General Present Attitude: Classic Cars

[HealeyRick]

Yes sir, ASHMHLY, Good thing you didn't say anything for the air valve to your superman suit will of been deflated right quick!

One of our local club members, probably in his 60s or 70s was looking for some carb advice and referred to his bugeye as his "chick magnet" Before fixing his carbs, I advised him to address his delusions.

 

[pkmh]

(Oh God!). LOL to that one, Rick!

 

[semirason]

Classic cars are my weakness. I have liked them since childhood. Even now, as an adult, I often rent such cars on drivedadscar.com, and I go somewhere out of town to travel. And in general, traveling by public transport is problematic and risky: the epidemiological situation is favorable, but you don't want to use buses and trains once again, especially if it's a trip with children. To travel comfortably along the top routes, it is not necessary to take an excursion. It is much more convenient and profitable to rent a car. You cannot convey these emotions when you drive such a car. You need to try it yourself.

 

[PC]

My 17 y.o. nephew is about ready to get his first car and he's looking around.

His dad suggested a friend's late model BMW 3-series that he doesn't need anymore (but kept in pristine mechanical condition). My nephew won't have anything to do with it.

So far Spitfires and MGB's are at the top of his list. I obviously put in a good word for a Jensen Healey, but good ones are harder to find.

 

[Editor_Reid]

One of our local club members, probably in his 60s or 70s was looking for some carb advice and referred to his bugeye as his "chick magnet" Before fixing his carbs, I advised him to address his delusions.

Yes, Bugeyes are "drivers' cars," not so much "passengers' cars."

 

[BoyRacer]

I get the same questions and comments as everyone else and then some, that I am quiet sure, that none of you else receive. Check out my Datsun-Healey with the "industrial look".

 

[BigGreen]

Most heard comment; "That one needs a repaint ...

heck NO!!

 

[LarryK]

Patina is good.

 

[DrEntropy]

Old thread but interesting topic. Though never owning a Healey, many of the reactions are in common with the LBC's I do own. From a dad-and-son reaction to the Elan +2 knock-off wheels as it was parked at a convenience store: Dad-the-Expert "explaining" to junior that the wheels were prone to coming off when underway due to the single spinners, to a young woman exclaiming from the passenger side of a Chevy while in traffic, on seeing the Elan S-3: "It's sooo CUTE!" The MGB seems to get the most: "I had one of those when I was in college! Wish I'd kept it." And that isn't gender specific. Reactions from total indifference to reverent respect seem to be in the mix, individuals' age seems to be a non-issue.

I will gladly give a demo ride to interested people, the "white knuckle-reach for the sissy bar" demo is reserved for the skeptical/cynical types. My opinion in the Articles section here is an observational piece on the subject of the respect, or lack thereof, our cars receive.

I've had several Alfa Romeo GT's, a '69 GTV was the last (and best), did a total resto on it. Repainted in its original AR-501 "Alfa Racing Red" with Cromodora five-spoke wheels. It would turn heads in passing, folks would stop walking the sidewalk and stare at it going by. I never understood why that car elicited more attention than the LBC's. The Elans are both "Arrest Me Red" and with great exhaust notes, but rarely get the same attention. Weird, IMO.

 

[LarryK]

I too have had an assortment of cars. My Jags brought resentment, "look who has all the money", the XJS was always, "how fast?", but my most recent purchase a 97 Camel Trophy Discovery in LR Camel Yellow brings the most from kids and adults, "cool, how many does it hold, to "must do good offroad?". I know I am in middle of farm country, just strange, but the Mopars of old like my Valiant get, "my mom had one!", by older adults to "why would you buy that?", from the younger generations.

 

[NutmegCT]

Larry - my mom had a 1960 Valiant (V100).

Simple, almost "spartan", but a good car for her. I remember the slant six, the floor shift 3 speed, and the instrument cluster.

I was only 12 then, and thought we could convert it to automatic just by adding pushbuttons to the shiny vertical strip to the left of the speedometer.

 

[LarryK]

The 64 I have has pwr steering and dealer install radio and a/c, that is all. Single speaker in back window. If I finally get floorboards in and seats done, wife is going to try it. 13" tires are rare but found them before covid cheap to todays prices.

 

[HealeyRick]

The pushbuttons for the automatic transmission in the Valiant were actually on the right side of the instrument cluster. Reason I know is one of my college roommates owned one and we thought it was hilarious to punch the reverse button while he was driving along. Darn thing took all that abuse and more.

 

[roscoe]

The Valiant ad is a good read. I especially like " the doors close with that big car thunk " and making the point that everything under the hood is easy to get to. The latter being something most people never even consider in buying a car these days. You're lucky if you can open the hood ( bonnet to avoid confusion) opened without the onboard computer booting up. Pointing out that it is so smooth you can pour coffee while driving whould be nixed by the legal team today. I was actually stunned to recently see a car tv ad that showed people tooling down the highway doing various things with their hands besides keeping one on the steering wheel, relying on the car to keep itself from premature rapid disassembly. Looks like big fun until it isn't.

 

[LarryK]

The 64 has the buttons on the left. Bought after 20 yr storage in funeral home heated garage. Brakes, lines, lower engine and driveshaft trunnion rebuilt. Not being done in a hurry. Just making a good driver at this time.

 

[DrEntropy]

We took a '61 "Valley-Do" (it was named "Cloud", three-speed column shift) across some flooded streets back-when, the Valiant floated! Not for forging a river, but for a minute or so. It belonged to a pal, we took it from Hampton Roads to Road Atlanta in '72, it was raining so hard when we got there we just turned around and drove back. The track's infield was nothing but mud, we managed to not get stuck, the forecast was predicting rain for the whole weekend.

And I gotta say that slant-six seemed unkillable.

 

[twas_brillig]

The local paper carries a weekly column featuring local vehicles; the author hopes to get an interesting vehicle with a bit of a story on it. He's a parapalegic so asks that the owner supply a pile of pictures that will be picked over; and he does an interview over the phone with you. Last Spring, he did our Meyers Manx clone dune buggy; this past Friday it was our BJ7 (see > On the Road: 1962 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II < ).
And this all leads up to a quote (mine; not the writer's!):
“The best part about owning something unique — and approachable — is that it provides an excuse for conversation. If you have a baby or a puppy or a cool car, strangers feel allowed to open a conversation. And communication enriches all of our lives.”