Waxing nostalgic

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Roy M

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May 31, 2017
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southern British Columbia
A poster on another thread mentioned his dad's 69 F-100 with three on the tree, it got me thinking about how far we have come for better or for worse. My parents got into rv'ing with a used TC and a brand new 65 GMC 920. Standard cab, all that was available, and 283 2 barrel the only V-8 option. Three in the tree, dealer talked him out of the automatic and no p/s or p/b. All steel dash, no air bags, cruise control or power windows but at least we could change the points, spark plugs and fan belt. He paid $2700 for it. :eek:
They kept the truck for five years. It was an evil handling beast with the overhead camper, even worse when dad built a wider one so he could stretch is 6'3" frame on the bed. It was called a 3/4 ton but really a heavy half, the dealer knew squat about specing for a camper. His truck customers were farmers and tradesmen. He replaced it with a full 3/4 ton with a 350 and automatic. It had power brakes and power steering,

 
Yeah, those were the days, but thankfully we've come along way since then.

When I think back about how my muscle cars handled and rode back in the day, I'm kind of surprised I even survived them. Stick shifts were supreme and nobody wanted a "slush box".  And the performance I thought was so hot at the time would not stand up to my Buick V6 sedan today. At various times I had a Charger R/T 440, a Chrysler 300H Hemi, and a hot Firebird with the shaker hood and big V8. Loved them all back then but now they all belong in car shows rather than demonstrating their prowess on the highway.
 
We packed our eight kids into the back of an old pick up with an eight foot bed (stick shift) and gave them a canvas tarp to pull over them, ( in case it rained) and then  headed to New Hampshire where we camped in an old hand me down army tent.
Today I would get arrested for child abuse

Now they are all college grads making big bucks and love to talk about what a wonderful childhood they had.

Jack L
 
JackL said:
We packed our eight kids into the back of an old pick up with an eight foot bed (stick shift) and gave them a canvas tarp to pull over them, ( in case it rained) and then  headed to New Hampshire where we camped in an old hand me down army tent.
Today I would get arrested for child abuse

Now they are all college grads making big bucks and love to talk about what a wonderful childhood they had.

Jack L
Click to expand...

My twins occasionally bring up the time we drove from NH to FL and back in 1977 and they rode in the back of the truck. We did have a cap and a intercom system. They had toys, coloring books and whatever. I found a old school bus heater and ran water lines from the engine block to the heater. It had a fan on the backside which was controlled by a wall thermostat. The temperature was in the 20's outside and they were back there in their pajamas.
 
You would be arrested for that now. ;D We kids rode in the upper bunk in that camper, we had a great view. I hate to think of what would happen if dad had to stop suddenly or got in a collision. Mom also wanted the tailgate up in case the door came open and we fell out, not a prayer in the event of a fire. Actually we were more likely to throw the body on the highway.
 
Talk about arrested; we should have been!! In 1958 a friend and I departed Bangor ME for Ft Lauderdale FL in my 1953 Chevy. The gas tank was rusted out (sure glad they don't build em like they used to) so we had a five gallon salad oil can propped up with clothes and sundry other stuff in the trunk full of gas. It had a piece of hose connected to the gas line stuck in the open hole in the top where the cap went. We made it! ;D

Ernie

Note: we actually went to Ft Kent, ME and continued to Key West, FL so we drove the entire length of US 1; not my recommended route.
 
My Dad's first car in the olde country was a Gordon 3-wheeled car powered by a 197cc 2-cycle engine. The only door was on the passenger side and if/when the engine stalled, Dad would remove the drivers side window, climb out, and kickstart the engine.

Since the engine was mounted outboard on the drivers side, only one of the rear wheels was driven by a chain.

Behind the front seats was a cargo bin. Ours didn't have a lid for the bin, and I sat transverse on a cushion in the bin. We had many fun times in that little car, until eventually Dad bought his first 4-wheel Ford.

http://www.3wheelers.com/gordon.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAzg5PEIzpM

FWIW Gordon was owned by Vernon's, one of the three football pool companies in the UK at the time.
 
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