Old Common, Day to Day Technology. Waht do you hang onto?

[MossRoad]

A lot of people who earned their money don't see the need to drive new cars. As on person who drives old junkers once told me: "If I want to go on a trip I'll just rent something decent."

That's the attitude which allowed them to accumulate their wealth in the first place... many of that type routinely post here on TBN.

Well then, I'm on my way! :laughing:

13-14 years ago I bought a 93 Suburban for $6K. I've put $1K in repairs, tires, etc... over that time. It's a beater for sure now that the body is rotting off. But still a daily driver. So, about $500 a year for transportation. Plus the savings in plates and insurance. We do have 1 decent car for weddings and funerals.

 

[MossRoad]

Some of the old household items in my collection, some that I still use on occasion.

Who knows what all 5 are?

View attachment 660420

Paraphernalia!

 

[bunyip]

Please enlighten us, I only recognise one of those, the bottom right pre screw top days.

 

[MossRoad]

.....Some inner-city-core people (with money) choose to not own a vehicle at all today.

......

My 80 year old mother in law still has a high school friend that is a Dr. in Chicago. She has never owned a car since moving to Chicago after college. She rides the trains, takes cabs, or rents a car when she wants to visit someone out of town, like coming to town every year for their old timers' annual high school reunion. You have to be out of their high school for at least 50 years before you are invited..... last year they had 600 people attend! One guy was 104!

 

[Jstpssng]

Well then, I'm on my way! :laughing:

13-14 years ago I bought a 93 Suburban for $6K. I've put $1K in repairs, tires, etc... over that time. It's a beater for sure now that the body is rotting off. But still a daily driver. So, about $500 a year for transportation. Plus the savings in plates and insurance. We do have 1 decent car for weddings and funerals.

I don't know how you guys do it. Every time that I buy something used all that I do is dump money into it. 5 Years ago I bought a 2004 Ford Ranger with 62K miles for $8500. It seemed to be in good shape and I put about 12K miles a year on it yet I've spent several thousand dollars each year to keep it going. Front end, brakes, exhaust, rear leaf springs, Cats... it always needs something. As I mentioned previously it's been sitting at a garage for nearly 5 weeks waiting for them to do something... it's been so long that they've forgotten what it's there for. And that's the local GM dealer which services my company truck.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

It never even occurred to me that different attachments were available. We only had the sickle bar.

Mine has a front tine rototiller attachment. It's a better mower than tiller.

Some of my shop tools are also ancient. I still use my air tools a lot. I have a couple 3/8" air ratchets that will sink a 1/2" x 4" lag into hardwood without slowing down. The great thing about air tools is that it's impossible to burn them up. The more air through them the cooler they run, and a few air line oilers keep them running fine. If you think a Dreml is handy, try an air die grinder sized for Dreml bits. It's variable speed depending on how much air you give it, up to 50,000 rpm, and you can hold it like a pencil for fine work.

Admittedly, air tools were never common, day to day technology, but not that uncommon in shops.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I have dads cider press, that was once my great grandfathers.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^^
Since I made my comment I've been trying to find out more about what they offered but with no luck. Apparently the company failed about 8-10 years ago, or at leat I"ve been unable to find anything out about them. I believe that the walk behind sickle bars may not conform to current ANSI standards, so when the company failed there was nobody to pick up the torch. Troybilt also made a similar unit.

 

[MossRoad]

I don't know how you guys do it. Every time that I buy something used all that I do is dump money into it. 5 Years ago I bought a 2004 Ford Ranger with 62K miles for $8500. It seemed to be in good shape and I put about 12K miles a year on it yet I've spent several thousand dollars each year to keep it going. Front end, brakes, exhaust, rear leaf springs, Cats... it always needs something. As I mentioned previously it's been sitting at a garage for nearly 5 weeks waiting for them to do something... it's been so long that they've forgotten what it's there for. And that's the local GM dealer which services my company truck.

I budget $1000 per year per car for repairs. If I don't use it, it rolls over. I've been lucky (knock on simulated walnut grain plastic trim) with the Suburban.

 

[rangerfredbob]

heck, my newest vehicle is a '00 model year... I like the simpler stuff... I do have 2 5.0L Explorers (a '98 and a '00) one to turn into an offroader and one for the wife (was for spare parts, but she took a liking...). The Geo Tracker wasn't up to daily driver duties so I'd been putting 40k miles on the '00 Explorer liking the luxury but getting 16mpg, so I went to facebook marketplace and found a '97 Ranger extended cab 2 wheel drive manual transmission 4 cylinder with crank windows for $450, I have $1000 in it with the parts to get it driveable, tags and another set of tires... I don't know if anyone knows anything about Rangers but through the '97 model year they used I beam style suspension so there are very few components to the front suspension for being independent... that and '95-97 had twin piston calipers up front and OBD II so easier diagnostics. The thing is getting over 23mpg, not great but not bad...

So I guess that's an older technology that I keep around, the twin I beam suspension, and twin traction beam like I'm planning on putting in the '00 Explorer.