Back in the day what car would you buy

[marty351]

The cops took down my details but I never heard any more about it, probably because I told them I was going into the Army in a week's time.[/QUOTE]

Cav's army photo.....

[lra]

Originally Posted by Cav

Well in the 60s my car was a Ford Zephyr ute that I was paying off at about $10 a month.

My first car in 1965 was a ’57 Mk2 Zepyhr sedan that I paid 250 pounds ($500) for, an interest free loan from my parents that I repaid pretty quickly from my $60 pfn gross wages, from which also had to pay them $15 pfn ‘rent and keep’.
In 1967, I joined the RAAF, and was instantly rich, getting $60 pfn net, with no ‘rent and keep’ payments. ( had to pay for pay for frequent haircuts )
1968, I bought a new HK Kingswood ($3,200) on hire purchase, no idea what the % rate was, I didn’t think about that, I either could, or could, not afford the repayments, which were just over $200 per month.
This was traded in 1974 for a new Torana ($3,400) which I kept for 12 months and traded for $3,600 on a Kingswood wagon, such were the effects of ‘inflation’.
Interest rates during that period were not that much of a concern. Inflation was the problem then, if you wanted something, it was no use saving for it, because the cost outstripped your capacity to pay. Hence, buy something on HP, and initially the payments hurt, but lessened quickly as wages increased. Huge interest rates did not become a problem until the 1990s.

[MrZ]

Originally Posted by lra

My first car in 1965 was a ’57 Mk2 Zepyhr sedan that I paid 250 pounds ($500) for, an interest free loan from my parents that I repaid pretty quickly from my $60 pfn gross wages, from which also had to pay them $15 pfn ‘rent and keep’.
In 1967, I joined the RAAF, and was instantly rich, getting $60 pfn net, with no ‘rent and keep’ payments. ( had to pay for pay for frequent haircuts )
1968, I bought a new HK Kingswood ($3,200) on hire purchase, no idea what the % rate was, I didn’t think about that, I either could, or could, not afford the repayments, which were just over $200 per month.

Hmm, $60 a fortnight in 1967, adjusted for inflation, would be $762 today (or $20,000 a year). That's peanuts, how could you live on that? A 1957 car in 1965 would have also been prehistoric, as most cars were scrapped after 10 years in those days. Funny how today an 8-year-old car is considered relatively young still.

As for paying $200 a month on a $3200 car - yikes! What was the term? Using a reverse interest calculator tells us that:

If term is:

18 months - 15% interest
24 months - 42% interest
36 months - 63% interest

I am going to take an educated guess and go with 18 months?

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by lra

Interest rates during that period were not that much of a concern. Inflation was the problem then, if you wanted something, it was no use saving for it, because the cost outstripped your capacity to pay. Hence, buy something on HP, and initially the payments hurt, but lessened quickly as wages increased.

^^^^^^^^Exactly....
Gear was far easier to pay off back then, because as you say. each year the Payments became a smaller proportion of your Wage.. Unlike Today..

[Fed]

I got my first pay packet at the end of 1967 (1st Year App Elect) $16.35 P/W nett.
I got my first car at the end of 1967, a clapped out 1959 FC Holden.

Very true about car longevity, by the end of the '60s most of the '50s cars were gone.

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by Fed

I got my first pay packet at the end of 1967 (1st Year App Elect) $16.35 P/W nett.
I got my first car at the end of 1967, a clapped out 1959 FC Holden.

Very true about car longevity, by the end of the '60s most of the '50s cars were gone.

That's true and I believe it to be that the newer model cars were advancing at a rate so that the older cars were out of date and no one really wanted them and the resale must of dropped of sharply.

As to Ira was on about, I thought the inflation rate was low back in the 50's and 60's and it's only from the mid 70's and early 80's that Inflation was out of control.
I remember Builders in the early 80's where Builders had new cars every year on HP they were real happy with the resale but the new car was huge jump in price and then when the inflation rate went down they were complaining about the resale and I said listen stupid the fact is about the same regardless if you bother to work it all out, so get over it. but they could not get their head around it because they were use to it and as such got in a habit of such in loosing the plot.

My brother once had a HQ Holden in the 70's and then in the 1990's I think it was that I pointed out to him the price that a HQ could fetch and he said in amazement but they were not even that when new, he could not get his head around it.
I said inflation you fool ! it's not worth more than what it was new truly at all, as it's true value was not worth more in reality.

Many people were that dumb with inflation, I remember working for a tradesman who never put his prices up really over 1975 to 1985 but he once could afford to have new cars and then ended up driving around in old rubbish and still worked 7 days a week and a top quality tradesman by far but could not understand the value of money had changed, he was still living in the 60's in the 80's but would boast like all tradesmen do, that they were doing so well down the pub and I am like well show me your car you idiot ! and I will tell you how good that you are doing. not to mention how all of them always tried to diddle their workers pay and claimed not to be able to afford to pay their entitlements. that was QLD.

[roKWiz]

I base trade work on their workmanship and not what car they drive.

