2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission OLD TIMERS only..

[KnightR]

As I crawled out from under my 98 dodge diesel after flushing my cooling system soaking wet from a anti-freeze shower, and three hours into fixing a leaking petcock which was unexcessable due to my large hands, broken o ring, fashion a tool to put the petcock in and twist it, new o ring leaked (forgot to lube) tweaked it until it stopped. I hope. Next stop my ranch in the mid-west 1900 miles away after what will be a hot, boiling run across the desert. But let me stop here. Why do we go through this? I read these post from the young fellows who can't wait to get the ole 2010 newbies and start tearing into em'. I picked up a young fellow (from Texas) walking away from a enclosed car hauler being pulled by a brand new dodge diesel (he was out of fuel) I asked him where he was going he said his GPS said diesel fuel 1 mile ahead. I told him the only thing ahead for the next 3000 sq. miles was the Anza Borrego Desert. Certainly no diesel fuel period. Long story short I got him fuel to go on, but he was telling me he just had a problem with a screen going bad in his new dodge. Covered under warrant (Less than 10,000 miles). Something to do with fuel. The dealer told him he was lucky the part and replacement cost $2500. What if he had'nt been lucky? He did tell me he bought a new air filter for it that was reasonable. About the same as my first three cars I bought. So my point is folks. looking over my soaking wet anti-freeze shoulder I see my 1970 Chevrolet Blazer, with three on the tree, and a 307. Cheap when I bought it new, somewhere's around ahhhh $2500. Now it has 300,000 miles on it and to be truthful other than oil, filters, and now let me see. Ahhhh ahh a ahhh oh yes a carburetor, and actually that was'nt the problem it was ahhhh aaa oh yes a fuel filter. But I kept the used carburetor as a replacement part. What a boring vehicle nothing ever went wrong with it. Hell it still has the same windshield wipers since new. (It never rains in California) I never drive it because... ... ... ... . I really don't know why. So again I glanced over to my 1990 Blazer (bought it new) 185,000 miles. Nothing, nada, nope can't remember anything wrong with that one at all. Walked into my garage there's my 1939 ford coupe. Had this one almost fifty years paid $125 for it, and did rebuild the little 60 HP about thirty years ago. Damn cost me about $75. This jewel and the 1973 Porche Targa 911 (mech. fuel inj. ) sitting next to it. Has seen the sun light in 25 years. Oh I did buy the Porche new. I think I paid what you guys and gals pay for a aftermarket Smarty, Banks system, and tricked out injectors for your new diesels. Maybe a wittle more, but not much more. Now it has a wopping 30,000 miles on it. Nothings wrong with it. But do you think the warranty is still good? Back to the moral of the story. Why don't we all buy oldie but goodies, jump in them and drive em'? Thanks for letting me vent. I have to take a bath now. Tomorrow GOD willing I'll tackle that damn fuel filter on the diesel.

 

[DonTX]

Well, I turn 72 in a couple of months, so I guess I qualify. My son is a Dodge dealership mechanic.

I drive an "old" 97 for exactly the reasons you mentioned, my son constantly reassures me to NOT get anything newer. I have put just shy of 100k on my old truck, which was over the hill when I got it. It has been a trouble free ride, and I have no interest in replacing it.

 

[Dave M]

Well 10 years ago I would have thought 59 was OLD but now that I'm there I think I don't qualify as old yet... ... Yeah!... . Right! OK, so I'm old. I feel the same way about not getting new vehicles. I bought my 97 used about 5 years ago with 120,000 miles on it. It now has about 240,000 miles on it with very little problems other then my mods to improve it and normal maintenance stuff like starters, batteries, tires, etc.



I'm real happy I bought used but am starting to resist crawling under it and getting dirty and sore muscles from it.



I love this truck.



Dave

 

[Joe G.]

Well, Don is about six months older than me so I'll consider how elderly he is and not give him a hard time. :-laf:-laf



The cool thing about my old antique '95 is that I can fix it without resorting to a computer.



As far as prices are concerned, it's because our money is worth less. When I was a kid first class postage was three cents. Hamburger was three lbs for a dollar. You could buy gas for twenty cents a gallon. Less if there was a gas war. The list goes on. My first real job was setting chokers for $1. 50 an hour.

