Anybody Remember Back When?

[turnkey4099]

I would give my left nut (even if it did make me like ******) if I could have a button on my steering wheel that would activate my wipers for one sweep! Is that too much to ask for? The stupid mist control around for decades is useless! It's never right for the changing conditions.

My 2005 Ford 500 gives one swipe with just a quick pull of hte wiper stalk. Pull and hold a second gives 3 or 4 plus a squirt of fluid.

 

[turnkey4099]

HA! I'd forgotten about that windshield washer and the spare tire. :laughing:

I never encountered hat one but my 59 volvo had a rubber button on the floor to stomp on, it was just a pump so the left foot controlled how much and how often.

 

[QRTRHRS]

How many of you all drove a 5x4 truck. 5 speed main transmission and a 4 speed auxiliary?
If you could keep it straight you had 4 speeds in reverse.

The stick your arm through the steering wheel trick, lol! Then there were the Mack five speeds with what we called constant torque or high torque rise engine's. Choose your gear and stay there until you get to the top of the hill. I also drove a 74' Diamond Reo with a 270 Cummins set up like that. It had a Spicer 7 speed that had this weird pattern to get into the deep reduction gears. You kind of went to the left and forward from the regular low gear as I recall. That truck also had a Jacobs brake so you could drag the rpm's down to shift on a hill. I got fired for looking for a better job. (The good old boys club back in the day) Their new driver dropped the transmission his first day out, lol!

 

[Looking4new]

The stick your arm through the steering wheel trick, lol! Then there were the Mack five speeds with what we called constant torque or high torque rise engine's. Choose your gear and stay there until you get to the top of the hill. I also drove a 74' Diamond Reo with a 270 Cummins set up like that. It had a Spicer 7 speed that had this weird pattern to get into the deep reduction gears. You kind of went to the left and forward from the regular low gear as I recall. That truck also had a Jacobs brake so you could drag the rpm's down to shift on a hill. I got fired for looking for a better job. (The good old boys club back in the day) Their new driver dropped the transmission his first day out, lol!

LOL, remember when the aux linkage would get a bit worn and you got sloppy down shifting and instead of making perfect 90° moves you tried to cut the corners? I did that so many times. I used to carry a car jackhandle beside the drivers seat, just for when the linkage would lock up in a gear I really didn't want to use.

 

[ultrarunner]

ultrarunner. when attending a v.a. school . worked at night parking motel auto's in underground parking lot.
year around '58/'59. This new Ramble arrived to be parked and so got in drove down to basement into a vacant slot and the door on both sides were stuck shut. Climbed out window and ran up street to driver explained the problem he walked back to and into the parking lot basement. tried doors then I helped him climb back into the drivers side seat. he said never like the car much anyway. it had around 10 miles on odometer. was returning to dealer.
Don't know what the end of the story was he never returned.
ken

My friend called them throwaway cars due to the unibody construction... simple flathead 6 with one barrel downdraft carb plus auto... also had one with a stick and sold it.

Like most cars there are ballads written about them and the Nash and Rambler are no exception.

My first car is a toss up... I bought a low mileage one owner 1957 Ford but had previously bought a Model A project... both well before I was old enough for a license.

The 57 with mileage maker 6 and auto would get 20 mpg on trips and at times I had 8 people inside... 4 across on the bench seats... NO Heater and NO radio... plain jane except for the auto!

 

[MossRoad]

What I do remember about our mid 70's VW buses was that they were absolutely GREAT in snow with studded tires! :thumbsup: Cold as heck inside, but we never got stuck.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

When I was in high school I had a 31 Plymouth Coupe, straight 6. I was not getting good mileage. There was a local carburetor re-build and tune shop that had a good reputation so went to them. They checked over everything, new plugs, wires and points. He said if you want great mileage let me build a carb for you and you will get 30 MPG. Price $75, lot of money for a teenager. I was working and had jingle in my pocket said OK. Low and behold it worked. His big thing was he swore that big oil and big auto were in collusion to keep gas sales up. Unproven, but I was happy as like most teenager my car was my chariot.

Ron

 

[Streetcar]

What I do remember about our mid 70's VW buses was that they were absolutely GREAT in snow with studded tires! :thumbsup: Cold as heck inside, but we never got stuck.

With regular snow tire our bus would go through snow up to front bumper. At that height it quit forward progress but we could back up and look for less snow

 

[Ken]

anyone remember the Sears or Kaiser /Frazer, Hudson ,Willis and even in Ark. there was a automobile
called the Climber. designed to go most anywhere .
The Kaiser/Frazer you purchased the body then added the type of engine and wheels extra.
For some reason didn't sell many.
ken

 

[ultrarunner]

Our bus would be a bear to shift when sub zero... the long linkage and lubricant at this temp is ripe for problems...

Never did have a problem getting anywhere with traction...