Why so high?

[rat rod]

roscobbc said:

When I tell other Vette owners I removed the T Tops and rear window from May thru' September (unless raining - when generally unless caught out somewhere I won't be driving it) they look at me as if I'm bonkers (I probably am, but thats another story) - some, never, ever remove the T Tops. I hate the things - they squeak and rattle in harmony with the engine or poor road surfaces. But worse that that even with the tops off, get caught in heavy traffic and its like sharing a room with a Bessemer Converter or Blast Furnace. I've been in stationery traffic (can't stop the engine as heat soak generally prevents re-start) and the heat haze from the 'gills' in the side of the front fenders has been so great that any items several hundred yards in front appear to be 'floating' in mid air (just like those mirage images from the Sahara desert). When you do eventually get on the move the blast of heat coming from the engine compartment and under the dash is sufficient to make your eyes water..........

Not just me then .sounds a nightmare on a 32 c day in London traffic .

Don't see the point in leaving the T tops on especially in the summer,a bit like leaving the hard top on a roadster.

That's when you need your C6 with ice cold air conditioning ,just cruise through the traffic looking cool. .

The huge wraparound windscreen and equally big rear window so close to your head is the worst

feature on a hot day in a 59/60 Le Camino's ,

This is where we need both modern and classic depending on where and when we are planning driving.

[aeropilot]

P5BNij said:

I also keep meaning to go to some of the single marque shows at Stanford Hall which only ten miles away, we always go to the Mini one in September but somehow I keep missing the Italian / Porsche / VW etc shows.

Edited by P5BNij on Monday 23 May 15:58

Happy memories of Stanford Hall, its where the Ford AVO OC National Days were all through the 80's and 90's, as well as the RSOC ones as well in the 80's.

We used to have great convoy runs coming up from NW London/Herts area, up the A5, and turn off down the lanes to Crick and thru Yelvertoft to Stanford Hall.

Happy days.


Not been back there since June 2000.

[newsatten]

Cheers guys your all helping with my bereavement!
I used to leave the heater on and have full fan running to help with keeping the old girl cooler,
Factor in sticky crappy vinyl seats and a sweaty bum is always on the cards !
Fall out the car then pull out ya wedgey
Lovely

[rat rod]

P5BNij said:

I've got quite a few yank shows / gatherings pencilled in over the next few months, some of which actually coincide with me having a day off! Even after all the covid stuff there are several weekends where there are at least two or three different shows on around the country so there's plenty of choice. Got a few Mini ones jotted down too which the other half likes to go to. As for the Italians, there's a smallish but very good one at the Sharnbrook Hotel in Bedfordshire on 5th June, handily it's right on the A6 main road but sadly it clashes with the Mini one at Gaydon. There's also the annual Midlands Italian Car Day (MITCAR) in Derbyshire on 19th June which I'll try and get too, it's pre-booked tickets only but well worth a look...

https://www.aroc-uk.com/eastmids/mitcar.html

I've been to a couple of these MITCAR dos and they're really good, everything from Fiat 500s to rare exotica turns up. Still got the 430 haven't you...?

I also keep meaning to go to some of the single marque shows at Stanford Hall which only ten miles away, we always go to the Mini one in September but somehow I keep missing the Italian / Porsche / VW etc shows.

Edited by P5BNij on Monday 23 May 15:58

Thanks for the info, the midlands meeting is just about doable if not much else on that day nearer home ,

Got the Ferrari owners club at Goodwood next week right on my doorstep .

Worth going just to take the piss out of the hooray Henry's in their their his and hers Ferrari's caps,jackets

and umbrella's ,

Still got the 430 but "Collecting Cars" are having another go at selling it ,going live tomorrow , can feel another

shopping trip coming on if successful ,

Just had my Beaulieu tickets confirmed ,only 15 minutes up the road so need to go to that one.

Just asked about the Italian meetings as i thought you may be taking the masa to one of them and we could have a meet up.

