What do you miss most about an old car...

[supersuds]

Foot mounted dimmer switch, definitely. The only reason European cars had them on the turn signal stalk (I think) is that they also pulled the stalk back to flash their lights at cars ahead...something that is uncommon in this country. But we had to go ahead and copy them!

In the Forties and early Fifties,you could get a foot pedal controlled radio...you could change stations, reduce volume, not sure if you could turn it off and on. That would be so much safer than fiddling with controls on the dash.

Oh, and give me a full size spare!

 

[NYCWriter]

Wide bench seats ...

… also enabled you to actually lie down like a normal human for a proper shagging.

Backseat sex in cars today is nearly impossible!

 

[akronman]

Radio

I had a 1969 Ford Galaxie 500 with the radio on the left of the column. The passenger couldn't change stations, only the driver! It was great. It was also AM only. The McCartney-Wings hit "Silly Love Songs" always reminds me of that car. When was that a hit? 76?

And speaking of sound, remember the 60's models with a speaker in the center of the back seat?

And remember the late 50's-60's Mercury models that had a reverse-slant retracting rear window?

I feel old, the driving world is now all Japanese-Korean, and they all look just the same.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

And CARBURATORS!

Fuel Injection was a Neat Idea in its time, but the old ones, the Auto World was not ready for... But STILL:

"Carburetors, man! THAT'S what Life is All About!!!!"

-- Dave

 

[carmine]

Not so much things that I miss...

Because I already have a bunch of old cars ranging from '51 to the '88 I'm daily driving this winter (while my 2012 sits in the garage, lol).

What I miss is the future we were supposed to have.

 

[carmine]

Or this:

 

[carmine]

and instead we got this:

 

[DigAPony]

We'll never see any the features people miss in new vehicles again for the same reason HE washers are being forced upon the public, i.e. government mandates, such as CAFE, crash and rollover standards, energy star compliant appliances, etc, etc.

Guess what kind of cars we'll be driving when the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards are increased from 25 MPG today to 35.5 MPG in 2016 and 54.5 in 2025. Hint: think very small, complex and expensive.

 

[washdaddy]

I miss the days that when you opened the hood of your car and looked at the engine you saw the damn engine! Valve covers were in plain sight, as well as the power steering pump, ac unit (If so equipped), dip sticks (oil up front, tranny back at the firewall) alternator, spark plugs (when was the last time you were able to see those),radiator and fan, a few tubes perhaps, and some assorted wires. You get where I'm coming from.

You were able to address a problem with easy access because it wasn't blocked by a bunch of plastic, tubes, wires, harnesses, sensors and god know what else that was made to meet some damn government regulations that made you just slam the hood down and say the hell with it because you have to dismantle half the engine. If it wasn't for dayglo coloring of the dipsticks and filler caps you would never find them in todays engines.

I also miss those floor vents that were down under the dash that you could open and get a nice breeze from when the car was moving to help keep your feet, legs, and seat cool and refreshed. And bring back the small window vents on the front doors!

And lastly, probably what I miss most of all are those drip gutters that ran along the roof line at the doors around the windows. With those you could open the window when it was raining and the water wouldn't be flying back in your face forcing you to close the window. You could leave the window cracked open still back then and not get wet and get some fresh air.

 

[kevin313]

Here's my old girl - Wanda

Here is my 1964 Dodge - this was considered a "midsize" car by standards of the time. While it has a 318 c.i. engine and automatic transmission (pushbutton), this car still gets almost 22 mpg!

The steering wheel can be turned using your pinky, and you've got to turn the wheel about three times around when you make a turn ;-) Just the same, it's a fun car to drive in the summer, although I'm lucky to drive it more than 200 miles a year these days. The dashboard is metal, so you have to pray the size of the car and strength of the steel would help save you in a high-impact collision.

I love driving a car that was built the same year I was!! Not sure which of us has more miles on it ;-)

 

[washdaddy]

Kevin-

Wanda sure is a pretty sight. How long have you had her and how many miles are on her? Looks like she has been definitely pampered.

 

[twintubdexter]

Kevin.

Don't you know driving with your pinky is bad for your image?

 

[kevin313]

Rick -

I've had her for 10 years - I am the third owner. It's an all original car with just over 53,000 miles...it was owned by a school teacher for 35 years who drove very little.

 

[kevin313]

Joe-

That pinky twirlin' steering wheel has had some benefits ;-)

 

[petek]

When you see those "mid-size" cars now on the street they look big yet they never used to. Strange how perceptions have changed.

 

[yogitunes]

plastic Jesus on the dash board......

little skunk air freshner hanging from the mirror.....or the fuzzy dice!

those lower side vetns cooled more than your seat!.....I also liked the little air vent under the steering column for a great cooling effect down under

 

[thor]

Fins, fins, fins!

 

[norgeway]

And thanks Kevin...

For reminding me...PUSHBUTTON TORQUEFLITE...No transmission today is as smooth ,or shifts as well as these did, and the pushbutton shift was the finest thing ever, and you cAN PARK that Dodge...because you can SEE where you are!!

 

[retropia]

Style

The thing I miss most is style. This is how I think cars are differentiated today; in other words, there is NO differentiation. Cars pretty much look alike, which is why it is so difficult to get excited about any of them. (This is an image I created a few years ago.)

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Govt. mandates: CAFE, Crash/Rollover Standards

Oh, yeh! What killed the Pillar-less HARDTOP--4 door, then 2 door! --Now that's what I long for & MISS! (Though the areas between door glass areas can LEAK! (And don't forget T-TOPS (also a long-absent accessory) do, too!)

True, an era of them plus Cell Phones may have spelled disaster for some drivers (we couldn't be as well-behaved when car phones had wires & dials--or were we?!)...

-- Dave