I miss the sliding windows in old VW buses. How about engine bays where there is actual space around each part? I remember some pickups where you could practically stand in there to work on stuff.
Only my first volvo had roll up windows, and my LeMans Sport did too. My dads Sport Wagon had the vent windows and roll up windows although the tailgate was powerYour cars are all new…
Got any with wing windows?
Crank windows?
I have them on my 19 Caddy and they were on my 17 LacrosseCornering lights, nice to see what might be out there to clunk into.
Older vehicles didn't have passenger nor driver's side airbags. Vehicles now require side airbags which do take up space.What I miss about older cars (80's and before) is the feeling of spaciousness around the cockpit. Around your knees.
Nowadays, cars have wrap around consoles and smooth curvy dashes that while they look attractive, they really encroach into the cockpit space.
I had an ancient econobox. Very minimalistic. It's cockpit area felt much bigger than that of my current minivan.
View attachment 160693
I remember being able to easily slip from the driver's seat to the passenger's seat. In the minivan, I have to clamber.
View attachment 160694
I miss able to idle an engine with all lights off. My van, that I use for camping, will light up at all the marker lights and the daytime running lights (Canadian here). I may not want to announce to the world that I'm somewhere when I just want to run the engine so that the alternator can charge my coach batteries.I want a car that I can drive to the drive in movies, listen to the radio, and when the show's over I want it to start and run on parking lights only, under cover of darkness.
So no stupid timers to turn the radio off.
No pushing the brake pedal (and turning brake lights on) as part of starting procedure.
Ability to override the auto headlights.
Ability to run the radio without having a glary screen ever-present.
Ability to open the doors without lights coming on, if need be.
Where I live we have to park outside which means warming the car up during the winter. It would be great to be able to do this without announcing to the world that there is a running vehicle, possibly with nobody inside (in the house bundling up).I may not want to announce to the world that I'm somewhere when I just want to run the engine so that the alternator can charge my coach batteries.
You were personal friends with Merle Haggard! Cool!Port injection and a manual gearbox. Keep the computer screens for the kids and give me functional and clear analog gauges. Front engine, rear drive. Above all else,,, keep it repairable by the owner. The need to remove the engine to replace a water pump is nothing but sadistic.
A good friend of mine wrote a song about this and here's just a small snippet from the lyrics. Maybe you know where I'm going with this:
"I wish a Ford and a Chevy would still last ten years
Like they should
Is the best of the free life behind us now?
And are the good times really over for good?"
yes on the vent windows. Super usefulI want vent windows and ash trays back. I don't smoke but when others do the ashes end up in the back seat.
Good catch! I definitely remember the song but I was drawing a blank whose song it was.You were personal friends with Merle Haggard! Cool!
What’s really cool is a BITOG member was a personal friend of The Hag! Maybe we could get some stories??Good catch! I definitely remember the song but I was drawing a blank whose song it was.
Yes and with a centrally located "hand brake" lever. I'm not at all keen on the foot operated, pull a handle to release type, or the even older lever under the dash types.Purely mechanical emergency brakes (seeing more and more electric ones… going to suck when there is an electronic problem and you need it to stop)
The stronger A pillar makes hitting that pedestrian safer for the driver.Jow about thinner posts around the windshield. Almost hit a pedestrian that was hidden by the thick posts around the window.