I kinda miss those days... don't get me wrong. I love fuel injection and all the new gizmos and gadgets. But, they sure have made things complicated for some of us un-educated, country boys. I still do as much wrenching as I can, but it gets over my head pretty quick now days. I know the fuel and fire have to be in the right place at the right time, but how they do all that now is truly amazing. Life was just simpler back then...

Knock sensors sounds like something you should put on your daughter to keep her from getting felt up..

LS1, LS6, ZR1, hike.........

Catalytic converter? Isn't that the fuel system for the "back to the future" car?

Mass Air Flow sensor, is that the thing they use in meteorology to tell when an Artic front is moving down from Canada?

O2 sensor... whaat?? is this some sort of star wars robot detecting device?

Now we not only have Trans-axles, we have Trans-continental pipe lines, Tran-sexuals, Trans-vestites,

Sorry, but I kinda miss walking into a smelly old parts place and telling "Jim", I need Points, Plugs and a Condenser. Parking the 73 under my favorite shade tree and getting a little greasy.
Remember when "hookers" were the headers you put on your car, not someone you picked up to pay for sex. If you wanted louder exhaust you put on Cherry bombs, glass packs or straight exhaust. Wheels?.....American Racing, Tires? whatever you could afford.

I got to admit thought it's a great time to be a car/corvette enthusiast.
Lots of options and upgrades, so much great information. I wouldn't enjoy our C5 near as much if I didn't know I had the support, encouragement and help from this forum. Thanks

 

I kind of with you on most that .. was simple (and fun) back then but of course we didn't get the gas mileage we do today with more HP .. but then also gas didn't cost as much. Loved the smell of the high octane leaded 'red' gas also. One thing I don't miss is adjusting solid lifters - loved the sound of them ... the clacking singing sound of them when winding it up and blowin' it out !!

 

Yes, I remember doing all of my own service work on my C2 back in the '60's and my C3 in the '70's. Now I won't touch a thing on my C5. My tuner takes care of everything, and in turn, I claim him as a dependent on my tax return!

I do have a 35 year old MG that I still enjoy tinkering with. It drinks premium unleaded at the same rate as the C5 and while it isn't quite as fast, it is still a hoot to drive around in.

 

 

Nice to remember when cars were cars and not computers. what a change in how we take care of them.

 

Memory wears rose-colored glasses.

I think most of what people miss about "the good old days" is that "car trouble" is no longer a believable excuse for showing up late for work.

The rest of it, I can live without.

 

I'm a little confused. I adjusted the points in my distributor last week and set the choke a little richer for better starts. What's the big deal?

 

Been there, done that with the points, plugs and condenser on early cars that I owned. Can't say I really miss that though as the newer, less maintenance intensive cars allow for just get in and drive pleasure.

 

I don't miss anything with a carburetor !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I vaguely remember when "hookers" were what I picked up and paid for sex, but now they are just headers.

 

 

I miss my MGs, 59 MGA, 63 MGB, I don't miss tuning the SU carburators.

Let's see the rest of that MG.

 

Really loved my old MG A , but then any car that comes with a crank and the clips to stow it is ok with me.

AS far as the old days, I let old stuff be old, they get more interesting, but not the least bit nostalgic to me.

I once talked to a guy that had a real simplem basic car, an old curved dash Oldsmobile. I asked him about the small brass manifold and adjusting ***** in the dash center and he explained it was part of a total loss oiling system. I was puzzled, he explained, the oil just goes out and onto the ground, no pump, no recirculation, total loss oiling system. Then he put it in drive and went off, five little trails of oil marking his path behind him. Simple stuff, almost primitive, I wonder how many years before someone looks at an old C5 and says the same thing, looking for a simpler age.

 

I remember doing a lot of work that is now a lost art. Points, plugs, condenser and also messing with springs, weights, bushings, etc to set the timing curves. A lot of work with carburetors -- jets, power valves, float levels, chokes, synchronizing multiple carbs, fabricating carb linkage, modifications to throttle blades, air horns, etc.

In order to have a really good running car it took some work, knowledge, skill, (and luck), but it was something that you could be proud of.

There is no comparison to the newer computer controls. The new systems are so much better, but for most there is no personal skill or pride in tuning (except a few with HP tuners, EFI edit, etc). The new systems are so much better that now there is more performance, more mileage, better reliability, etc. In the old days I wouldn't have thought that a 11 or 12 second car could also get over 30 mpg on the highway, but now I have one.

I don't want to go back, but it is a lost art and age.