Old Auto Tech That You LIKE?

The thread about newer automotive driving aids got me thinking...

What are some forms of older tech that you like?

For myself:

Halogen Headlights
Can't see well with that blue LED light...

Keyed Ignition (not a fob)
Don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for a spare key.

Manual Transmission
More control in rain and snow... More fun too!

Manual Windows
I don't mind electric locks, but hand cranked windows tend to last the entire lifespan of the vehicle (10-15 years) without repairs.

Whenever I have to rent a car, it's a process just getting used to all the new tech that they foist on us.
LED headlights are 5000k or pure white. They could go to 4100k which are yellowish white like hids. Automotive manufacturers should be using projector housings for led headlights as they are more efficient then the best reflector set-up
 
Pop up headlights. Gave cars slippery aerodynamic shape and protected them from damage.

Glass headlamps: no yellowing!

Cassette player. The cassette to 3.5mm jack adapter had much better audio quality than any FM transmitter I tried so far.

Manual handbrake and most importantly, manual transmission.

All metal components under the hood. Valve covers, intake manifolds, pulleys, etc.. None of the cheaply made but expensive to replace plastic junk.
 
Manual Transmission
More control in rain and snow... More fun too!
I'm the opposite. I like a good automatic in rain or snow. Perhaps that says more about my skills as a manual driver, I don't know.

I only have one manual presently (and it even has AWD) but it has never seen snow.
 
I liked my old 2003 accord’s wipers. If you were on intermittent, they’d stop if you stopped (weren’t in motion). I try to hardly use my wipers and I really liked that feature. (They may have worked while stopped, but they slowed the intervals way down if they did).

The palisade we had for a year I HATED the wipers. They were either high/low or if you chose intermittent, the car chose how intermittent they needed to be. Again, since I use my wipers sparingly, I hated that you couldn’t select your own intermittent speed.
 
Even worse, didn't one of the '60s imports run the wipers off compressed air in the spare tire?
If it was the Beetle I can't confirm that because I'm not old enough. All old Beetles I know have electric wipers. They could have been converted to electric for all I.know. VW put the foot-operated washer fluid pump in the Polo. Some American, Italian, German, and French cars had those.
 
windshield washers as well. wasnt that the vw beetle ?

If it was the Beetle I can't confirm that because I'm not old enough. All old Beetles I know have electric wipers. They could have been converted to electric for all I.know. VW put the foot-operated washer fluid pump in the Polo. Some American, Italian, German, and French cars had those.

It was the washer system on early 6 volt VW Beetles.

VW Beetle Tire Pressure Windshield Washer
 
If it was the Beetle I can't confirm that because I'm not old enough. All old Beetles I know have electric wipers. They could have been converted to electric for all I.know. VW put the foot-operated washer fluid pump in the Polo. Some American, Italian, German, and French cars had those.
I checked the 1939 KDF-wagen manual at thesamba, and the wipers were electric. I think the poster that mentioned wiper system operating from spare tire was confusing the 1961+ washer system.
 
I think cars peaked Iin the '90s. The cars were technologically advanced and highly evolved but they were mostly not yet overladen with electronics and gadgets that have been weighing cars noticeably down and that have been making them increasingly complex since the 2000s.
I almost want to say a little later, 2001-2007….such cars are now old enough to see how they did. Examples of 300,400,500k miles is laughable. Appliances too seemed to be good from that era. I’m not necessarily against turbos, I have one car that’s turbocharged, but I think without is better.

I don’t have a spare 100k but that Lexus LC seems to be 15+ yo technology on the 2024 and that’s a good thing. If I were made of money like say I made 70 mil per year like a Dodger does, I’d probably get a LC. Maybe one in the every color it comes in….then I’d get a 2013 S63 P30 as well.
 
The vacuum wipers were really bad.
A friend had an old Scout with those, they would pretty much stop when he accelerated for any length of time.
Originally the vacuum pump was part of the fuel pump so that would not happen..That pump is unobtanium so when it quits it got replaced with whats available without a vacuum pump. The hose for the wipers ends up hooked to the intake manifold
 
Floorwell vents fed from the grill, carrying 600 CFM each

Ability to leaving parking lights on unattended

Bring back the floor switch for high beams

Manual t-case

Agreed, MPFI seemed to be the best blend of fuel system delivery reliability and performance.
 
Here’s something about hand cranking. I think I’d prefer electric start. Seems it’s possible to break one’s thumb or wrist trying to start a car by hand cranking?

I have a 9 HP (prolly a lie but that’s what it said back in 2003) snowblower and the Tecumseh starter burned out pretty quickly. Would have costed over $200 to fix, when I only spent $650 on it. So been pull starting a rather large engine for maybe 17 years.

 
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