Classic Cars

[Beernutz]

Re: Classic Cars

'58 Porsche 356A Super Coupe.

 

[Knoxes]

Re: Classic Cars

Where are all the imports? Come and gone: 67 Mustang convertible, 66(?) Spitfire, 68 Chevelle, 59 MGA twin, 73(?) 240Z. Currently in family: 54 XK 120 (undergoing ground up), Austin Healey 100-6. Waiting desparately for garage space to buy: 77 911 RS. Holding for my son 90 325i (not quite a classic, but will be).

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Classic Cars

Knoxes, A '59 A twincam?!<br /><br />I wrenched for a buddy who raced one in California in '63. Now there's a motor that was really tricky to keep running right! His brother had an XK 120 and a Cunningham, too. Your last name doesn't start with a "D", does it?<br /><br />I had a '52 MGTD at the time.

 

[Knoxes]

Re: Classic Cars

Nope, the twin was Pop's. A little before my time. He and his brother raced (I use that term loosely) SCCA in New England in late 50's-early 60's. Not real successful, but I think it was different then. More for fun - it's too competitive these days. He's doing the XK right now. I'm kinda glad he kept that instead of the twin. Man, what a car. Most everything pales in comparison. His brother kept the Healey, which is in great condition. I often chuckle at some of these guys complaining about tuning their Holleys - give em a shot at side draft SU's, baby!! I'm greatful to have grown up around all this, and have an appreciation for the Europeans as well as the American metal. But I'm itching for the RS, just waiting for the appropriations committee (wife) to approve garage space and the little one to get a bit bigger. Love the TD's.

 

[Capt. Bob]

Re: Classic Cars

I often chuckle at some of these guys complaining about tuning their Holleys - give em a shot at side draft SU's, baby!!

Knoxes, I still have a set of twin vacumn gauges I used many times on my '65 MGB's SU's before switching to Webbers. Isn't that where the "finicky foreign car" term came from?<br />I owned it new and had 3 more before I got too old to stoop that low to the ground. I'm glad to see their value has risen after many years of low resale.

 

[Knoxes]

Re: Classic Cars

Well it could have been the SU's or ... screwy Lucas electronics, goofy wiring, ... the list goes on. But I wouldn't refer to that Spitfire as finicky when the steering wheel popped off in my hands when I was sideways on a wet country road!! The brakes fell out (literally) one time and I had to double-clutch down into first (crunch) to get it to a stop. Or when I got popped on the wires under the hood of the Jag, my head went up, clicked the hood stay and that 14 gauge steel came slamming down!! God those were good times. Can't wait to see him finish that car. There's nothing, I mean nothing, that sounds a good as a tuned-rite XK. Oh, and I forgot - Pop-in-law has a 66 MB 230(?)SL. I'm surrounded. Where's my RS?

 

[Knoxes]

Re: Classic Cars

Beernutz - if you don't have it, you gotta get Need For Speed - Porsche Unleashed. Trust me, you will love this game. I bought it for my son to play (with the steering wheel and pedals) - I got hooked. Took it to Pop - he's hooked. His brother came to visit - he's hooked. Mother's brother came to visit - he's hooked. I got these 65 yr old, retired senior execs, PhDs - playing a computer game - calling me to boast about their track times - too funny. Brought back great memories for those guys. It has this evolution series - you start with a 356, European road racing, and as you progress, you move up thru the years (including, unfortunately, the 914 ). The handling, braking, sound, everything is just so realistic. One of the best things I ever bought. We're at my baby sister's wedding, six of us, huddled in a corner, while Pop and Uncle D tell the tales of Limerock and racing the twin cam. Great stuff.

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Classic Cars

Thanx, I'll check it out. I've still got a Uni-syn out in the box, too. You ain't kiddin' 'bout those SU's! And Joe Lucas was known as "The Prince of Darkness".<br /><br />Whatta car that XK was. Valves were a ***** to adjust with those shims. Sounded great, though.<br /><br />I trashed my MG by putting a Corvette motor in it...283 punched out to 301. Doors were hinged in the rear. Every time I'd bang a shift, the doors would fly open! It was real fast, but I'll never forget that Mini Cooper that blew me off. Four people in it, too! Man, that was a long time ago!<br /><br />I replaced it with a new '66 Nova SS with a 350 hp 327 and B/W 4-speed. Factory only made a few of them before they realized it was a coffin. I drove mine up a tree at 90 mph. Seatbelts were optional, and I didn't think the added expense and weight was necessary. Wish I hadn't done that. That car would be worth a chunk of cash now. I've only seen one at car shows.<br /><br />Anybody who loves classic cars needs to check out the "Turkey Rod Run" in Daytona Beach every Thanksgiving weekend. Its gotta be the biggest in the world.

