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

[California]

Do 70s vintage Datsuns (or any Japanese car really) still exist in any significant numbers even on the west coast? Those alternators must fit something a little more common if a chain parts store had them in stock (unless they'd been gathering dust in the backroom for the last 40 years).

Actually that was in 2003 when I bought the Yanmar, it was only 20+ years old then. Sad story - I pressure washed the engine and didn't realize the old-school mechanical regulator wasn't sealed at all, that style had openings to big external resistors on the underside. When I started the engine I smoked the regulator and soon the alternator.

As I recall the (modern, potted) regulator cost another $17 (it fit a wide range of Japanese cars). Total project cost to repair the damage I caused, under $50. I expect that's cheaper than what replacing the alternator and regulator on a modern Deere might cost.

 

[Jim Nelson]

Do 70s vintage Datsuns (or any Japanese car really) still exist in any significant numbers even on the west coast? Those alternators must fit something a little more common if a chain parts store had them in stock (unless they'd been gathering dust in the backroom for the last 40 years).

I have a '93 Daihatsu mini truck, which most people have never heard of, and a few weeks ago the alternator went out. I took it to my local rebuilder expecting to get robbed but he just laughed and went to the back and brought out a brand new one. It is a Denso which is real common in Japanese electrical products. The amazing thing was that it was about 1/3 of what I expected to pay for a rebuild and no core required.

 

[3930dave]

My 1980 Yanmar (see below) needed an alternator. $29 at Autozone. Same alternator as '72 Datsun no A/C.

Then the other day my '99 Subaru needed an alternator. $140 at Autozone for its 85 amp alternator.

Both were in stock at my nearest Autozone. Each project took me 30 minutes labor. A pro might take ten minutes.

How much does it cost when the dealer replaces a modern Deere alternator?

A lot of older stuff is still available new, and often at very low prices. Some of that was slower design and production cycles, and the same parts used extensively across many platforms...... volumes were huge, which helped on both cost and longevity.

Worst price I've seen on a light-duty vehicle caliper...... VW Touraeg (sp?) front caliper on the diesel version was pretty much $1,000, for a Reman ! OK, Canadian $, and fortunately, not my vehicle..... but that's what we have now...... on a relatively limited production platform and with a specialty low-volume engine.....

A lot of Model A parts are more available, at a good price, than similar parts for 10 y/o vehicles....

Progress ?

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I was watching how the I-phone was developed. Ruined marriages, breakdowns. The people who developed the touch screen software was a bought up company by Apple and never got the credit they deserved. Many people never got the credit they deserved. Jobs was more bully than genius. I mean, he got the amazing product to market.

Were it only Apple........ Pretty normal environment, for the tech-sector........

Rgds, D.

 

[Wagtail]

I hate my dumb cell phone and my smart phone. Not too fond of the wall phone either. At least I can find it.

:laughing: Yeah, but how many pairs of glasses do you have laying in 'strategic' places around the house/workshop/vehicle(s)?

[Me: computer desk, comfy chair table, outside 'smoking' area, workshop, centre console of the ute... as far as I remember... ]

 

[Industrial Toys]

Me, I can't buy enough telecoping back scratchers off E-Bay.

 

[paulfun9]

That and if you had a manual shift and were stopped at a traffic light, etc. you had to put it in neutral & take your foot off the clutch to dim your lights. A little less hassle with an automatic, even though I tend to brake with my left foot...a habit I developed when I mostly drove stick shift vehicles.

.

As I read this part of your post I can only wonder why somone would have thier high beams on in traffic? To this day I have not found a place that my high beams needed to be on as I approached a red light.

 

[spitter]

Any body remember the old bumper sticker [I'd Rather Eat Worms Than Drive An Automatic]? My best friend had a 69 z28 396 with that printed on his dash 10 years latter he bought a automatic vet he'd never show it to me or let me no it was an auto.The only time I regreted having a stick was having a fully loaded trailer on a hill and some a hole pulls up underneath you. That's when you feathering clutch brake and gas at the same time. My kids were asking didn't suck in traffic ? No I said they had all had granny low which if you left enough space in front of you you could put it in first and crawl along at 3-5 mph and hopefully that was slow enough . My hats off to the truckers who had to double clutch a two stick trans.roposetoast::drink:

 

[Oaktree]

As I read this part of your post I can only wonder why somone would have thier high beams on in traffic? To this day I have not found a place that my high beams needed to be on as I approached a red light.

Substitute stop sign for traffic light?
Maybe just left 'em on high when coming into town (no oncoming traffic until you stopped at the light/sign?).

 

[buckeyefarmer]

If my wife weren't so handy in the technology department, I would be totally lost and would have given up years ago. Love my Kindle, Hate my Smartphone.

As similar as they are, I love my smartphone, can’t stand using a tablet.