Car (or bike) Chat!

[Barry]

Both fine choices!

But people who seek out old 70’s cars do not leave them stock. In fact dropping a high performance crate engine in is a popular option. Those polution controls that robbed power are long gone, replaced by 450bhp monsters, that get 8 miles to the gallon. What’s that, about 3kilometers per liter?

Russell

That sort of fuel economy reminds me of my late father's Daimler 'Double Six', a 5.3 litre V12. It had a 'performance computer', which could tell you, amongst other things: how much fuel (in litre or gallons) you had left in the tank; how far you could go before re-filling, and, alarmingly, the instantaneous fuel consumption in mpg.

If you were going up hill it would read 5 - 8 mpg, but when going down hill you might get 25 mpg!

[Macca]

Both fine choices!

But people who seek out old 70’s cars do not leave them stock. In fact dropping a high performance crate engine in is a popular option. Those polution controls that robbed power are long gone, replaced by 450bhp monsters, that get 8 miles to the gallon. What’s that, about 3kilometers per liter?

Russell

No idea, I try to avoid the metric system where I can, and your gallons are smaller than our gallons, for no good reason.

You're right, you can stick a better engine in them, although that's sort of cheating.


As to running costs had a mate with a mint Jag XJ6, racing green with the cream leather interior. Anytime someone remarked on the fuel costs, cost of spares, tyres etc he'd just say 'Yeah, but I've got a Jag.' It was well worth the extra to him because he got a real kick out of driving it around that he would not get in a Daewoo Matiz.


I also fancy a proper 'Rockford Files' Firebird. Must be in the proper colour too even though it's a bit crappy. IIRC he has a couple of different variants and years in the show but the older ones are better looking:

[walpurgis]

If you're going to play with vintage American muscle cars, Go for a 1970 426 Hemi Dodge Challenger.

I've seen these on the drag strip. For a standard road car, they don't fool around!

[Barry]

If you're going to play with vintage American muscle cars, Go for a 1970 426 Hemi Dodge Challenger.

I've seen these on the drag strip. For a standard road car, they don't fool around!

Now that's more like it. 6.98 litre engine!

[Macca]

Too obvious. Cool, but just too obvious.

[Pigmy Pony]

We still think in miles per gallon in Britain and all the road signs use miles, although the fuel is sold by the litre (probably an EU thing). Mainland Europe is all metric. I believe Jimmy Carter wanted to make you guys metric, but it seems he failed.

[Pigmy Pony]

What make of car is it that has an 'SS' badge on the grille? That would be my choice.

[walpurgis]

Now that's more like it. 6.98 litre engine!

There was no true British made car that could keep up with it. It could out accelerate them all. The only Italian car that could keep up was the Ferrari 275 GTB 4, which I have actually seen racing a Hemi Challenger at Santa Pod Raceway. Both turning in quarters in the mid twelves.

The 426 standard Chrysler Hemi engine produced 425 BHP at the time, but with a few simple mods could turn out over 600 BHP.

[walpurgis]

What make of car is it that has an 'SS' badge on the grille? That would be my choice.

Several Chevrolets. I fancied a Nova SS.

[alphaGT]

Several Chevrolets. I fancied a Nova SS.

Yes most of the Chevys had a deluxe SS Model, for Super Sport. Which usually meant a big block engine, and higher insurance rates.

The big reason they replace the engines with high performance monsters, is that all of the old engines from the 70’s have long rotted away. They never lasted more than 80 to 100 thousand miles. So even if you rebuilt the engine, you sure wouldn’t put it back stock.

Modern cars with their computers and complexities will never become classic cars like these from the 50’s to 70’s. That’s part of the appeal, you can work on them! And let’s face it, few modern cars really have any individual style. Those that do are expensive, and will remain museum pieces, preserved in their unaltered state. In 50 years I seriously doubt anyone will want to pay premium price for a 2018 Toyota Camry. They’ll all be crushed into cubes and made into new cars.

Russell