Cars of Old and Cars of New (Gas or Electric)

Voyageur

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There is not a dedicated thread for cars (don't think), and this features an interview with Eric Peters, described by James Corbett as "an Anarcho-Libertarian writer and gearhead who discusses the intersection of cars and freedom at his website, EPAutos.com."

Peters was mentioned here in an Electric cars thread, however this is a general overview of cars down through the ages.

Ursus Minor

Post in thread 'Electric driverless cars?'

"The Car That Almost Was" (The VW L 1)

Eric Peters on UnzReview

Electric cars are not really zero emission unless the electricity is provided by non-fossil fuel zero-emission power stations.
When they catch fire in an accident, you cannot extingish the fire, because the whole chemical stuff in the batteries keeps reacting.

This "Aptera" car also never made it to the production line:

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For readers of every generation here, their experiences with cars will be very different (that is if one drives). Experiences going back to include tinkering with them (points, plugs, carburetors etc.) to fully maintaining and repairing them, to todays cars that one can hardly do a thing when they break down. Cars today break often and they get worse on the bell curve of age as always, and are mostly drive-by-wire now, fully controlled by sensors that read other sensors, that read faults. Good luck fixing them, if on the side of the road it will probably be a tow truck ride to the dealership and a bill that can be out of this world, if it can be fixed, or if parts are even available. The car will require a code reader to diagnose.

I've come across many good independent mechanics who are frustrated, basically telling customers to take their vehicles to the dealer as some models are proprietary and their ability to fix the vehicle can only go so far. With covid, the supply lines for parts were cut, and even today a vehicle can sit at a dealer for months waiting on parts - even when a brand new vehicle fails under warrantee, one can wait.

The theme here is also on surveillance, and modern cars do nothing but surveil, and it is getting worse.

Here is the opening sentence and the video to start it off:

Anyone who has been car shopping recently knows that modern cars are surveillance and privacy nightmares that take control out of the hands of their supposed owners and places them in the hands of car manufacturers and government regulators. So what do we do about this problem?
Click to expand...

Car Freedom – #SolutionsWatch | The Corbett Report

corbettreport.com corbettreport.com


WATCH ON: ARCHIVE / BITCHUTE / ODYSEE / ROKFIN / RUMBLE / SUBSTACK

SHOW NOTES:​

EPAutos.com

Eric Peters author profile at The Mises Institute

Your Exploding Car is Spying on You (NWNW #576)

Flashback: Alberta Introduces Seat Belt Laws (Feb 2nd, 1989)

1976 Trans Am walk around/drive

Reader Question: A Way Out of This Mess?

Harley-Davidson Responds To Our Boycott Over Woke Policies and DUMPS DEI!

Automakers Sold Driver Data for Pennies, Senators Say

Tesla issues software update to help owners flee Hurricane Irma by increasing battery range
 
I know this much: a spare set of points and a screwdriver in the glovebox will get you moving nine times out of ten. An electronic ignition will leave you waiting for help. It was true in 1980 when GM introduced HEI distributors. I can only imagine how much more true that must be today. Maybe I’m violating the spirit of the thread, but I try to go with what I know.😄
 
I've worked on cars/trucks/heavy equipment for 35+ years and agree with much of the griping about late model vehicles. They are becoming Rube Golberg levels of complex, I supspect mainly in order to wring the last bit of efficiency out of them to attempt compliance with government regulations. Most new car engines are built like race motors of old and are only feasible due to electronic control systems. Pretty much everything is an interference motor now and a timing set failure will destroy the motor fast. What's more is many of them require engine removal to do the service, often making the repair cost prohibitively expensive, especially when weighed against the value of the vehicle. There are other examples but this is probably the most visually impressive. (pics below)
Re: GM HEI, the most common failures were from substandard (aftermarket) modules. Staying away from cheap parts house brands (like Wells for example) would save many a headache. Also wise to carry a spare module in the glovebox, only takes a few minutes to swap out.
I've had points systems fail before too (ballast wire).