[rat rod]

newsatten said:

Cheers guys your all helping with my bereavement!
I used to leave the heater on and have full fan running to help with keeping the old girl cooler,
Factor in sticky crappy vinyl seats and a sweaty bum is always on the cards !
Fall out the car then pull out ya wedgey
Lovely

Hate to say it but you may well have done the right thing but still not easy after

all these years of driving yanks but it's not if there will be another one in the garage just when.

Seriously thinking about moving the Chevy on after Saterday 's trip,

Looks so cool though but your the one with heat stroke and fighting to keep it in a straight line

on the motorway ruts with those stupid 17" wheels alone with the front dropped spindles and coil overs on the rear

not making things easy , what the hell must 20" one's be like, Mucie or not aero's right in saying it would be better with a auto box .

My other 59 was on 15" Touque Thrusts and air ride and drove lovely but still got to hot inside.

[newsatten]

rat rod said:

newsatten said:

Cheers guys your all helping with my bereavement!
I used to leave the heater on and have full fan running to help with keeping the old girl cooler,
Factor in sticky crappy vinyl seats and a sweaty bum is always on the cards !
Fall out the car then pull out ya wedgey
Lovely

Hate to say it but you may well have done the right thing but still not easy after

all these years of driving yanks but it's not if there will be another one in the garage just when.

Seriously thinking about moving the Chevy on after Saterday 's trip,

Looks so cool though but your the one with heat stroke and fighting to keep it in a straight line

on the motorway ruts with those stupid 17" wheels alone with the front dropped spindles and coil overs on the rear

not making things easy , what the hell must 20" one's be like, Mucie or not aero's right in saying it would be better with a auto box .

My other 59 was on 15" Touque Thrusts and air ride and drove lovely but still got to hot inside.

Believe me if my circumstances were different id still have or buy another in a heart beat!
I just cant afford one now! theres other stuff thats far more important, and when i factor in stupid fuel costs, rammed and closed roads everywhere it just has taken some of the magic away, plus living down here puts a 100 miles on any journey into middle/South England, which is were the vast majority of the Old car buzz is..............................................F--k all down here............................................

It all has conspired to completely suck the fun out of it, which to be honest should make it easier to call time,

Perhaps you should give the Chevy a bit more of a chance? i think my buyer was slightly disappointed/unnerved by the RT?
The Elle sounds a bit of a lump so its going to feel unlike anything else youve driven for awhile! Lambo/430 it aint :rof

[aeropilot]

rat rod said:

My other 59 was on 15" Touque Thrusts and air ride and drove lovely but still got to hot inside.

That sounds much more '59-like.....just needed Vintage Air installed, and job done

[newsatten]

Yep retro fit Air Con has now got to be a consideration when doing a proper restoration now,
It’s all about making the car useable, this applies to everything,
Like it or not we’ve all got so used the full power options , cold air etc
And on todays roads it’s all very necessary!

[rat rod]

Not the 430/Lambo to to blame more the Lexus , seem i've spent to much time in it over the last

3 years, it was a revelation driving it yesterday after Saterday in the Camino, or maybe i'm turning into a right wuss.

I need to fit 15" wheels and see where we go ,

My mate said that it will cure 75% of my problem if not more and no point in

looking at anything else until they are fitted ,

As for the air conditioning not sure it's worth it for the amount i'll use it .

I'll just drive it on cloudy days

[aeropilot]

My mate in the USA was watching the Mecum auction live at the weekend.......and one of the 22 Charger Daytona Hemi 4 speed cars was up for sale, the only one made in Green with Green interior......







It sold for bang in the middle of its estimate value



Note the estimate and sale price of the Hemi Cuda below, sold way under estimate, which Dave most of everything else was similar selling quite a bit under estimate, unless really special like the Daytona.

