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"Back in the day" Old fart rants.


Turbroke

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I'm 46 years old and damn happy about it. I learned about life and how to be a man from my father and grandfather back in a time before cell phones, answering machines, cable tv, computers/internet, video games, GPS, On Star, seatbelts, central air conditioning, bike helmets, political correctness, anti-harassment laws, ABS and color TV. I grew up in the country and learned to fish, hunt, hike, work on cars, trucks and bikes, build a shed, play guitar, raise holy hell, chase girls and do a thousand other things that didn't even require an electrical outlet. Hell, I even read books. Back then the government, law enforcement and the media were so far away from our everyday lives; if they were to vanish completely it would have been months before anybody even noticed. People minded their own business and dealt with whatever came up face to face with one another. We had respect, trust, communities, privacy and freedom. (tons of fun too!) And the cars and trucks you could buy back then for next to nothing!!! Big, fast, gas guzzlin' monsters that are "collectables" now with a million acres of "junk" parts to pick from for dirt cheap prices. Cheap gas too. Just sayin'. It wasn't that long ago, was it? Just an old farts rant I reckon. I sure miss those days in America and forever grateful I lived during times like that. It sounds like a weird fairy tale to my sons, but it was real...Wasn't it. Got an "old fart rant" to share? Stories from "the good old days?" Please post em' before we forget em. Ha!
 


Mac

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Yep, things sure have changed - I've got you by 20 years+. Lots of things are better with cars, no vacumm wipers, no gas burning heaters in the front seat, no gas tanks behind the front seat, oil bath air filters, long list.

Dave
 

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I'm 64 and also predate the things you mention except central air conditioning. We had it in the house I grew up from age 10. My father bought that house in 1960 and that was one of it's 'selling points'. My mother still lives in that house to this day.
 

Turbroke

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You're right about the central air. I grew up in upstate N.Y. We were a little behind the A/C curve up there. We had GREAT heating systems though! I still run a 1930's hunter fan daily that my grandparents considered A/C! LOL Still runs great! Cars have gotten much better, but I'm still a bit nostalgic for the lawn mower like simplicity of the old gas, air, spark only formula. The sensors, computers and miles of wiring may work many wonders, but have made troubleshooting and keeping old cars running good far more complicated. I do like the better gas consumption to power ratio it permits though. Back in the day, 9-12 mpg for 130hp wasn't uncommon, but nobody ever asked if it was good on gas either. Bigger and faster trumped gas mileage. Loved my 71' 4 dr. Impala, 74' Grand Prix 400!
 
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Mark_88

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Oh, crap...you didn't miss much from what I remember of the good old days...The Good Humour Man who sold ice cream and other treats...men walking around with portable blade sharpeners and ringing an old school bell to draw attention to them...hair cuts were usually tuned to the season...1" for all of spring, summer and fall...2" for winter...turntables for 33 and 45 (78s were just before my time) records or LP's (for Long Playing)...

There was much than this...drive ins...necking...real butter on your popcorn...lol...I'm a bit tired or I could go on...

But I did spend quite a bit of time watching my Dad repair things...and I learned that there wasn't much you couldn't fix yourself with a bit of knowledge and practice...
 

Turbroke

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Here's one. Junior year in high school...I brought an ancient (and functional) double barrel 12 ga. shotgun slung over my shoulder so I could fix the stock in wood shop class. Walked right in through the front door. No reaction from staff or students! Principal walks up later only to ask about make and age. My shop teacher who regularly sharpened our pocket-knives for us (a recommended male student accessory in my time and place) donated a piece of burl walnut for my project.
 

martin

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If you were cold you had to light a fire. If you wanted a bath, go get the metal tub and put it in front of the fire. If you were hungry, see what's growing in the garden. If you needed to use the bathroom it was a little hut at the far end of the garden. I don't wanna talk about it.
 

sblake01

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If you were cold you had to light a fire. If you wanted a bath, go get the metal tub and put it in front of the fire. If you were hungry, see what's growing in the garden. If you needed to use the bathroom it was a little hut at the far end of the garden. I don't wanna talk about it.
I'm not quite that old.......
 

Turbroke

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I'm not quite that old.......
Not that old either. Refrigerators have been pretty common since the late 20's; however, I do recall when a Ford Ranger was a full size truck with a V8.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Not that old either. Refrigerators have been pretty common since the late 20's; however, I do recall when a Ford Ranger was a full size truck with a V8.
Dad had an F-350 one up until a month ago. I have even seen a Ranger Bronco before too.

I am not that old but I do get sick of how disposable vehicles are getting... and how expensive they are at the same time.
 

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You know, it's not just you old farts that had all the fun.

I'm only 28, and I grew up without most of that stuff. I was born in 86, it was 90 before we had an air conditioner, or any heat that didn't involve a free-standing kerosene burner (an idiot designed my parents' house), is was 1993 before we owned a vehicle with an auto-tragic transmission or AC. It was around that same time that we got rid of the 18 inch, pastel color TV with the built-in rabbit ears and dials.

I think it was 2002 before we got cable, and that was only because the cell signals were starting to overpower the UHF signals.

My dad taught me to fix things, help people, and treat women with respect.

My grandfather taught me that when I do a job I need to do it right, and when I leave a job my work had best be good enough that they miss me.