old school chevy timing set:
SBC timing set.webp
GM 3.6L ~2010
GM 3.6L timing set.jpg
Audi 4.2L
Audi 4.2L timng set.jpg
 
Rhansen said:
I've worked on cars/trucks/heavy equipment for 35+ years and agree with much of the griping about late model vehicles. They are becoming Rube Golberg levels of complex, I supspect mainly in order to wring the last bit of efficiency out of them to attempt compliance with government regulations. Most new car engines are built like race motors of old and are only feasible due to electronic control systems. Pretty much everything is an interference motor now and a timing set failure will destroy the motor fast. What's more is many of them require engine removal to do the service, often making the repair cost prohibitively expensive, especially when weighed against the value of the vehicle. There are other examples but this is probably the most visually impressive. (pics below)
Re: GM HEI, the most common failures were from substandard (aftermarket) modules. Staying away from cheap parts house brands (like Wells for example) would save many a headache. Also wise to carry a spare module in the glovebox, only takes a few minutes to swap out.
I've had points systems fail before too (ballast wire).

old school chevy timing set:
View attachment 105383
GM 3.6L ~2010
View attachment 105384
Audi 4.2L
View attachment 105385
Click to expand...
The dreaded serpentine belt! The backyard mechanic’s original foe! At least until the primarily Asian (or Ford/Mazda, Chrysler/Mitsubishi and other rebranded “American” cars and small pickups) command modules landed and forced all the high school auto shop students into Andy Granitelli’s Tuneup Masters smog programs. A dark day for a young man with a torque wrench, a timing light, and a decent set of Craftsmans.😕
 
Don't get me started!
It's worse I think over here in Europe. If your car is 10 years old, parts will be harder to find. If it's 15 years old, forget it. The one exception might be the most common vehicles on the road, but otherwise no dice. And I see almost none of those on the road anymore, so prolly no parts for them, either.

To make matters worse, they change parts each model year. So if your EGR valve fails, you can't replace it with the same part from a model produced one year earlier or later, because it's not just an EGR valve: it's got a sensor on it. And they changed the sensor and/or sensor programming year to year. Many sensors these days are just sensors - they're complete little computers connected to a sensor. Even the dealer will just throw their hands up in frustration.

To make matters EVEN WORSE, the car will run fine if you unplug the sensor on the "bad" EGR valve. But then a dashboard light (linked to an engine computer error code) shows up, and the car won't pass the "controle technique" (emissions + roadworthiness test) that's required every year or two depending on vehicle. Since it doesn't pass, you can't legally drive it and have it be insured.

So if the tech doesn't get you, the bureaucracy will! 😭

And no, for the 800th time, I do not want an electric car in their current form for the love of all that's holy... unless it's powered by a Mr. Fusion reactor, and I haven't seen one of those yet.
😂
 
I hope I'm not off-topic, but I must admit that I have a weakness for muscle cars from the 60s to the 70s, all of them! I was born in the middle of those years and I regret not having been able to get behind the wheel of a Camaro SS, Steve McQueen's Mustang, a Barracuda or a Road Runner, etc., turn the key and feel a big V8 make me vibrate 😁🤷. Lucky Americans! It's a bit nostalgic but I don't think it's the major problem for the environment.
 
Don Cesar said:
I hope I'm not off-topic, but I must admit that I have a weakness for muscle cars from the 60s to the 70s, all of them! I was born in the middle of those years and I regret not having been able to get behind the wheel of a Camaro SS, Steve McQueen's Mustang, a Barracuda or a Road Runner, etc., turn the key and feel a big V8 make me vibrate 😁🤷. Lucky Americans! It's a bit nostalgic but I don't think it's the major problem for the environment.
Click to expand...
I’ve owned FIVE Camaros since I was 16. I also had a 72 Gran Torino with a 428 Cobra Jet, and a 64 Galaxie with a 390. I still maintain that a wound up V8 under your pants will increase your vitality like nothing else. When I was a young man, I admitted that was conjecture. At 58, I’ve long moved from hypothesis to solid theory. Never has processing through the scientific method been so beneficial to the human libido. But I digress…You hit my weak spot!☺️
 
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