 

[GAmes]

It is pretty evident from my sig that I don't trade trucks very often. My boat is an 87 Ranger bass boat I bought new with a Johnson GT150, still runs great and gets used as often as possible. My other pickup is a 67 Chev I bought nearly 20 years ago, painted to match the boat. It's nice to be able to troubleshoot without having to plug in a computer on all three, and not making payments on anything is priceless. I just qualified for SS so I can't hold a candle to you old farts.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

YUP - we're getting ever closer to a Cuban economy - no new vehicles to buy even if we could afford them - and it's not warranties that keep those '50's cars running, but whatever can be cobbled together from the scrap yards.



Yup "Change" we can count on... .





Must all be Bush's fault...

 

[JNailor]

I'll have to add the wife's 85 Voyager "mommie wagon" to my sig. Bought it new and still drive it daily. We even use it on road trips. It has never let us down and always got us home. If I suggest we go car shopping, I get a steely glare and "I don't want to drive a computer!"

 

[Grumpy John 4x4]

old Grumpy John 4X4

Bought my 1994 new! love it probably die before the truck does, Born 7-2-1941 Started out with 160 HP Now over 400 HP not counting the Snow performance H2o Methanol injection.

 

[Bob4x4]

Younger than some older than most... ... ... ..... still lovin my old 12v

 

[CumminsPower98]

Will I get kicked out of this thread for being too young? I'm only 34 and I love my '98 12 valve (bought wrecked in early '01). Sure it has a computer but I can still drive it with a piece of wire and a pull start if need be. I don't see myself ever getting rid of it. I have a lot of memories in this truck from my OTR driving days and I have put a lot of hard work into mods. With 403k miles its still a great truck that's nearly perfectly clean and has no leaks. Yes it has taken some work to keep it this way but I pride myself in having a high mileage truck in near perfect condition.

I love the simplicity and reliability. In all the miles out on the road (all over US and Canada) I never once needed a tow. Would I drive a new truck? Sure if I was loaded with cash. I would still keep old faithful though. I once drove my truck, using a wire, all the way from the Lake Station, IN Flying J to home here in UT when, after fueling it wouldn't start. The fuel solenoid had come apart at the cir-clipped joint between the plunger and threaded rod (wore out). I hopped out, wired the solenoid up and headed west. I ordered the part and had it here when I arrived, fixed it and headed on to my drop in CA. Oh and its paid for. I hate car payments!

 

[Missouri Mule]

Way younger than most of you. I been thinking about adding a third gen to my corral but I don't think I can afford the electronic stuff (injectors, apps... ) when they go out. :{

I not going to part company with the Mule its been very cost efficent plus great to drive plus it does what I need it to do . Oo.



Have to add the Freightliner (Moose Pack) is doing well and has been very cost efficent ( except for when the right front right tire blew last year doing 65 mph down the highway and took out my headlight housing ,tore a part my front rear fiberglass fender and bent the step. Had to buy everything from Freightliner except the paint and Corvette adhesive. Lucky for me a customer who re-does older cars from the ground up and does side jobs up put it back together for me. $700. 00 in parts $400 for paint and labor. )



and I wish I never sold my 82 Buick Regal even if it was run by a computer.

 

[surfbeetle]

I'm 38, bought my 12v new and don't plan to ever get rid of it. I do wish for a mega cab only because the kids would be more comfortable when traveling, but I'd still drive the 95 every day.

 

[Crazy Horse]

[I asked him where he was going he said his GPS said diesel fuel 1 mile ahead/QUOTE]



I just don't know??? What is up with these people and these GPS's???



Like many of you older folks, I have driven all over this North American Continent many times, frequently with out maps. Thoroughly loved every trip. With all the cities and roads down here in America you can't get lost. It amazes me how people get fixated with these little electronic things. Kinda of like these people who walk around or drive while talking on their cell phones oblivious to anything going on around them. One things is for sure, I know the auto industry has to put something into their vehicles to try to justify the cost. It ain't thick body panels anymore.

 

[DonTX]

Aw come on, I resemble that remark! Even at my age, and being an old over the road trucker, I have a GPS and use it often. Probably senility, but sometimes I am not sure just where I am, and the GPS lets me know. Most of all it tells me where there is a truck stop, or RV park, or a great place to eat.

[I asked him where he was going he said his GPS said diesel fuel 1 mile ahead/QUOTE]



I just don't know??? What is up with these people and these GPS's???