There was much than this...drive ins...necking...real butter on your popcorn...lol...I'm a bit tired or I could go on...
Oh Mark, that's the nail on the head. Of the last 5 movies I saw one was on-demand, and 4 were at the local drive-in. Why pay almost $20 a head at the theater for one movie when you can pay $6 for two at the drive in?

And you can still get real butter on your popcorn. You just gotta buy plain popcorn and real butter. Don't use that stuff with the yogurt in it, makes it taste bad.
 
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bobbywalter

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I'm 46 years old and damn happy about it. I learned about life and how to be a man from my father and grandfather back in a time before cell phones, answering machines, cable tv, computers/internet, video games, GPS, On Star, seatbelts, central air conditioning, bike helmets, political correctness, anti-harassment laws, ABS and color TV. I grew up in the country and learned to fish, hunt, hike, work on cars, trucks and bikes, build a shed, play guitar, raise holy hell, chase girls and do a thousand other things that didn't even require an electrical outlet. Hell, I even read books. Back then the government, law enforcement and the media were so far away from our everyday lives; if they were to vanish completely it would have been months before anybody even noticed. People minded their own business and dealt with whatever came up face to face with one another. We had respect, trust, communities, privacy and freedom. (tons of fun too!) And the cars and trucks you could buy back then for next to nothing!!! Big, fast, gas guzzlin' monsters that are "collectables" now with a million acres of "junk" parts to pick from for dirt cheap prices. Cheap gas too. Just sayin'. It wasn't that long ago, was it? Just an old farts rant I reckon. I sure miss those days in America and forever grateful I lived during times like that. It sounds like a weird fairy tale to my sons, but it was real...Wasn't it. Got an "old fart rant" to share? Stories from "the good old days?" Please post em' before we forget em. Ha!
we are in the same boat....i have 5 kids that run 25-9. shit they will never understand because of the technology bridging and that counters the curiosity of our forefathers solutions to problems bothers me often because it is at their own peril of how things get done with minimal resources if/when shit goes to hell..


but. dude.


fawk them 80's vehicles....you live in a time that a 550 horsepower cadillac with a stick shift trans can be had....700 hp hotrods come right off the showroom floor....

a 3500 pound 300 hp vehicle is passe.....

the good and the bad....:D
 

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I can relate to a lot in this post. Im 51 and my first truck was a 57 Chevy. Had a 12 gauge hanging in the back window most days. Cops waved to you back then. As a matter of fact a neighbor cop was the first person to buy me beer when I was in my teens. Told me that he didn't want to hear about any "trouble" later. We had a blast back then. You could do just about anything you wanted back then as long as you didn't cause any harm to others.
I started driving when I was in my early teens. I would drive my folks around town and on vacations. Never any problems. I was lucky as my parents trusted my judgement and let me do what I wanted growing up. And I never let them down. I was pretty much on my own by age 16. Had a job and supporting myself. Things were much easier back then.
 

Turbroke

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I can relate to a lot in this post. Im 51 and my first truck was a 57 Chevy. Had a 12 gauge hanging in the back window most days. Cops waved to you back then. As a matter of fact a neighbor cop was the first person to buy me beer when I was in my teens. Told me that he didn't want to hear about any "trouble" later. We had a blast back then. You could do just about anything you wanted back then as long as you didn't cause any harm to others. I started driving when I was in my early teens. I would drive my folks around town and on vacations. Never any problems. I was lucky as my parents trusted my judgement and let me do what I wanted growing up. And I never let them down. I was pretty much on my own by age 16. Had a job and supporting myself. Things were much easier back then.
You said it all. That's exactly how it was. My story is so similar that I could have written that post about myself too. Sadly, it's something my children never knew...personal liberty and caring, watchful communities (including law enforcement) who let us kids be kids (adults too) "as long as you didn't cause harm to others". I also agree with Bobby in the post above. 80's vehicles really sucked, but most 80's kids couldn't afford the new stuff (crap), so we had to drive late 60's - 70's vehicles! :D :headbang: I owned so many great classic, muscle cars and motorcycles it's hard to count them...most were bought or obtained through trades or favors for less than $600.00! Wish I had em all now, I'd retire.
 

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fawk them 80's vehicles....you live in a time that a 550 horsepower cadillac with a stick shift trans can be had....700 hp hotrods come right off the showroom floor....

a 3500 pound 300 hp vehicle is passe.....

the good and the bad....:D
For $65-75k the Caddy doesn't do me much good... and they are friggin ugly too.

As I was sitting in a rest area last night with a limping horse (F-150) I was:

Glad I had:
1. My tuner/code scanner
2. A smartphone to look up codes
3. A flashlight to find the injector to unplug so I could limp it home on 7 without melting down the cats (coil pack died)

And wishing I had:
1. My Ranger so it would be four screws and two connectors on the fender skirt and throw in my $20 spare coil for all 8 cylinders I keep behind the seat without burning the &*@! out of my hand on the thermostat.

I just changed the intake gaskets on the thing over the weekend (easier to change head gaskets on the V8 Ranger BTW) and must have upset the natural order of things... so now I have one new $54 coil on the counter and wondering how many more of other 7 are going to get upset too.

Power and all that is nice, but it is nice to have simple too. And my '02 is a dinosaur compared to a newer truck for simplicity.
 
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