Technophobes: How Scared Is Too Scared?

[Nickp]

THEY DON’T MAKE ‘EM LIKE THEY USED TO

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[BroncoMike]

Link is broken but I assume you’re talking about my boy Gecko45?
https://lonelymachines.org/mall-ninjas/

He still owns the crown of Best Internet Troll Ever!

Thanks for providing a working link.

 

[OX1]

The funny flip side to that is the propane I put on my 400 way before aftermarket TB EFI kits
were decent, relatively cheap, and mostly self tuning. No sensors, only one moving part and it runs exactly
the same dead rich, as it does at stoich (just smells like a gas grill out the exhaust more when it's rich).
It even runs upside down, LOL!!

(Skip to 2:50 if you don't want to see me wasting time on that hill)

http://luxjo.supermotors.net/RAUSCH CREEK/29 NOV 08/MOV02002.MPG

 

[BroncoBoy22]

Bahahahahah!!

 

[OX1]

It's old and low quality, but it plays on my WIN10 machine with whatever that comes with.
Bottom line is I went upside down and I didn't remember at first to shut it off. It would have run
until it blew up from no oil pressure I guess. I do plan on going back to TB EFI at some point,
since those 10 gallon pane tanks are 100 lbs full, and a PIA.

 

[Rocket]

We cant stop the progress of technology it is part of the human spirit to make things better. I remember the 70’s and 80’s vehicles, we live in great times. Factory vehicles that have awesome power and brakes and many features can be changed from the drivers seat. I love my 78 Bronco since I rebuilt my 400 with decent power and dependability. But my 2017 F150 with a 302 is a much more user friendly truck, best of both worlds.

Look forward to the new Bronco.

 

[BONESTOCK]

ehhh....I don't trust a guy who's job is to sell new cars. haha!

 

[BroncoMike]

Exactly. I'm all for nostalgia and cars with "personality", but many of the endearing qualities we remember don't have a place in a daily driver now that we know how convenient and reliable a modern machine can be. We too quickly forget all the things you mentioned, and more...

Funny thing is, the guy on that Jeep forum is going to go through a major and expensive alteration process to make a vehicle that is easier for him to work on - in his mind. After all that cost and effort, he's going to be blessed with making an easy to work on car, because he'll have to work on it all the time. And the sad truth is, modern cars are easier to repair and tune electronically - you just have to learn a few new skills.

The fact that you can start a modern car and drive it away without fiddling with a choke, letting it idle for 10 minutes is quite simply a game-changer. I drove my girlfriend's '86 Bronco the other day, first cold morning we've had in a while. Let it warm up for a few minutes, backed out of the driveway and down the street to the stop sign. Press the accelerator to leave the stop, carburetor backfires, stumbles, and truck nearly stalls. Now for the rest of the drive, I have a lack of confidence pulling out into traffic. That's the kind of stuff I don't miss - sure, I can tune it out, but I don't want to have to be a carburetor monkey on my primary transportation.

 

[JimmyDean]

We cant stop the progress of technology it is part of the human spirit to make things better. I remember the 70’s and 80’s vehicles, we live in great times. Factory vehicles that have awesome power and brakes and many features can be changed from the drivers seat. I love my 78 Bronco since I rebuilt my 400 with decent power and dependability. But my 2017 F150 with a 302 is a much more user friendly truck, best of both worlds.

Look forward to the new Bronco.

yeah, don't get me wrong, I love my 60s/70s cars and trucks. but most of it is simply the rumble and shake, and the looks. but damn those yearly top end rebuilds, quarterly carb tunes, drum brakes, no power steering, a tinny stereo. Those I Can live without. And you die in a 25mph collission. Those I can live without. Old styling, new everything else, great. Granted, can't QUITE do old styling with new safety standards....

 

[Nickp]

I never had this problem on my 1970 CJ-5, because my CJ-5 didn't have any of the troublesome emissions components. The CJ-5 was rock solid for me.

^Words of someone who hasn’t worked on a carbed vehicle with smog control. The only one I’ve worked on is my buddy’s FJ60, fuck that noise. All the vacuum hoses and rats nest... so damn obnoxious.

 

[BroncoMike]

A guy buying a new vehicle which he unloads after a few years, might consider certain items as "advancements". On the other hand, a guy (often me) buying the vehicle later down the road, might be cursing those so called "advancements", lol.

This is a great point, one that comes up often when looking at 6-10 year old cars - replacing tire pressure sensors. The system is a great idea, but once the batteries in them little suckers wear out, it can be an expensive proposition to replace them. The aftermarket is stepping up, but I had a Lexus that the dealer wanted $600 for 5 new sensors, swap them out, and associate them to the car's ECU.

Now, this issue isn't the end of the world - it's a little orange light on the dash, and we somehow survived for decades of automotive operation without such warning systems, but not the same for emissions sensors. Throw a CEL, and you can't pass smog in many of the places that have it. Fortunately, the newer systems are usually very easy to diagnose with the proper tools - in the case of Fords, the tools are very inexpensive yet extremely capable. There are still some issues, or combinations of issues, that can make diagnosis difficult, and intermittent electrical/electronic problems have a greater impact compared to the mechanical control systems.

The bottom line is there will be a market for good diagnostic technicians (mechanics) for the foreseeable future. It's just a different skill set and array of tools... if an old-school Diesel guy like me can learn my way around Forscan and canbus systems, anybody can.

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