 

[Knoxes]

Re: Classic Cars

Pop finished the motor about 6 months ago. I remember that deal with the shims. He found a guy locally that really seemed to know what he was doing and somehow managed to get the valves ground to accomodate the shims, I think. Interestingly, turns out the block was cracked and this guy fixed it using a stitch technique that I'd never heard about, but it looks flawless and he guarantees that it'll hold. Stuffing a small block into a MG took some stones , and I'm sure the purist out there are hunking into their trash cans right now. I ran into an 120 at a show once and the guy had, get this, put a 350 in it. I'm still at a loss for words. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MAN - WHY?!!

 

[Beernutz]

Re: Classic Cars

Why? It was an 11 yr old '52 TD, they were everywhere, and I was 18 yrs old. Motor was weak, synchros wouldn't last in the transmission, and TD's all tended to break rear axle shafts on a regular basis right at the inside spline. Seemed like the natural thing to do: 'vette motor, '57 chevy 3-speed O/D transmission, and Healey 100 rear end with 5.13 gears that bolted right in. It was fate!

 

[amtsst]

Re: Classic Cars

This is a bit off on a tangent....<br /><br />My Father in Law is looking for the same car he had as a young man and is willing to pay top dollar for it.<br /><br />1966 Pontiac Le Mans (not the GTO)<br />Convertible with White top<br />White interior<br />Navy blue exterior<br />3speed on the tree.<br /><br />Note: He's flexible on the tranny since there were only a couple hundred made with that particular shifter. He'd take a four on the floor or even an automatic. Condition not terribly important. email me with any leads: amtsst@yahoo.com<br /><br />Thanks!

 

[Knoxes]

Re: Classic Cars

Well, for some reason, I thought you had done this to a MGB and I just shrugged my shoulders and moved on.. but you did it to a TD?!! Oh, well... that's really not nearly as bad as doing it to an XK - he did it just for show too. And this was no kid. Just a good ole boy that thought it'd be cool. Not that I got anything against good ole boys, I don't... just those that defile a precious work of art. He'd probably put 20's and a ZZ Top stripe on a 250 GTB.

 

[jetdriven]

Re: Classic Cars

1967 Porsche 912 -- I drive it all the time.<br /><br />My first car was a 1968 AMX....wish I still had it.

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: Classic Cars

The neatest car I ever owned was a 1967 Shelby Cobra GT500. Some called it a "California Mustang". It had a 427 "wedge" and would suck the ********* off you under heavy acceleration. Get this: it cost $5500 new. I sold it the month before my son got his drivers licence and he has never quite forgiven me. Of course, he is still alive, too. It was the only car I ever sold for more than I paid for it.

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: Classic Cars

Why was "*********" deleted and so quickly, too. Is there a program and this is a target word? Not offended, just curious.

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: Classic Cars

Did it again. Must be a system program.

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Classic Cars

Greetings,<br /><br />I am no longer into old cars. The cost of restoration versus market value killed my old car hobby. But this is what I owned before the honeymoon ended:<br /><br />1928 Desoto Coach (Very grand car with wood spoke wheels)<br />1939 Chevy Master Delux 2 door(Beautiful car)<br />1956 Chevy Step Side Truck<br />1960 Chevy Biscane (I loved my little bicuit)<br />1968 GMC Step side<br /><br />Of all the cars I've owned (over 30) the one I enjoyed the most was a 1985 Toyota 4runner (I've had five or six of those....heck, I have two sitting the driveway now, an '86 and '88). I miss the solid front axle of the '85.

 

[jlshields]

Re: Classic Cars

How 'bout this? '49 Willys Jeepster. Only made them for 3 years. Recently took 300 mile trip through Southern Indiana stopping 9 times to peck on the fuel pump, add coolant and repair broken wire on generator. Belongs to a friend?? in Rockville IN. john

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: Classic Cars

A girl I went to high school with in the 50's had a Willy's Jeepster. Havn't thought about that in years. It was a really neat car and a lot of fun to cruise the drive-ins.

 

[DJ]

Re: Classic Cars

All the talk about English cars. Boy, could I tell you stories. I used to work in a Triumph dealership-eeh gad, what pieces of ----.<br /><br />You all know the Lucas jokes?<br /><br />Why do the English drink warm beer? Lucas built all the refrigerators.<br /><br />Know the three positions of a Lucas light switch? Dim, flicker and off.<br /><br />One more: Lucas, aka, "The Prince of Darkness"