Has anyone gone Back to the Future?

[Sprintey]

Have any of you traded out your newer car, and gone back to motoring in something older? Was it done for ease of service/maintenance/simplicity?

Interested to hear from any that have. And also from those who run older/classics as a daily driver or a treat to use on holidays.

[superyob]

I never left the old behind. We have a Kuga, a BF ute and a ZD Fairlane. I will burn the first 2 before I get rid of my ZD...

[Ford17]

There was a member on here a few years ago, who sold their FG XR, and bought an XE Ghia instead.

I think this was the poster and the XE:
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showpos...postcount=1182

[Rallye Sport]

I'm always moving forward with my daily rides, AU to BA, now FG.
Weekenders are different though went from '80 Escort to '75 Cortina to now a '66 Cortina. I may go waaaay back soon as a Model T is on my bucket list.
Ultimately though I'd like the best of both, an AC Cobra replica, older styling with modern running gear.

[roKWiz]

Never went forward in the first place new cars simply don't interest me.
Newest vehicle I own is the 93 panel van. Non complicated cars and trucks for me.

[jmack]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Never went forward in the first place new cars simply don't interest me.
Newest vehicle I own is the 93 panel van. Non complicated cars and trucks for me.

Same here my next door neighbors are maltese ,no jones'es around h ere

[PG2]

Owned a 2012 FG MKII XR6 sedan as a daily/family hack back in 2014.

I sold it in 2017 because I bought a AUII XR8 220.

I now daily a 2002 AUIII Forte wagon.

[Citroënbender]

I’ve given it quite a lot of thought, if we start to suffer excessively nosy governments in relation to car telemetry, I’ll probably go to a 240 series Volvo.

[jaydee]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I’ve given it quite a lot of thought, if we start to suffer excessively nosy governments in relation to car telemetry, I’ll probably go to a 240 series Volvo.

If you do, go for a 242, a bit classier than a bog standard 240.
Not a lot, but a bit.

[mad2]

i did have an AU wagooon .... it died & upscaled to a BA wagooon. still want to get the EB wagooon back on the road


if i had the $ i'd go '69 VIP................ either one

[Giant Cranium]

yeh i went fg xr8 ute to bf xr8 ute and now have a au pursuit 250, the P250 has lasted the longest in the garage. simpler has been much more fun

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by jmack

Same here my next door neighbors are maltese ,no jones'es around h ere

Just Spiteri, Borg or Vella's

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

yeh i went fg xr8 ute to bf xr8 ute and now have a au pursuit 250, the P250 has lasted the longest in the garage. simpler has been much more fun

How do you find the difference between the 5.4L 4V compared to the 342(?)W?

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

How do you find the difference between the 5.4L 4V compared to the 342(?)W?

the 342 is much more fun, my boss 260 was an embarrassment, the 290 had character but the 5.6L leaves them for dead.

the windsor is also much lighter so steers much better. i wouldn't consider any thing with the boss in it now, id go straight to the 5.0 supercharged if i was to get out of the p250 but ill never sell it

[au2000]

Went from au to ba, ba to fg, fg to fgx, fgx back to fg, as daily, now the fg's are garage queens and the daily is a vs ute... Simpler and no f's given where parked etc

[Sprintey]

Great replies everyone. We have XW, ED and SY... do you know it's the XW that turns over most easily? Still trying to figure that out.

I started the thread as I've been thinking going back to carby-petrols, where I can adjust it by hand/screwdriver. And I was wondering if anyone is making something like that a daily.... I used to be OK on tuning carbs when I was young. Honestly don't use cars much at the moment, so a petrol is OK to potter to the shops or the beach even if it chews a bit. A nice 3F in a Cruiser would be ace. (You learn to live with the flat spot in the acceleration, but otherwise it's punchy and has torque down low).

Modern cars, connectivity and the electrics.... not for me. I also note the roof linings do not last half as long as the older cars! SY is sagging, XW isn't!

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Never went forward in the first place new cars simply don't interest me.
Newest vehicle I own is the 93 panel van. Non complicated cars and trucks for me.

Agree, this would be my reason too.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

the 342 is much more fun, my boss 260 was an embarrassment, the 290 had character but the 5.6L leaves them for dead.

the windsor is also much lighter so steers much better. i wouldn't consider any thing with the boss in it now, id go straight to the 5.0 supercharged if i was to get out of the p250 but ill never sell it

The lightness & steering of the ED Sprint is a total highlight, go karty in the right turns. 342 must be nuts.

[arronm]

I am about to stick a 308 with carb in a 2000 nissan patrol

[Sprintey]

Awesome arronm! That would be a beast. You are in Perth? That thing would go really well in the dunes up at Lancelin, or 4wd tracks up to the Wedge. Used to love that area.

[Ford Falcon XR6]

I sold my xh xr6 about 5 years ago to buy a ba xr6 turbo. 6 months later decided the ba wasn't for me contacted the fella who I sold my xh to and as luck would have it he was thinking of getting rid of a car so I bought my old xh back off him. Best thing I ever did I still daily it and absolutely love it. 305,000ks still no issues!

[au2000]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Great replies everyone. We have XW, ED and SY... do you know it's the XW that turns over most easily? Still trying to figure that out.

I started the thread as I've been thinking going back to carby-petrols, where I can adjust it by hand/screwdriver. And I was wondering if anyone is making something like that a daily.... I used to be OK on tuning carbs when I was young. Honestly don't use cars much at the moment, so a petrol is OK to potter to the shops or the beach even if it chews a bit. A nice 3F in a Cruiser would be ace. (You learn to live with the flat spot in the acceleration, but otherwise it's punchy and has torque down low).

