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11 Features You No Longer See in Cars
Mental Floss ^ | February 11, 2014 | Kara Kovalchik

Posted on 02/14/2014 11:09:59 AM PST by EveningStar

It's hard to picture what today's teenagers will wax nostalgic about 30 years from now when they reminisce about their first car. (It still required gasoline, perhaps?) Who knows how automobiles will change in the future; what we do know is how different they are today from 30 or more years ago. If you fondly remember being surrounded by two or three tons of solid Detroit steel with a whip antenna on the front from which you could tie a raccoon tail or adorn with an orange Union 76 ball, and enough leg room that you didn't suffer from phlebitis on long road trips, then you might also miss a few of these.

1. Bench Seats


(Excerpt) Read more at mentalfloss.com ...


TOPICS: History; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: automobiles; cars; oldage
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To: Popman

My 63 rambler had vacuum powered wipers.

Yup.. they sure did...I had one of these...my first car..


Mine too. Dealer wanted $325 but my dad talked ‘em down to $315. :-)

It had one thing that all my high school buddies salivated over, though. It was swell at drive in’s.

Fold down bench seats.


241 posted on 02/15/2014 10:25:28 AM PST by cuban leaf
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To: cuban leaf

They cherry picked on the car crash video. That 1959 Bel Air was notorious, just like the VW Thing in the 1970s and the Subaru Samarai in the 1980s (rollovers). Try the same test with a 1961 Chrysler Imperial and your results will be quite different.

Your Reliant and Omni are both pre-1990, and yet you give them high marks. When gas hits $4, I still see Omnis and Horizons (and VW Rabbits) come out to play. I believe it is illegal to make cars that light today.

I have had a fleet of Dodge Darts and other assorted Chryslers (’89 Fifth Ave, ‘79 Dodge Diplomat, Darts from ‘66 through ‘76 (7 total), ‘65 300, and an awful ‘86 Plymouth Voyager)). Only one of the Darts (’73) had a tranny problem, and it was a pre-existing condition with the car bought for $55. The torqueflite in the ‘60s version, my parents’ ‘61 Lancer and ‘68 three on the tree manual Dart did fine. Front ends and rust were the main problems.

But you are right on the handling. I would also throw in brakes. The older cars need more attention and love, but a lot of the same enhancements help these cars as well. Mobil 1 synthetic oil, modern car batteries, etc. brings new life into these cars, even if they do skitter on the Williamsburg bridge.

I have not found a new car with a seat as comfortable as an old MOPAR non-split bench.


242 posted on 02/15/2014 12:44:47 PM PST by Dr. Sivana ("We are not sluts."--Sandra Fluke)
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To: cableguymn

Congrats man ! Keep that puppy runnin’. I know how hard it can be to keep up the body, but ifin’ it was me, I’d try to keep her in as good a condition as possible ..... just sayin’ - never know when you might need the protection of some thin metal. From the elements to critters of varying degrees ! !


243 posted on 02/15/2014 12:49:29 PM PST by snooter55 (People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do)
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To: cableguymn

WOW..... the same “copper” color as mine ! What a beaut !


244 posted on 02/15/2014 12:56:57 PM PST by snooter55 (People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do)
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To: snooter55

well.. should I junk mine it has a rust free hood..

The rest of the body, the rust is just free with the part ;)


245 posted on 02/15/2014 6:26:18 PM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: fanfan
You have dimmers on the headlights

I sure hope that was an attempt at sarcasm, not stupidity.

Standard headlight bulbs have a 65 watt high beam and a 55 watt low beam. This makes the low beam DIMMER than the high beam. Also if the switch that controls this function quits, guess what you ask for. A DIMMER SWITCH!!

246 posted on 02/15/2014 10:00:45 PM PST by snowtigger
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
Key start on the dash instead of the steering column which allowed easy removal

I just bought a 1978 Ford Bronco, and the starter switch is located in the DASH!! No locking steering wheel. Love it!!!

247 posted on 02/15/2014 10:06:22 PM PST by snowtigger
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To: cableguymn

Never - ever “junk” a Ford Bronco as long as it’s still doin’ da job ! !


248 posted on 02/16/2014 5:47:48 PM PST by snooter55 (People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do)
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To: snooter55

I didn’t plan on it till duct tape and bailing wire can’t keep the heat in it any longer.


249 posted on 02/16/2014 5:52:05 PM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: GreenAccord

2005 volkswagen new beetle. suprised the hell out of me.

CC


250 posted on 02/16/2014 5:54:24 PM PST by Celtic Conservative (tease not the dragon for thou art crunchy when roasted and taste good with ketchup)
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To: snowtigger

very easy to “barrow” too.. bring your own ignition switch and off ya go.


251 posted on 02/16/2014 5:55:55 PM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: Mastador1

The folding seats was a Nash/AMC specialty. Some parents wouldn’t let their daughters date a guy with a nash because “the seats folded into a bed”, LOL.

CC


252 posted on 02/16/2014 6:07:06 PM PST by Celtic Conservative (tease not the dragon for thou art crunchy when roasted and taste good with ketchup)
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To: cableguymn
Not so easy with a 45 looking out the window.

I don't know where you live, but crime of that nature, while not unheard of, is not very common here. Penalties are pretty stiff and people are not afraid to shoot.

One guy here rented a house that had been previously occupied by a drug dealer. The third time he was robbed in his own home, along with his wife, he gave them everything, then followed them outside and killed them both with a shotgun. While not exactly legal, the DA refused to indict. He did not even submit it to the Grand Jury. People don't take kindly to being robbed.

253 posted on 02/16/2014 9:12:26 PM PST by snowtigger
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To: snowtigger

I get it.. You’ll find the keys to mine hanging in the ignition.

I was just pointing out that in the 70’s security was low on the manufacturers list because it was not near the problem it is today.


254 posted on 02/17/2014 4:26:04 AM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: Professional Engineer

They are beautiful. In ‘71 they bumped it up to 455! I always loved the Buick Wildcat too. My favorite name goes to Plymouth Fury. Another beast.


255 posted on 02/17/2014 5:34:21 AM PST by Phillyred
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To: ExCTCitizen

Not particularly useful in the back country with no charging locations.

And the batteries would make it too heavy to off-road.

I’ll stick with diesel.


256 posted on 02/17/2014 7:12:23 AM PST by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
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To: snowtigger; Tax-chick

I’m sorry about your arthritis. My husband and I have it too. This cold winter isn’t helping.

After reading your post I wasn’t entirely sure of myself. You made me go look it up, so I thank you for that. I like learning.

Automobile lights use Relays. “Most headlight switches use an electromechanical device called a relay to control the lights.”

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5040978_headlight-switch-work.html#ixzz2tbrix7rD

The term dimmer = variable-voltage device.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimmer

The term dimmer tends to be associated with full range ‘dimming’. No harm done.

I hope we all have an early spring.


257 posted on 02/17/2014 12:03:00 PM PST by fanfan ("If Muslim kids were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: cableguymn
My 03 Pontiac had the key in the dash but it still had a locking steering column. Luckily I never had problems with it, it sounds like a nightmare of complication.

I still miss that car; 300,000 miles with only one fuel pump and one alternator. Sure makes me hate those American cars.

258 posted on 02/17/2014 2:33:30 PM PST by snowtigger
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To: fanfan

I hadn’t given the switches much thought.

Hope it warms up for you soon. It’s very soggy here with melting snow.


259 posted on 02/17/2014 3:03:06 PM PST by Tax-chick (The future is not going to take us seriously.)
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