(Hi) - so much to love...
(I've been here for years but just signed up again -- this is my first post). Ken nailed it above so some of my likes may sound like echoes --
- Colors -- the colors. Nothing gets me going like a green or blue car with white interior! I love white interior.
- Ala carte ordering. Old cars are full of surprises -- two examples of the same make, model, & year car can offer completely different driving experiences.
- Remember when engines were painted actual colors? How I love the maroon Buick engines, "Ford Blue", Chevy Orange, Goldsmobile, the light blue Pontiacs, etc.
- I even like hearing these cars start up. Acute ears can ID a Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Buick, Ford, Chevrolet, or Chrysler V8 by the sound of its starter. GM cars used the same starters but each of the five marques still have a distinct sound. The moan of a Rochester Quadrajet at WOT sends chills up my spine.
-- Speaking of sounds, I love the way the old car horns sound -- especially 60s -70s Ford 2-note horns and the GM 3 and 4 note horns. On the inside, I so much like hearing real buzzers instead of "chimes". And the Cadillac "doorbell" of the 70's and 80's -- anyone remember that? LOVE!
- NO INTERNATIONAL SYMBOLS on the instrument panels -- I can read English. Bonus points if the gas gauge is labeled "GASOLINE". Older cars usually have more visible warning lights: a large red "box" lights up and the lettering would be black. Since the 90's only the word (or worse yet -- some symbol) itself lights up which is not as attention-getting.
- Old cars are serviceable by the average person.
-- Old cars have glass headlights that don't cloud up in less than five years. Pretty much every bulb in an old car can be found at a chain auto-parts store too.
-- Old cars have low beltlines. Visibility is excellent because the passenger compartment is so open (well, maybe not the '71-'73 Mustangs!). I can drive down the road with my arm comfortably resting on the window sill.
-- Wheelcovers were made of stainless steel and had so many interesting designs -- none of today's 5-star generica business. Many had those multi-color 3D Lucite plastic emblems in them -- most didn't keep their colors that long, but they were beautiful. The Buick TriShield emblem was red, white, and blue back in the day... and speaking of Buick: Wildcat. My favorite car name of all -- and what gorgeous machines those are.
- Old cars are just so incredibly beautiful. I love how the designers weren't inhibited by drag coefficients, "safety-first!" and focus groups back then: they took chances. When I drive an old car, I can actually see what color the hood is while admiring its angular and/or curvy lines.
Oh yeah, many old cars had "real" mechanical analog clocks in them (which I collect).
Oops -- that was a bit much, sorry!
Joel
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