Like many of you older folks, I have driven all over this North American Continent many times, frequently with out maps. Thoroughly loved every trip. With all the cities and roads down here in America you can't get lost. It amazes me how people get fixated with these little electronic things. Kinda of like these people who walk around or drive while talking on their cell phones oblivious to anything going on around them. One things is for sure, I know the auto industry has to put something into their vehicles to try to justify the cost. It ain't thick body panels anymore.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Aw come on, I resemble that remark! Even at my age, and being an old over the road trucker, I have a GPS and use it often. Probably senility, but sometimes I am not sure just where I am, and the GPS lets me know. Most of all it tells me where there is a truck stop, or RV park, or a great place to eat.

X2!



I'm a small town/country kid - and simply driving a single vehicle thru big-city traffic is tense enough when in unfamiliar territory - but then add in a RV in tow - and missing the proper off-ramp can turn into a temporary disaster!



YUP - I drove for years on vehicles without automatic trannies, turn signals - and in some cases, without motorized windshield wipers or heaters and air conditioners...



BUT, I'm not about to rip those items outta my current vehicles in disdain of a beneficial technology... :-laf:-laf

 

[Joe G.]

I'm a bit old fashioned about a lot of things so I had not considered getting a GPS. When a TDR friend drove to my house with no directions from me that impressed me. I live on an obscure dead end road in the country. I usually have to meet someone in town and let them follow me home. I'm thinking about getting one before making anymore long trips.

 

[Ron Bissett]

99 model and a GPS and 36 gal aux fuel tank ,76 yrs old

 

[Grizzly]

I, like Don and others, love my GPS. I never leave home without it.



I loved my first Dodge/Cummins, a 95, which I purchased new, but I love the new 05 even better. New technology can be a good thing if you give it a chance.

 

[Gene Arnold]

Before Christmas last year my wife asked if she could give me a GPS unit. I poo-pooed the thought, saying I'd never used one and at my age (74 last month) I already felt that with 3 computers, DVD/VCR, digital TV, cell phone, CD player, digital cameras, etc. I was on "Digital Overload!" Well, when we opened the Xmas box from our son and family, my gift was a Garmin 750! Gotta say, I like it. Haven't truly needed it yet as the roads I travel are so familiar that the truck and car just take me where I'm going on auto-pilot. However, the few times I've tried it were pretty impressive. Some day I'll play a little with it and learn all the stuff it does.



By the way. I'm an old duck that thinks the stuff today is better than yesteryear! Please, don't shoot, but I remember tires that took you 15K if you babied them, 10K tuneups or you'd be sorry, cold interiors in the winter, scorching interiors in the summers, economy cars (Studebaker, Henry J, etc. ) that might give you 24 mpg on a trip (I get more than that on a trip with my '95 Lincoln Continental luxury boat with 112K on the original spark plugs). Go back far enough and you paid extra for a radio (no FM was available--wait, FM didn't even exist), had Armstrong Power steering:-laf, cooling systems that were insufficient (we commonly carried canvas water bags so we had water to add after the car boiled over on a hard pull - or you could pop off a hubcap and hoof it down to the creek to fetch a little water), and mechanical brake systems (yes, you heard me correctly, no hydraulics on some of the old cars).



Of course, cars were much cheaper--my first new car was the first 4door 1960 Falcon to be sold in Delta, Colorado. I paid $2200. 00 for it-- but that money was as hard, or perhaps harder, for me to come up with than the $24K an average new one costs today.



Do I love the old stuff? You bet! But only as a sideline or a hobby. I'd never want to have to drive one all the time. By the way, just think of how few of the snazzy old stuff you see on the roads have original running gear. Most of the ones that get driven seem to be an old body on a new or late model chassis.



A great old preacher, D. L. Moody, said something that is pertinent to this thread, "The cake of memories does well for a bite now and then, but it makes mighty poor daily bread!"



Gene

 

[AClayton]

Gene,



Your post sounds an awful like my Grandfather with some of his stories that he tells us. It was interesting to read many of the same stories in your post tha the shares with us.



I'm only 42 but I even remember my 1st few vehicles of the 70's that overheated regulary pulling heavy loads and the automatic transmission failures in less than 100K miles. Even when I graduated from high school in 85',the 350 Chevy and 318 Dodge were all smog motors with a little over 150hp.



Off topic I know... . but do you have a picture of your truck hitched to your Airstream that you could post on a thread in the Towing/Hauling Forum labeled ... . Pictures!



Alan