodge Magnum XE. at the TIME...I thought it was a powerful car, with the 360V-8 and all. But NOW...I look back and wonder what i was THINKING? That old crate had TROUBLE going over 80 or so and it did NOT get good fuel economy. worst of all...it was about DONE...at LESS than 100 k. The specs on it? VERY POOR...by today's standards. About 13 sec. 0-60. Almost ANY car today will beat that !! The malibu will beat that ..even if you give the Magnum about a five car head start !!

In the early 70's...my dad had a Chrysler 300./ It had some large V-8 in it. I doubt it could beat maybe 8s 0-60...a figure that MANY cars today can beat..with LESS than HALF Of the displacement...and go a LOT farther..before they die.


Another thing about those old cars....they really did NOT have NEARLY as much horsepower as stated...since it was rated as GROSS HP... a figure which often is at LEAST a THIRD over rated !! This would mean that an engine with 350 HP GROSS...could REALLY be as LITTLE as 240 REAL HP !! Going the "other way" my Malibu would have at LEAST 225 HP...if rated that way today...Instead of the 170HP is does have...

I just to NOT have the same sentiment for cars...as I do for old tv's, radios and hi-fi stuff....
When one of the little crackpot nations that are getting atomic bombs decides to drop it in your region if you are far enough away not to be dead you WILL be walking to wherever you want to go since your computerized ignition and fuel injection system will be ruined by the EMP from the explosion...Most of those folks with 70's and older cars should still be able to drive after an EMP...

I'm thinking about getting a pre-dura-spark distributor (to keep as a spare) for my 78 Lincoln for such a contingency. I'll probably need to figure out a voltage regulator, and what to do about the alternator too.
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  #18  
Old 01-09-2016, 09:11 AM
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rca2000 rca2000 is offline
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Distributors HAVE left ME walking a FEW times due to problems with them...at least ONCE was in the pouring RAIN !!!

I WILL take the PFI, and coil-pack type of ignition systems ALL of my current vehicles have...including the not-currently-running 89 trofeo. I know ALL about EMP's..but I figure ...if that happens...driving will be a LOW thing to worry about on the list of priorities anyway... and I hope the NK'ers do not YET have a delivery system for their nukes...that can get them here..
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  #19  
Old 01-09-2016, 02:05 PM
Geoff Bourquin Geoff Bourquin is offline
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I'm more concerned about the 9.x earthquake we're due for up here in fungus corners. There won't be a hunk of road longer than a few hundred yards left for us to drive on. Still, it might be nice to get the motors to run so we can make heat and electricity. Anyone ever heat a can of soup on the exhaust manifold?

Last edited by Geoff Bourquin; 01-09-2016 at 02:11 PM. Reason: repaired messy grammar
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