Ha! No, but I did kiss my bride, who was with me!
Anyone here who's retired and loves cars (or restoring them)?
- Thread starter dvalley
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Ha! No, but I did kiss my bride, who was with me!
We had a lot of fun with that car. Finally sold it and got a new Mustang convertible in '06. Now we can travel all over without concerns about weather, where to park it, etc. Plus, it's got FM, cruise, and A/C!!
I must be getting old...
Sometimes our tastes change as we age. As long as you enjoy the car that's all that matters. The new Mustang is a real looker. Hated the Mustang body style from the mid 1970's to late 1990's. They wrecked a classic.
No matter what I'm driving I look for a safe place to park. People let their shopping carts go or ding your paint with their doors. Did you ever park far out in a parking lot with no other vehicles around and come out to have someone parked right beside you and no one else around.
foxfirev5
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Yeah, actually the biggest part of it for me is that I've had repeated experiences with screw-ups on my company owned vehicles. Last week I had my one year old company truck in for maintenance and had the wipers replaced. Yesterday I ran into a strong storm and the passenger blade flew up and twist off into the windshield. Never snapped into place. If you want it done right do it yourself.
The week before my son had a couple of eight balls from a major chain in to install appliances in his newly built house. Long story short - he got $500 back and I installed them after they found one excuse or another why the install was too tough for them to complete at the basic rate.
The work ethic of today's youth...
So true about changing tastes, in many things. We loved that old Merc and I still enjoy seeing the old rides at car shows, etc, but no longer have a desire to own one. Been there, done that, and loved it!
Yeah, I have had had a car park next to me in the far corner of the lot. Always assumed it was someone like me who wanted a little safety and didn't mind the walk.
Andre1969
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I have a few old cars...1957 DeSoto Firedome hardtop coupe, 1967 Pontiac Catalina convertible, 1976 Pontiac Grand LeMans coupe, 1979 Chrysler New Yorker (base model) and a 1979 New Yorker 5th Avenue Edition (back then "5th" ave was a designer package, and not an actual model). Oh, and still hanging onto Granddad's old '85 C10 Silverado, which looks like crap, but makes a decent work truck/spare vehicle.
Mr._Graybeard
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Those old DeSotos are sweet. What's under the hood, the 345 Hemi?
Andre1969
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Close...341 Hemi. The 345 was only offered in the Adventurer. And, incidentally, the first US production car to have 1 hp per cubic inch standard, and be street-ready. The Chrysler 300B actually broke that barrier, getting 355 hp from a 354 Hemi, but it was an option (340 hp standard) and intended for racing, not really street use. And from what I've heard, the Chevy 283 Fuellie, which had 283 hp, was also the same...really a race engine, and not really good for everyday driving.
Right now though, nothing's under the hood, because the whole body's off the car!
I had it towed to my mechanic about 4 1/2 years ago, and he was supposed to get it to where it would start and stop. But, the more he tore into it, the more he found that needed doing, and then there's that old argument about how it's cheaper to do it while it's all apart, rather than put it back together, and have to pull it apart again...
Here's a pic of it getting ready to load onto the tow truck. One of the brakes had locked up, so I had to use Granddad's '85 Silverado to drag it out of the garage to where the wrecker could get to it.
Right now though, nothing's under the hood, because the whole body's off the car!
I had it towed to my mechanic about 4 1/2 years ago, and he was supposed to get it to where it would start and stop. But, the more he tore into it, the more he found that needed doing, and then there's that old argument about how it's cheaper to do it while it's all apart, rather than put it back together, and have to pull it apart again...
Here's a pic of it getting ready to load onto the tow truck. One of the brakes had locked up, so I had to use Granddad's '85 Silverado to drag it out of the garage to where the wrecker could get to it.
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Andre1969
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As for the other cars, I cleaned out the garage a couple months ago, and took advantage of the situation to line them up for a group shot...
Mr._Graybeard
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Wow, that's a long-term project. Hope your wrench man works cheap! What's there looks very clean, though.
I was surprised to read that the early Hemis were undersquare motors. That may be why they were such torque monsters.
I was surprised to read that the early Hemis were undersquare motors. That may be why they were such torque monsters.
Andre1969
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Nah, he's not cheap...unfortunately this area is pretty high-priced, and there aren't many people around here who will mess with something this old anymore. In retrospect, I probably would have been better off having it shipped off somewhere. But, what's done is done. And if nothing else, it gives me some justification to keep on w*rking 
aja8888
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Andre; I had a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville 4 door when I was about 20 years old. It was a white monster and was very plush inside with the three? tone leather (vinyl?). That Catalina is of the same lineage. I'd love to see a few more pictures of it.
Andre1969
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Those '59 Bonnevilles were nice! And some of them did have leather trim in the interiors. Here's a fairly recent pic of my '67 Catalina:
The wheels are not period correct, as I don't think the Pontiac Rally II wheel came out until 1968. And I don't think you could get it on a full-sized car until 1969. But this car originally had 14" rims, and kept throwing hubcaps. I got tired of chasing them down, and wanted a beefier wheel/tire, so I upgraded a few years ago.
Here's an older pic of it, with the original wheels/hubcaps. This was taken in 2006, right after I had my garage built...and when I really could get 4 cars in it, before I cluttered it up.
The wheels are not period correct, as I don't think the Pontiac Rally II wheel came out until 1968. And I don't think you could get it on a full-sized car until 1969. But this car originally had 14" rims, and kept throwing hubcaps. I got tired of chasing them down, and wanted a beefier wheel/tire, so I upgraded a few years ago.
Here's an older pic of it, with the original wheels/hubcaps. This was taken in 2006, right after I had my garage built...and when I really could get 4 cars in it, before I cluttered it up.
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aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
Very nice Catalina. I wish I owned it.
Here is (not mine anymore) pics of the 59 Bonneville interior I had and the whole car:
Here is (not mine anymore) pics of the 59 Bonneville interior I had and the whole car:
Mr._Graybeard
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Here's a link to the website of a Mercedes restoration specialist I know. Try to avoid drooling on your keyboard as you page through his photo gallery. Photo Galleries | Brooklyn Motoren Werke, Inc.
