The Old Fart Won............

Well I guess the old fart in me won. 2 weeks ago I pulled the lump Crane cam out of the hot rod and installed a milder, more power brake friendly, Howards Cam. Along with that I installed a couple of Jones glass packs, with motor cycle baffles in the end of pipes. It's still not quiet, but if I am feeling 20 I can always pull the header caps. And I got my ass warmers this week. So I need to try to get them installed soon. If you had asked me about installing seat heaters a couple of years ago I'd probably say "We don't need no stinking seat heaters".......... Although earlier today on the way back from the local Wally World I did leave a little of the cheater slicks behind, and pitched it sideways once. Then I remembered it wasn't my 21st birthday............:D:D:D

I understand from where you come. I have thought of trying to duplicate a couple of cars from my youth, but then thought again about manual steering and brakes, solid lifters, no A/C and the old comfort guy in me won out. I still have a car that hauls ass, it just does it more comfortably! Plus my wife is more inclined to come along with me.

Pat

Yep, as we age we get a little softer and the old bones don't bend as well as they once did. We also get a little more cautious. I get out of the shower like a 90 year old now so I don't slip and fall, and yesterday I got on my 27 a little in traffic in 2nd gear, and I kept looking in the mirror for flashing lights. In the old days I wouldn't have given that a second thought.

Don

Damn isn't getting older a worry.:( But then if we all could be young again but with the knowledge we have learnt over all those years,everybody look out!!!:) And talking about our cars, who would of thought of putting opening doors on a T Bucket as the old legs just don't bend like they did 20 years ago. I don't know about the mild cam tho.:HMMM::HMMM:

That makes me feel better..:D..Redneck did some little mods and installed a power steer box in the F100 a couple of weeks back,and now its SO much more user friendly,especially when backing up with a trailer,and the road over Mt Messenger is a bit tight,so it helps there too...:rolleyes:

I knew I was in trouble as couple of years ago when I had to have a cup holder in my Tri Power, 4 Speed, Hemi Plymouth.

I think I've come across the answer for the added weight of the comfort items though........BIGGER ENGINE.

Cup holder is 1 reason I don't drive my Beetle much anymore.. then again, I work the closing shift at BK and always get a soda for the ride home.. but it's also COLD

The Ratrod will have a heater, and heated seats.. I'v got 2 12v massage/ heat pads I got for $10 each at walmart. I'm going to cut them apart carefully and see if I can get the heat elements out. they actually get quite warm

Har!! Was a time when, if the tires didn't howl and smoke at every possible opportunity, I felt I was wussin' out. Now, unless I'm tryin', if they chirp, I tend to get out of it. My choice in cams is a lot milder, too.

But I still like loud, RRUMBLY pipes. :D:D:D

Welcome to "old fartism", come on in the waters fine!

Now you know why my hot rod is a Caddy with cruise, A/C, P/s, P/B, and power everything else!!:LOL:

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Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Damn isn't getting older a worry.:( But then if we all could be young again but with the knowledge we have learnt over all those years,everybody look out!!!:) And talking about our cars, who would of thought of putting opening doors on a T Bucket as the old legs just don't bend like they did 20 years ago. I don't know about the mild cam tho.:HMMM::HMMM:

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I do miss the lumpy idle. Although this cam isn't exactly smooth. A little rump rump. But part of the reason for the change is power. It's actually alot faster off the line. I didn't have enough stall for the crane cam. And the power band started at 2500. The Howards cam comes in at 1000 and pulls to 4500, so since I'm not racing it, and the motor is mild anyway, this probably is a better choice. Hmmmmmm............... This kinda sounds like I'm trying to justify the change so I don't sound like an old fart... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........:D

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Originally Posted by Geezer2

Welcome to "old fartism", come on in the waters fine!

Now you know why my hot rod is a Caddy with cruise, A/C, P/s, P/B, and power everything else!!:LOL:

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I understand only too well. But the Northstar does let me play around a little in traffic every so often. :LOL::LOL::LOL:

Don

It sounds like I am for sure, in good company. When I chose the camshaft for the engine in my car, I chose a lower 2200-5500 RPM version, rather then a couple that I could have. The mufflers - Flowmaster 50 series, 3 chamber rather then a 40 - 2 chamber (or even the Smithy's I really wanted). I even have a nice heater and a top with side curtains (not sure about heated seats yet, tho).

Of course, many, if not most of the young guys - they're driving ricers which have most of the creature comforts already built in to their rides. This means we OF's are just trying to catch up (down??) http://planetsmilies.net/shocked-smiley-9456.gif

One thing that hasn't changed, I still consider it a personal failing if I don't move first when a traffic light goes green!!

And I still have the rumpity rump cam!!

:D

33,

I know the feeling. Got tired of waiting to finish the 34 so the wife and I bought a 06 Hemi Charger with most everything, including dual seat warmers.:rolleyes:. Woooeee, this thing is fun:eek:, but nothing will replace the 34.:cool::3dSMILE:

Jack.