[rat rod]

aeropilot said:

My mate in the USA was watching the Mecum auction live at the weekend.......and one of the 22 Charger Daytona Hemi 4 speed cars was up for sale, the only one made in Green with Green interior......







It sold for bang in the middle of its estimate value



Note the estimate and sale price of the Hemi Cuda below, sold way under estimate, which Dave most of everything else was similar selling quite a bit under estimate, unless really special like the Daytona.

Rarity will always bring in big money,the prices of the others although quite rare are just dragged up by them .

Said a few years ago that these prices can't continue but they do , Not really in the real world to me.

[aeropilot]

rat rod said:

Rarity will always bring in big money,the prices of the others although quite rare are just dragged up by them .

Said a few years ago that these prices can't continue but they do , Not really in the real world to me.

He regularily watches the US auctions live, and he said apart from a few rare and special stuff, he reckoned the bubble looked to have burst a bit at this auction (compared with the Mecum one back in Jan) and reckoned that many owners were clearly desperate to sell.

[newsatten]

I think the slide has started pretty much everywhere now,
As the number of actual genuine buyers drop so will prices,
Probably won’t dive but think yanks in particular will be hit harder than say Escorts and the like,
The fuel cost now are a major concern if one’s motor only does 14-15 mpg!
It’s was one pound a litre when I brought the RT in April 17
Almost twice that now,
Scary stuff ,

[roscobbc]

newsatten said:

I think the slide has started pretty much everywhere now,
As the number of actual genuine buyers drop so will prices,
Probably won’t dive but think yanks in particular will be hit harder than say Escorts and the like,
The fuel cost now are a major concern if one’s motor only does 14-15 mpg!
It’s was one pound a litre when I brought the RT in April 17
Almost twice that now,
Scary stuff ,

One hopes that fuel prices will 'normalise' and go back to a more sensible figure (but we all know they won't) - at best they'll drop back a little but no where near where they were and a 'sensible' figure. It'll all be part of the establishments plan and ammunition to switch us over to electric vehicles anyway - we can we sure it will be used for leverage. The problem in the UK is fuel being priced in litres - when you calculate in to gallons its horrific. I took the Vette down to the nearest Esso station last week in readieness for our monthly Vette meeting the same night. Put £35's worth of 99 Supreme........I'm sure I only got 19 litres for my money.....thats 4 gallons........I'll say it again.......4 gallons. Enough for perhaps 45/50 miles........Any trips now have to be 100% certain. My missus moaned at me......."why didn't you get the fuel from a garage on the way out later on the way to the meeting" (I could have done)..."you must have wasted a gallon going to the garage". She was almost right, it was a 7 or 8 mile round trip........in the end I didn't use the Vette that evening........weather forecast was crap, major storms predicted (which did happen in the end) - I can't get over the £4 gallons for £35 somehow, ts killing the hobby as we used to know it. Now resigned (like Newsatten) to the fact I can't keep it up. Don't even want to use the car anymore (Well I probably could - but all logic say's otherwise)

[rat rod]

roscobbc said:

newsatten said:

I think the slide has started pretty much everywhere now,
As the number of actual genuine buyers drop so will prices,
Probably won’t dive but think yanks in particular will be hit harder than say Escorts and the like,
The fuel cost now are a major concern if one’s motor only does 14-15 mpg!
It’s was one pound a litre when I brought the RT in April 17
Almost twice that now,
Scary stuff ,

