Promac - Hey, I resemble that remark! However that "family sedan" in my case is a late 60's, large displacement "beer burner & ricer" eater! The old addage, "there's no replacement for displacement" comes to mind.
Lots of the younger "hot rodders" have never rebuilt a carburetor, let alone gapped a set of points, so they also have no clue what ignition timing relative to piston speed is all about and have therefore never truly earned their wings!
It's one of the great things about these old Macs: simplicity, durability, and displacement!
Don't get me wrong, electronics has worked wonders for us, but displacement rules when it comes to making torque, which is what gets the work done.
And, when you know the old stuff, and how it works, the new stuff is easy.
Oh btw, the "family sedan" is a '69 Galaxie XLGT - 429cid 4bbl, C6, 9"
Arrr, Arrr, Arrr!
I did forget to mention the good old ass hauling v8 sedans of yesteryear were exempt from the "family sedan" statement I made. I have rebuilt several carbs (mostly small engine) and have done just about all of the cooling system on my VW, also have installed a cold air intake and a throttle body spacer on the Suburban. I like any good engine, the 350 SBC, 429 BBF, 460 BBF, L24, RB26DETT, 2JZGTE; all of them are very good engines.
As for the new stuff being easy, don't kid yourself. Go take a look in the engine bay of a 2005 Ford Taurus, look for the spark plugs, and ask yourself how the hell you're gonnaget to the three on the cylinder bank facing the firewall.
I still prefer less electronic bs.
For example, my Volkwagen Cabriolet has mechanical fuel injection, poor drivability is a bad vacuum line. Fix: carb cleaner. Simple. Gets you home easily. Try that with some fancy ass new Lexus. Bet it wouldn't be happy driving around with a snipped wire anywhere, it'd give you a dtc and blinking lights for a wire to the damn tailight being shorted out, annoying. Snipped wires on my VW probably wouldn't matter, as it would most likely be one for some accessory like the wipers or lights.
As for parts, would you like to have a rear backup sensor fail on your 2007 Suburban? (it was a customer vehicle, my Burb is a 1997) Guess what, you're out 700 bucks for the sensor, not including labor if you have it diagnosed and repaired at the shop. I hate all of this new bs, what happened to the good easy to fix problems, like a simple carb adjustment and fuel filter.
I despise working on most of the newer cars and trucks, it's infuriating to try to get to something on most of them. Everything is packed into the engine bay tighter than sardines in a can. It's ridiculous and stupid.
Also, 98% of new cars sold today don't get much, if any fuel economy improvements over an older car. Horsepower is not that much different, depending on the car. Heck, the Taurus my dad drives is barely a hair quicker and faster than my 1984 Maxima. The gas milage is quite close, too; despite my car being an "inefficient" straight six, compared to the v6 in the Taurus.
Just my opinion, though most of it is facts.
Classics rule, anything from the 1980's and back, IMHO, is a classic, now some were/are much better than others, lol.
why you have to bring THAT up in the middle of winter ??
Most people have forgotten the K.I.S.S. phrase. (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