Modern cars, connectivity and the electrics.... not for me. I also note the roof linings do not last half as long as the older cars! SY is sagging, XW isn't!

Up until 12 months ago when i got the vs, the previous daily for about 2 years was my hx...ahh the good old 202...

[wodahs]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Awesome arronm! That would be a beast. You are in Perth? That thing would go really well in the dunes up at Lancelin, or 4wd tracks up to the Wedge. Used to love that area.

youd think but one thing i remember having issues with was the carb floats for up n down dunes when converting the ol cruisers to v8 pet hol/chev/ford
ended up using carbs with side floats rather than front rear

didnt seem to have the issue as much with the dune buggy rear mount motor v8s behind the vw combi diffs tho

[Schtoo]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Have any of you traded out your newer car, and gone back to motoring in something older? Was it done for ease of service/maintenance/simplicity?

Interested to hear from any that have. And also from those who run older/classics as a daily driver or a treat to use on holidays.

I've never traded a car in. Ever. Probably never will based on my foreseeable future.


Every car I've had I've either killed dead, sold/given to someone else or still have it.



About the closest I've come is to buy a 9 year old car to park next to an 8 month old one, and that was because it made no sense to do 5-10 minute trips in a spanky new automobile when I could use a 3/4 worn out one to do that kind of driving. Probably saved the cost of the older car in wear and tear on the new one. Had a lot more affection for the older one too.



I'm looking to avoid breaking that 9 year old 'standard' with the next purchase, something 2010 or newer but mostly to make sure I can't miss out on some added features which were added from 2010 on as standard.


Anyway...


I have used an older car, a much older car, for a daily. Killed a 1975 one and drove grandpa's 1964 Falcon to work every day for about 6 months. It will not be something I'll do ever again because while the old thing is interesting to drive being docile, slow and steady, it's also not really suitable to drive day in day out any more. Traffic has moved on since I did that nearly 20 years ago (heck I'm old!). It's an auto, still has drums all round and while it will stop and stop well, it's realistically got as much braking in all 4 drums and tyres as one disc and tyre on the actual daily drivers. It's got half the power, 1/4 the acceleration and 1/100 of the safety the actual daily drivers have as well, so no thank you. I drive it to work about as often as grandpa did, once a month.



It's not that it's 'unsafe', but it's unsafe with all the other id10ts out there on the daily grind. You get given a LOT of room to play with, but that doesn't stop someone multitasking behind the wheel ruining your day, and with the safety 'tech' in older cars, possibly ruining the rest of your short life if you have a proper crash.


(The non-collapsible steering column in the XM is always on my mind when I'm driving it.)


If I happened to decide to use something older to drive on a daily basis, I'd retromod the bejeezles out of it. Modern engine, brakes and whatnot. I'd make sure it had the 'basics' of safety like discs all round, something of a solid body and if I was serious, I'd beef up the thing with a cage or something. Not in your face, but a hoop, tie in the shock tops and bars along the bottom of the doors. At least give myself a fighting chance to walk away if something happens.



But that's me. I love older cars, but I'm under no illusions about their true capabilities in modern traffic and wouldn't willingly take one out there more than occasionally without bringing it up to modern standards.


Or to put it another way...


"Life is tough, wear a helmet".


Stu.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Great replies everyone. We have XW, ED and SY... do you know it's the XW that turns over most easily? Still trying to figure that out.

I started the thread as I've been thinking going back to carby-petrols, where I can adjust it by hand/screwdriver. And I was wondering if anyone is making something like that a daily.... I used to be OK on tuning carbs when I was young. Honestly don't use cars much at the moment, so a petrol is OK to potter to the shops or the beach even if it chews a bit. A nice 3F in a Cruiser would be ace. (You learn to live with the flat spot in the acceleration, but otherwise it's punchy and has torque down low).

Modern cars, connectivity and the electrics.... not for me. I also note the roof linings do not last half as long as the older cars! SY is sagging, XW isn't!

Yep, the 250 carby engine was the main reason I bought it (besides being a Pvan.) disconnected the EST and replace the dizzy with a modified XE one, Apart from that its bog stock and like new.
I think the only car I would ever consider over it would be another mid 70s Holden panel van but we all know how hard they are to find now.

[PooDog]

Does this count ? Bought a new Triton wasnt fussed on the predator faced new model and didnt want the extra tech (lane departure warning etc) already enough crap squawking at you so got the old model

[Sprintey]

Arnie rejected the predator and look how influential he has been.

[ebv8]

i had an FG , sold that and i bought a low km AU, best car ever but i just sold that for a BA XR8 just because 'V8'

put it this way, my old man bought a new 2014 Pajero, $47000, its great on diesel about 8-10l/100km, heaps of power, tows well but cost about $1000 to service via the dealer every year so in 6 years it has near cost $6k there, and its now insured for $20,000 and only has 80,000km so in 6 years its cost $33,000 so thats $5,500 a year

i could buy a BA XR8 every year for that money or 5 AU's

[Polyal]

I would have no hesitation buying a minter AU, doing the normal serviceable items and updating it a bit over buying a new hatch back etc.

[Sprintey]

A BA XR8 every year instead of the cost in depreciation... consider what the value of that might be worth in 10 years.

And agree on the AU to potter around in, very inexpensive motoring if you get the right one.