Indeed. I had an old chevy capri. Lost the key. I had the ignition hanging. It seems there were four posts in the ingnition. Three I a wrapped with bare copper wire with a tail hanging off. I'd take the tail and touch it to the fourth post and she would fire. Cigarette butts in a box a smokes. Many a time.
See its funny, and sad to me at the same time. This is why there will be a division in our country, to the point of partition. We see this and laugh, been there, done that! We have lived through that and those types of experiences. It colors who we are, how hard we fight, why we do things the way we do. There are whole cities filled with people, kids and adults, that have never had those kinds of experiences in life growing up. They do not have the ability to see through lifes problems, and crumple at the first sign of troubles, looking for a hand to get them through, rather than tough it out themselves. Call the cops instead of handling the situation yourself. Government pays for it, not me. State teaches my kids, I got sportsball to watch. We're so fucked because of this.
I never had any vehicles that bad, but I have had some that needed TLC on a daily basis. I even remember one car that I had to keep a compete set of tools, plus baling wire, in it to make sure I didn't get stranded anywhere.
Drove a 53 3100 once with the brakes out. You would down shift and then use the parking brake. once you slowed enough you could pop it into reverse to stop. Ran it that way about a week and then fixed the rotted out brake line. Those where the days. That truck taught me more about adapting that any other vehicle I ever had.
I had an old truck reverse went out. I ran it about a week before I fixed it. Had to find a driveway on a hill if ya wanted to turn around. Pull up, coast down back on to the road and off ya go. Back then, pop another beer.
Drove my '66 bug with the clutch permanently engaged, when I had so stop, I'd just pop it into neutral and shut it off, then put it in first (or reverse) and hit the starter when I had to go again. Shifting up and down was easy but stop and go traffic was hell. It took me 6 months to kill the starter and finally get off my ass and do the clutch. Also had a '61 Triumph that never had a starter the whole time I owned it, spent a lot of time looking for any slope when it was time to park.
I had an old Chevy Caprice that had the ignition busted out and could use any key or just a screwdriver to start. This was back before the key lock that locked the wheel. I still have the habit of carrying a toolbox with basic hand tools in case of a simple fix needed to get back going again, even though I can't fix most anything on new cars. Old habits die hard.
I never had a vehicle that bad, but back in the 1980s, my dad had a 1956 Ford pickup that was his toy, with his stated intention being to "fix it up." That never happened. I remember borrowing it one time, and having to lower the window using the locking pliers that were replacing the missing handle, so that I could reach around to grab the windshield wipers and manually operate them to brush the snow off.
I was given a'76 Ford Courier. Thing was a total P.O.S. but it got me to work for 2 years. Driving to work one morning the headlights went out. Thing had an aftermarket light switch. The damn thing was too hot to touch and eventually fell apart. Took a #10 machine screw and a wingnut and bolted the crimp connectors for lights. Never caught fire so what the hell. The second year driving it I lost a wheel cylinder on the rear axle. Me, not wanting to spend money on it and knowing it wouldn't pass smog again just drove it with front brakes only. The glorious state of Californistan had a program to get rid of gross polluters. They would give me $800 for it. If I was a low income or a student it was $1500. I gave the truck to the kid and 3 months later took it in to the wreckers for my money. Split the cash with the kid.
Had a '62 Dodge stepside pickup with a 318 that had a blown head gasket, radiator filled with water glass. Driver door wouldn't open from the inside, rain or shine you rolled down the window. Had to remember to always leave it in neutral when parked or pull the negative battery cable, there was a short somewhere and the starter would just take off. I fixed that after the entire wiring harness went up in flames one day while I was driving down the road. Good times, good times. HTR
Indeed. I had an old chevy capri. Lost the key. I had the ignition hanging. It seems there were four posts in the ingnition. Three I a wrapped with bare copper wire with a tail hanging off. I'd take the tail and touch it to the fourth post and she would fire. Cigarette butts in a box a smokes. Many a time.
ReplyDeleteSee its funny, and sad to me at the same time. This is why there will be a division in our country, to the point of partition.
ReplyDeleteWe see this and laugh, been there, done that! We have lived through that and those types of experiences. It colors who we are, how hard we fight, why we do things the way we do.
There are whole cities filled with people, kids and adults, that have never had those kinds of experiences in life growing up. They do not have the ability to see through lifes problems, and crumple at the first sign of troubles, looking for a hand to get them through, rather than tough it out themselves.
Call the cops instead of handling the situation yourself.
Government pays for it, not me.
State teaches my kids, I got sportsball to watch.
We're so fucked because of this.
That's why I made my son cut the grass with a 3 wheeled lawn mower for two summers. He appreciates 4 wheels now, a little life gift from his Pop.
DeleteI never had any vehicles that bad, but I have had some that needed TLC on a daily basis. I even remember one car that I had to keep a compete set of tools, plus baling wire, in it to make sure I didn't get stranded anywhere.
ReplyDeleteDrove a 53 3100 once with the brakes out. You would down shift and then use the parking brake. once you slowed enough you could pop it into reverse to stop. Ran it that way about a week and then fixed the rotted out brake line. Those where the days. That truck taught me more about adapting that any other vehicle I ever had.
ReplyDeleteI had an old truck reverse went out. I ran it about a week before I fixed it. Had to find a driveway on a hill if ya wanted to turn around. Pull up, coast down back on to the road and off ya go. Back then, pop another beer.
DeleteDrove my '66 bug with the clutch permanently engaged, when I had so stop, I'd just pop it into neutral and shut it off, then put it in first (or reverse) and hit the starter when I had to go again. Shifting up and down was easy but stop and go traffic was hell. It took me 6 months to kill the starter and finally get off my ass and do the clutch. Also had a '61 Triumph that never had a starter the whole time I owned it, spent a lot of time looking for any slope when it was time to park.
ReplyDeleteI had an old Chevy Caprice that had the ignition busted out and could use any key or just a screwdriver to start. This was back before the key lock that locked the wheel.
ReplyDeleteI still have the habit of carrying a toolbox with basic hand tools in case of a simple fix needed to get back going again, even though I can't fix most anything on new cars. Old habits die hard.
I never had a vehicle that bad, but back in the 1980s, my dad had a 1956 Ford pickup that was his toy, with his stated intention being to "fix it up." That never happened. I remember borrowing it one time, and having to lower the window using the locking pliers that were replacing the missing handle, so that I could reach around to grab the windshield wipers and manually operate them to brush the snow off.
ReplyDeleteI was given a'76 Ford Courier. Thing was a total P.O.S. but it got me to work for 2 years. Driving to work one morning the headlights went out. Thing had an aftermarket light switch. The damn thing was too hot to touch and eventually fell apart. Took a #10 machine screw and a wingnut and bolted the crimp connectors for lights. Never caught fire so what the hell. The second year driving it I lost a wheel cylinder on the rear axle. Me, not wanting to spend money on it and knowing it wouldn't pass smog again just drove it with front brakes only. The glorious state of Californistan had a program to get rid of gross polluters. They would give me $800 for it. If I was a low income or a student it was $1500. I gave the truck to the kid and 3 months later took it in to the wreckers for my money. Split the cash with the kid.
ReplyDeleteAmerican Car?
ReplyDeleteHad a '62 Dodge stepside pickup with a 318 that had a blown head gasket, radiator filled with water glass. Driver door wouldn't open from the inside, rain or shine you rolled down the window. Had to remember to always leave it in neutral when parked or pull the negative battery cable, there was a short somewhere and the starter would just take off. I fixed that after the entire wiring harness went up in flames one day while I was driving down the road.
ReplyDeleteGood times, good times.
HTR