Care of A's vs Moderns

P

PC/SR

Well-known member
Having followed the Barn for a few years, and been amazed at the care and attention and detail put into the cars, I just wonder how much time and care Barners put on their moderns compared to their A's. As for myself, my modern gets the basics and an occasional wax job from me. My modern sits outside while the A gets my share of the garage. I do not talk to the former young lady who also lives here about relative cost of maintenance, but she has come to recognize boxes from Brattons, Synders, etc as something other than junk mail and knows it is not for the moderns when I say I have to go to the auto parts store. (Nor does she have any opinion on the relative merits of babbitt vs. inserts!! but I digress.) Just curious how it works out for other Barners.
 
I have put more work into my daily drivers than My A, though per mile driven I have put more time in the A. Wife laughs about it, she knows it is an 80 year old car and therfore needs work, so all is good......
Her car gets normal maintanance for a 99 Taurus, my truck gets more attention, but then again I cut the frame in half and created a 93 4 door Dodge diesel truck a couple years back, and since it has hit 300K miles, it is needing more of my time.

I am the oposite, my wife knows that if I am headed to a local parts store, it is for her car or my truck, not the A.
 
Now thats a can of worms for sure. Likely right now I am putting in more time on the moderns. Pushed the delivery outside last winter to put brakes and steering on my 94 Dodge Dakota, no more than 5 blocks from the house after the job was done the engine broke the oil pump drive shaft and basicly ruined the engine. I borrowed my parents Blazer to drive for awhile and ended up putting in a new fuel pump and a starter. When I got my income tax return this year the money that I was planning on buying parts for the delivery went for a good used engine at the local salvage yard. Now it is back on the road. Was planning on pushing the delivery back inside, but have discovered now I need to change the intake gaskets on my wifes 99 Pontiac again. Can't wait to finish that job as it is no fun. Then I can push the dlivery back in. I have done some small parts restoration for the delivery in the mean time and have 4 horns and 5 powerhouse generators on the the bench right now being restored. Likely will put the wifes car in the shop late next week and time permitting will have it done by next Saturday. Rod
 
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I spend a lot more time tightening and re-tightening fasteners on my A...:p

I generally lavish more attention on my A than on my other antiques or my modern "go-car", but then I seem to drive the A more than anything else...
 
the problem with the moderns is that with all the electronics in them you can not work on them like we work on are A's. I like to think that I pamper my A's. I have been accused of spending more time with my A's than with shall I say other people.
 
When I open the hood on my moderns I find very few parts I recognize and many that I cannot reach. When the display says change the oil I take it to the dealer. The great things about the A is when I open the hood I know what every part is and what it does. Great for my self esteem that I understand it better than the dealer. Kind of makes it an old friend that deserves loving care. The new vehicle is more like the refrigerator, I need one but don't spend any time on special care. When was the last time you washed and waxed your refrigerator.
 
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