One hopes that fuel prices will 'normalise' and go back to a more sensible figure (but we all know they won't) - at best they'll drop back a little but no where near where they were and a 'sensible' figure. It'll all be part of the establishments plan and ammunition to switch us over to electric vehicles anyway - we can we sure it will be used for leverage. The problem in the UK is fuel being priced in litres - when you calculate in to gallons its horrific. I took the Vette down to the nearest Esso station last week in readieness for our monthly Vette meeting the same night. Put 35's worth of 99 Supreme........I'm sure I only got 19 litres for my money.....thats 4 gallons........I'll say it again.......4 gallons. Enough for perhaps 45/50 miles........Any trips now have to be 100% certain. My missus moaned at me......."why didn't you get the fuel from a garage on the way out later on the way to the meeting" (I could have done)..."you must have wasted a gallon going to the garage". She was almost right, it was a 7 or 8 mile round trip........in the end I didn't use the Vette that evening........weather forecast was crap, major storms predicted (which did happen in the end) - I can't get over the 4 gallons for 35 somehow, ts killing the hobby as we used to know it. Now resigned (like Newsatten) to the fact I can't keep it up. Don't even want to use the car anymore (Well I probably could - but all logic say's otherwise)

Put 50 worth of petrol in the Camino on Saterday plus there was a drop left from collecting it,

Goodwood is under 40 miles , Looked at the fuel gauge as i pulled out to go home and it was bang on empty.

Got a new sender unit so is accurate for a change ,

Put a further £ 60 worth in and was still showing some left when i got home but not a lot.

[Gtxxjon]

Just love that F8 green Daytona!

My F8 Charger 500 was cloned up as a Daytona in the past.
It was converted back in the 90’s but never finished.

So I bought a date coded hemi and was going to do the Daytona thing again lol.

Might still do it for laugh...

When I told Tony Oksien of my plan he went mentals...
So I took his advice and didn’t.

I miss him a lot, a wonderful Moparman...

Gtxxjohn

[Gtxxjon]

I can’t see anyone driving the F8 Daytona lol.

4 speed, super track pac Dana 60 rear axle with 4.10 gears...

My Mopar mate recently bought a 70 sixpack Challenger off Duncan Watts.
That was an ex super stock race car.
‘Super track pac’ Dana axle with an auto box.

He only drove it ‘the once’ and the fuel gauge went down ‘very quickly’...
Out came the axle and a sensible 3.54 8-3/4 axle was fitted.

Chrysler did make an overdrive box and I got one for the Charger.
But the chances of me driving it here in Kent on the ‘unmade’ roads blocked with lorries is slim...

Looks like the ‘old girl’ will be going back the wide open spaces of America!

Still got my 1971 GTX so I will have to drop the XX in my handle lol.
Ps I have fitted a 2.76 diff in her for my poodling around.
The 4.56’s that was in there may never get used again...

GtxJohn

Edited by Gtxxjon on Tuesday 24th May 12:00

[Gtxxjon]

Think I may have already told this story?

The ex Richard Hammond Charger was a 4 speed super track pac car.
My Moparmate in Surrey restored her as a Dukes Charger.

It was mint but ran like poo!
The engine was was too highly tuned for the street...

But she did have a great day at the Thames studios for a Dukes fest on the Graham Norton show!

We got stuck in traffic on the Southbank and thought she would boil over.
But we made it and got home late at night when it was much cooler.

The owner was ‘over the moon’ with his and the Chargers ‘one day of fame’.
The fuel bill was horrendous and he sold the Charger asap...

Be careful what you wish for?

Gtxjohn

[some bloke]

I have only driven my Impala about 1000 miles in the year I have had it - lockdown and not being that confident about reliability have kept me close to home. I have replaced a lot of bits and pieces and it seems to be running well so I will do a longer trip away in a couple of weeks. I suspect the fuel bill will be financial sodomy but I didn't buy it for economy.
If it's too painful I'll look into a set of taller gears. An o/d gearbox would be the sensible option but I like the originality of the 2 speed sludgematic.

[aeropilot]

some bloke said:

If it's too painful I'll look into a set of taller gears. An o/d gearbox would be the sensible option but I like the originality of the 2 speed sludgematic.

Taller gears with a PG might not work too well, as most PG cars already run tall gears....?
You can keep the originality of the 2-speed PG slushmatic............and still add overdrive with a Gear Vendors overdrive unit on the back of the original PG box.

https://www.gearvendors.com/index.html