Hey Don is the Northstar what you replaced the old burnt out jappa Honda with???? If so aleast the '23 wasn't sold for another JAPPA.:3dSMILE:

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Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Hey Don is the Northstar what you replaced the old burnt out jappa Honda with???? If so aleast the '23 wasn't sold for another JAPPA.:3dSMILE:

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Yeah, I actually looked at a lot of Hondas and other cars, but this Cad came up and one drive convinced me. Of course, the 1268.00 tune up that I took it to the local Cad dealer a few days later was kind of a shock :eek:, but their waiting room is nice and they have coffee and doughnuts and call me Sir. :LOL:

Don

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Yeah, I actually looked at a lot of Hondas and other cars, but this Cad came up and one drive convinced me. Of course, the 1268.00 tune up that I took it to the local Cad dealer a few days later was kind of a shock :eek:, but their waiting room is nice and they have coffee and doughnuts and call me Sir. :LOL:

Don

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Don, for just shy of $1300 bucks, they better give you all the donuts you can eat, and a little bowing and scraping with the SIR wouldn't hurt either......:D

Hehe, did I mention the coffee was REALLY good? :D

Don

Don,

When the dealer told me the tune up on the Charger was $400, (check the vitals + change the plugs), I did the same for $37. When we bought the Charger we also bought the $399 life time oil change, (includes checking the vitals). In a year and 1/2 we have put just under 9000 on the car and have had 5 oil changes. They don't count on people keeping their vehicles till they are dead. We have owned the 95 Dakota for 16 years, (180,00 mi. and going), and the 96 Intrepid for 11 years,( 205,000 mi and going).

Jack.

I considered doing it myself at first, then I opened the hood. :eek: Computers and fuel injection and me do not get along at all, and this engine is sideways. :D Like most cars owned by older people down here, mine has low miles but sat a lot, so things deteriorate and gum up. It had a slight roughness at idle. They actually did a lot of work for the $ 1200.......plugs, wires, cleaned injectors and rails, and one motor mount was going away. It was the best money I spent as it now runs like it should and they were able to tell me everything else looks fine under there.

I bought a set of shop manuals for it on Ebay,so in the future I may be able to do some things myself. But the older I get the less I like working on cars I have to drive every day............had enough of that when I was younger. :)

Don

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

But the older I get the less I like working on cars I have to drive every day............had enough of that when I was younger. :)

Don

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I know what you mean. It's one thing to piddle on the rod, or work on somthing when that's what you want to do. But Murphy will dictate that the daily driver needs work when you least feel like working on one. And the newer one can be great to drive, but with all that stuff jamed under the hood, checking the oil can be a pain.

I've had a set of plugs for my F350 with a V10 for over a year - and just looking under the hood and the fact that I need a step ladder to do more then change the air filter makes my knees weak - and I'm 6'4". Then the fact that half of the engine is buried in the firewall even worse then my '31....... Those plugs are also $12 each and the required COP boots are $4 each at net prices makes for an expensive tune up. Then my wife's Escape - you actually have to pull the upper intake to change them - but those plugs were cheap - the intake gaskets weren't.

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Originally Posted by IC2

I've had a set of plugs for my F350 with a V10 for over a year - and just looking under the hood and the fact that I need a step ladder to do more then change the air filter makes my knees weak - and I'm 6'4". Then the fact that half of the engine is buried in the firewall even worse then my '31....... Those plugs are also $12 each and the required COP boots are $4 each at net prices makes for an expensive tune up. Then my wife's Escape - you actually have to pull the upper intake to change them - but those plugs were cheap - the intake gaskets weren't.

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Thats what I like about the hot rod. I can change plugs sitting on a roll around stool......... Now don't ask about getting under that dash.....:LOL:

I know what you mean when you talk about working on the daily driver. I remember many weekends (seemed to always be winter) replacing water pumps, radiators, and doing complete brake jobs. The kids were little and money always short.

Yep, I remember many days working late at night to get my daily running so I could go to work the next day........usually on my back in the snow. :eek: Back then it was just what you had to do because you had a wife and a couple of kids expecting dinner that night.

To change the plugs in the Northstar, the front 4 aren't bad, they are up front. But the back ones sit under coil packs that are under a crossbar that runs from shock tower to shock tower. That did it for me......I don't bend that way these days.

Don

Don,

I see now why you bit the bullet. In fact, just paid $2600 TO AMMCO to rebuild the tranny in the intrepid. Thought about doing it myself, I rebuilt the 727 in my I H Scout, but decided not this time, I've got too many other irons in the fire. I guess I am getting old.:HMMM::(:LOL:

Jack.

[QUOTE=Jack F;405088]Don,

I guess I am getting old.:HMMM::(:LOL:

Or smarter.......:LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:

Don

Hey guys you all had me smiling at your little stories and Don I can relate to you on the opening the hood/bonnet, looking at the confusion of stuff that some designer thought the car needs under there and slamming it down again and putting it in the "too hard basket". That happens to me every time I lift the bonnet on my BMW daily driver,and here in NZ., because it is what "they" call an exotic European automobile,one pays four times the normal amount to have it serviced.:confused: