How old is to old for safe modern freeway traffic.

Yeah, we figured that out after a little while. Very odd pattern.

Re: the Thunderbird talk, totally agree that it feels a world different than the '66 Mustang. and re: the overheating issue, we have electric fans on the T-bird but still have the mechanical fan on the Mustang. The T-bird had a nut and bolt restoration and will run all day (even if our backs can't take it). The Mustang has received an "as needed" restoration and is mostly original (at some paint it had a medium quality re-paint from Bronze to Poppy Red. So for example, during the Woodward Dream Cruise, it won't last more than a half hour at the worst bits before we have to take it to a side road to get it some air.

If I were to inherit the Mustang I am torn as to what to do with it. I'd obviously love to make it drive and work better, but it also is a very original car and it can only be that way once.

I rock the race rabbit to work on nice days and have no fears about it's driveability. My main issue is how invisible it is, even with being louder than hell. My concern has kept me from tucking the Bumpers as I'd hate to total it over a 10mph incident.

Hungary Bill wrote: My requirements were 4-wheels with brakes, lap belts, and an engine that will idle at a stoplight. Then I had a kid.

This. It's now pretty important to some folks that I go on earning money and coming home every night.

You need to put yourself into the equation. How risk adverse are you?

I noticed that I have stopped driving my 1967 MGB GT because it no longer feel right on the highway. With single circuit brakes, lap belts and without so much as 4 way flashers if it should break down, my risk level did not want to deal with being on the shoulder with a broke car.

tuna55 wrote:

Hungary Bill wrote: My requirements were 4-wheels with brakes, lap belts, and an engine that will idle at a stoplight. Then I had a kid.

This. It's now pretty important to some folks that I go on earning money and coming home every night.

That's why I carry a large life insurance and disability policy.

iceracer wrote: You guys are a bunch of wimps.

Yeah you won't be saying that when a brake line decides to let go at highway speed with a single master cylinder setup.

Depends on the modern freeway traffic, for a weekend toy, if it will hit 60 in under 20 seconds and maintain it comfortably, has been fitted with dual circuit brakes of reasonable stopping power, and is in generally good structural and mechanical shape, I'd drive it.

If we're talking commute, I wouldn't feel comfortable in anything old enough to be designed without a collapsible steering column and shoulder belts, so ~1968.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

iceracer wrote: You guys are a bunch of wimps.

Yeah you won't be saying that when a brake line decides to let go at highway speed with a single master cylinder setup.

Honest question. Do they really fail that often? I've never had it happen in over 30 years of driving and I've owned a bunch of old crappy cars in my time. Maybe it's a rust belt thing.

wearymicrobe wrote:

Will wrote: I have a 57 T-Bird, so I can say with some confidence that the early T-birds are notorious for running hot. If you're talking about slow traffic, and a 100% pure restoration, then that would actually be one of my biggest concerns. Obviously, lots of people drove old cars, including T-Birds like that one, on the freeway for a long time. But the older it gets, the worse it gets compared to other cars. Back then, it could probably brake better than other cars on the road, since it was marginally smaller/lighter. But today, everything is going to stop faster/shorter, and if you're not paying attention, that could be a problem.

Do you enjoy the ownership of one. that is the 100K question. I have a ton of modified cars from that era and had a blast but they were compromised to look pretty. As for the braking distance my 28' roadster has to be 10x worst then any Tbird with factory brakes. I am totally used to driving predicatively. Car is 98% restored. It does have electronic ignition, a modern radiator and has a set of modern tires on it currently not bias plys.

I love my 57, but it's modified...a lot. Check out my garage if you want to see, but it's got EFI, discs, 5-speed, power windows, am/fm radio, etc. And it's much more fun to drive in this condition than it was when it was stock. In stock shape, it had a huge dead spot in the steering, it was slow and listed around corners like a battleship. And they're small inside, very small. But even stock, I think looking out over that big hood scoop will make you smile as you drive along.

Haven't heard from Weary what all it does at speed. My '54 Bel-Air would do 65 all day with a 235 six and a power glide. (keep your hands low on the wheel)

Toyman01 wrote:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

iceracer wrote: You guys are a bunch of wimps.

Yeah you won't be saying that when a brake line decides to let go at highway speed with a single master cylinder setup.

Honest question. Do they really fail that often? I've never had it happen in over 30 years of driving and I've owned a bunch of old crappy cars in my time. Maybe it's a rust belt thing.

It happened to me twice, first in a '74 Subaru and then in my '64 Chevy C-10 pickup. Not a great feeling when it happens. I drove a lot of really crappy vehicles when I was younger.

i drove my 54 belair on the highway one time with the original suspension, 125hp 6 cylinder and 2 speed transmission. it did 70 but was screaming, and did not feel all that stable.

with upgrade to modern-ish suspension, 200 more hp, one more gear between low and direct, and 3.55 to 2.73 gears, it's a whole different animal. like stable at 120, stuck to the road, and gets there in a hurry different. i don't have a problem keeping up, people have a problem keeping up with me.

the 66 rambler did fine on the highway and felt comfortable at 65.

Toyman01 wrote:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

iceracer wrote: You guys are a bunch of wimps.

Yeah you won't be saying that when a brake line decides to let go at highway speed with a single master cylinder setup.

Honest question. Do they really fail that often? I've never had it happen in over 30 years of driving and I've owned a bunch of old crappy cars in my time. Maybe it's a rust belt thing.

I had a dual circuit mc fail on me at speed. The e brake got us stopped, then got us home so I don't see it as that huge of a deal. I just make sure the e brake is adjusted and working on all my cars regardless of system.

Toyman01 wrote: Honest question. Do they really fail that often? I've never had it happen in over 30 years of driving and I've owned a bunch of old crappy cars in my time. Maybe it's a rust belt thing.

Definitely rust belt. Hasn't happened to me in a while, but I've probably blown a dozen or more brake lines.

I will add that I daily drove my 72 GMC with a three-on-the-tree, manual steering, manual brakes, too-tall 1st gear, no A/C, no real heat, no radio, no exhaust with a bench and a lap belt for almost a year before I started tearing into it and honestly it wasn't a big deal. Plenty of power, suspension was tight enough, the brakes worked great (front discs) when you used your body weight. I probably should have left it together.

We can assume that you guys know how to maintain your brakes. That's crash avoidance.

Crash safety is the cars collide bit. Many new cars are much tougher than the cars we love. See how easily this small Renault punches though a Volvo 940 wagon. Youtube: Renault Kills Volvo 940 Wagon

Zomby Woof wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: Honest question. Do they really fail that often? I've never had it happen in over 30 years of driving and I've owned a bunch of old crappy cars in my time. Maybe it's a rust belt thing.

Definitely rust belt. Hasn't happened to me in a while, but I've probably blown a dozen or more brake lines.

This^^

I've had it happen to me twice on a single master system. Once on a Corvair, which was a rubber hose that decided to pop. Not so much Rust Belt, more or less dry rot.

The other was my Chevelle, which was a metal line that had decided to become one with the earth again and popped.

Both were while I was on the Highway, so luckily I could use the parking brake to stop.

I had a line pop on my Cherokee last winter and luckily the front brakes still had plenty of stopping power.

Streetwiseguy wrote: .... I won't drive an un-modified 60's Mopar.

Is this a "lots of power, no brakes" thing?

Never driven a 60's Mopar, but I hear it's an issue.

Corvairs are generally fine at modern speeds, but the full independent suspension and way large brakes (for the era) help a lot.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

iceracer wrote: You guys are a bunch of wimps.

Yeah you won't be saying that when a brake line decides to let go at highway speed with a single master cylinder setup.

Ahhh.... my wifes 122S... not @ highways speeds, but the hills in NE Pa, the Poconos... my wife lost the master cylinder on her way from Wilkes Barre to our home... some VERY hilly roads.... but she just kept cool, and didn't overdrive it, she down shifted for the hills, and add a bit of handbrake when needed.... she made it home... she had 2 of my friends in the car... and they were duly impressed!!

LuxInterior wrote: Crash safety is the cars collide bit. Many new cars are much tougher than the cars we love. See how easily this small Renault punches though a Volvo 940 wagon. Youtube: Renault Kills Volvo 940 Wagon

Yup, cars designed not to meet offset frontal crash standards do poorly when thrown into a test for them, especially a car whose design dates back to the early 80s.

In reply to aircooled:

No brakes and scary handling. I still have vivid memories of test-driving a '69 Charger General Lee replica back in 1990. The '82 Subaru 4WD wagon I was driving at the time felt like a sports car in comparison. Plowing, tire-squeaking under-steer beyond anything someone used to modern cars (modern: anything newer than 1980) can imagine.

oldeskewltoy wrote:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

iceracer wrote: You guys are a bunch of wimps.

Yeah you won't be saying that when a brake line decides to let go at highway speed with a single master cylinder setup.

Ahhh.... my wifes 122S... not @ highways speeds, but the hills in NE Pa, the Poconos... my wife lost the master cylinder on her way from Wilkes Barre to our home... some VERY hilly roads.... but she just kept cool, and didn't overdrive it, she down shifted for the hills, and add a bit of handbrake when needed.... she made it home... she had 2 of my friends in the car... and they were duly impressed!!

Reminds me of the time Sonic and I took a 72 VW bug with knackered brakes through the Tail of the Dragon (parts to repair waited on the other side) Engine brake, hand brake and judicious use of what remained of the hydro system got us through just fine.

I had a '64 Plymouth Savoy as a first car and it handled the highway fine. That said, I don't remember having it over 65 more than a few times. I wish I had the thing back. I imagine that if I did I'd focus on wholesale change on the braking system and then try to modernize engine management.

pres589 wrote: I had a '64 Plymouth Savoy as a first car and it handled the highway fine. That said, I don't remember having it over 65 more than a few times.

The fastest I've ever driven on the street (~120mph) was in my dad's 1961 Pontiac Catalina, but I was young and stupid at the time.

I would happily cruise in traffic in a 32 Model A or '58 MGA if I had one....but I ride motorcycles, so none of this is even an issue to be concerned with in my opinion.

Also, obligatory pictures of the '55 baby bird are required.