Not getting a tach on the dash even when you had a manual.
I remember when cars had...
- Thread starter ZZman
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Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
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When passenger-side rearview mirrors were either unavailable or optional. My mom's 1963 Dodge Dart didn't have one, and mom did not want to spend the $5.95 to get one installed.
Whitewall tires ... don't see them too often these days.
Suicide knobs, often with a scantily clad young woman pictured inside a clear plastic knob.
Left-handed gear shift levers. Jack Haberman's older brother had '49 Chevy coupé that was outfitted with a left-handed, column-mounted, three-on-the-tree shifter. Frankly, that was the only one I ever saw.
Whitewall tires ... don't see them too often these days.
Suicide knobs, often with a scantily clad young woman pictured inside a clear plastic knob.
Left-handed gear shift levers. Jack Haberman's older brother had '49 Chevy coupé that was outfitted with a left-handed, column-mounted, three-on-the-tree shifter. Frankly, that was the only one I ever saw.
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Here is a list of what I can think of right now, on the spot. These are all things that I DO NOT miss. I realize that SOME cars may still retain a couple of these things, but they are rarities. This is MY list. YMMV
Bumper jacks
Carburetors
Distributors
Points and condensers
Belt driven fans
Belt driven power steering pumps
Column mounted gear selectors
Drum brakes
Motorized seat belts
Cassette players
Ashtrays
A/C vents that can't be closed
Timing belts
Shoulder belts bolted to ceilings
Steel that is not galvanized
Rocker arms that require periodic adjustment
Poor quality paint
Padded vinyl dashboards
That's all I can think of now, but I'm sure there are many other "features" to not miss.
DBM
Bumper jacks
Carburetors
Distributors
Points and condensers
Belt driven fans
Belt driven power steering pumps
Column mounted gear selectors
Drum brakes
Motorized seat belts
Cassette players
Ashtrays
A/C vents that can't be closed
Timing belts
Shoulder belts bolted to ceilings
Steel that is not galvanized
Rocker arms that require periodic adjustment
Poor quality paint
Padded vinyl dashboards
That's all I can think of now, but I'm sure there are many other "features" to not miss.
DBM
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My friend’s Olds Omega didn’t come with seatbelts. I guess seatbelts were an option at one time?
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Seat belts were not even an option till some time in the 1960s, I think. My 65 Mustang had the threaded holes to install, but were optional.
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I agree with most of your list, but I do kinda miss bumper jacks, because that meant you actually had a substantial useable bumper. Also I wish I had a cassette player as well as the CD, because I have a lot of really good OLD music on cassettes. Actually my 98 Mustang does have one, but doesn't work.
Also, ash trays were good to store junk.
I also miss column shift and bench seats so my girl could get close LOL
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The left handed gear shift was not factory. On some cars it was a DIY job, and it was so you could shift while keeping your right arm around your girl.
I understand where you're coming from. My last car was an 89 Honda Accord. I replaced the cassette deck with a CD head unit at some point, but when I got my first MP3 player (remember those?) I plugged it into the AUX port on the head unit and never looked back. I ripped my CD collection to WMA files so I never lost what I had. My current vehicle (2012 Mazda3) has more than enough storage areas that are not obstructed by the cigarette holders in ash trays. I actually do kinda miss the bench seats, like my 72 Pontiac Catalina had, but I appreciate the side support of bucket seats to go with my hair-raising driving style. As far as the bumper thing goes, I don't totally disagree, but the Catalina had an early version of shock absorbing bumpers that moved disconcertingly when using the bumper jack. I was nervous every time I had to use it. I had already switched to a trolley jack for home use, but the bumper jack was what I used if I ever had a flat.
I know little about Midgets but didn't realize that you had to go under the hood to open the heater valve.
MGB heater valves are notoriously unreliable, and a lot of guys will use a different style water take-off from the head(the one off a Marina is the handiest one, but hard to find now) and then fit a manual ball valve. I need to either fit another heater valve(that will last a year...) or work out a ball valve solution as I was working the other day and saw coolant pouring out of heater valve. Fortunately it quit when(funny enough) I turned the heater on. That bottom bolt on the valve isn't the easiest either.
At least they have heaters, though. That was an option on the MGA.
I still have them on my f150
My brother’s ‘66 Bronco did the same. I fixed it by putting in an electric windshield wiper conversion kit from…wait for it…wait for it…J.C. Whitney!
Seat Safety belts were required by 1968. Omega mfg from 1973 to 1984.
My scouts wipers originally ran off the fuel pump. When it failed and being an IHC I could not get a new one I just hooked it to the intake manifold. Did not use them much anyway living in the desert.
Been 25 years sine I had mine...wasn't there also a heat (air) control on the dash? Guessing the valve was to keep hot water out of the core which heated up the car regardless...
twouvakind
Site Donor 2024
Electric heat, under seat (VW?)
IIRC, Gas…
twouvakind
Site Donor 2024
Wow, as in gasoline!?IIRC, Gas…
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