Only got to look at all the Hollywood Harolds out there today in the flash cars.

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I base trade work on their workmanship and not what car they drive.

Only got to look at all the Hollywood Harolds out there today in the flash cars.

Well that's true, but I would turn up quoting in a VY SS ute and some people did not like that at all, but one could turn up in the 4x4 that is worth 2x mine and all is good.
But I could not afford a 4X4 or want such a thing unless it was on the beach or out in the bush really other than that I can't stand them.

It was about 1990 working for a big company and say 30 tradesman and every car that they had that I walked by, if I was a cop I could of took off the road, balled tyres and just junk and nothing worth over $3000 it was that bad.
But now you have kids with the way over the top flash 4X4, cars, bikes and all, but all in hock to the eye balls most of them are on drugs and totally crap tradesmen to the point of a joke f ing hopeless brain dead morons beyond belief. living in a fantasy world claiming to become a billionaire and then they loose the lot.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by mick taylor

Well that's true, but I would turn up quoting in a VY SS ute and some people did not like that at all, but one could turn up in the 4x4 that is worth 2x mine and all is good.
But I could not afford a 4X4 or want such a thing unless it was on the beach or out in the bush really other than that I can't stand them.

It was about 1990 working for a big company and say 30 tradesman and every car that they had that I walked by, if I was a cop I could of took off the road, balled tyres and just junk and nothing worth over $3000 it was that bad.
But now you have kids with the way over the top flash 4X4, cars, bikes and all, but all in hock to the eye balls most of them are on drugs and totally crap tradesmen to the point of a joke f ing hopeless brain dead morons beyond belief. living in a fantasy world claiming to become a billionaire and then they loose the lot.

Back in 85 I can remember quoting a big job in Woolahra, Sydney (Jewish princess mansion) at the same time a bricklayer came around in a early 80's 450SEL Merc,, after he left, client exclaimed to me I don't think I'm going to use him as he obviously makes to much money off his clients.

I was driving a fake HJ GTS Monaro.

[MrZ]

Originally Posted by mick taylor

It was about 1990 working for a big company and say 30 tradesman and every car that they had that I walked by, if I was a cop I could of took off the road, balled tyres and just junk and nothing worth over $3000 it was that bad.

From what I remember as a kid (and was told), back in the day, people who could afford a new car quite often didn't buy one, simply because they might be looked down on by others - i.e. tall poppy syndrome. As such, they'd buy something second hand and ordinary, so as not to draw attention to themselves. Buying a new car, of any kind, meant that you were showing off. It was a terrible attitude, that thankfully seems to have disappeared in recent years.

I also remember that the tall poppy syndrome also applied to people who bought foreign (in particular, Japanese) cars, rather than Australian made ones.

[GasoLane]

1967 Saab 96 V4

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

1967 Saab 96 V4

What happened to all the SAABs, there is a hoarder here in Chiltern with a backyard full of 70s 80s SAAABs, maybe a nice P1800 Volvo.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

What happened to all the SAABs, there is a hoarder here in Chiltern with a backyard full of 70s 80s SAAABs, maybe a nice P1800 Volvo.

Has he got a Blue one with 1970 Ampol trial stickers still on it?

[lra]

Mr Z ….. sorry, made an error on the dates, not 1968, April '69. Been looking at some of my personal history, recruit and trainee days over, I was getting $118 pfn gross.
Have a look here for housing interest rates ……... https://www.loansense.com.au/historical-rates.html
High interest rates were all through the 80s as well as the 90s.
As you seem to be good with maths ….. $200 per month is $2,400 per year, which is not much less than the cost of the car. With HP you could pick whatever term/payment suited your ability to pay.
Strange, I can remember, or easily find the cost of cars and income, but dates are a problem for me.

Here is a calculator that you can fiddle with ……. https://www.canstar.com.au/calculato...nt-calculator/

[Fed]

I reckon the BMC factory at Zetland had a shortage of 2" SU Carbies, they were all on Holdens.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Fed

I reckon the BMC factory at Zetland had a shortage of 2" SU Carbies, they were all on Holdens.

2 in would bog down a Holden 6 both grey and red, 1 3/4in was the norm with triples.
I ran triples on a 202 (208) it wouldn't run right until I installed a pressure switch and turned the fuel down to 1/2 pound. Normal mechanical 6 pack fuel pump of the day would supply around 4-5 pounds.

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

2 in would bog down a Holden 6 both grey and red, 1 3/4in was the norm with triples.
I ran triples on a 202 (208) it wouldn't run right until I installed a pressure switch and turned the fuel down to 1/2 pound. Normal mechanical 6 pack fuel pump of the day would supply around 4-5 pounds.

My Father in law had a FB Grey motor with twin strombergs on it, I remember him saying that the body's were sleaved down from the std Grey throttle body's.

And my mate with the worked 202 had the 149 carby and throttle body's just like the X2 came with, stock fuel pump was fine. I remember once he put the pump in under the cam and she broke it off but had another pump in the shed. we had just rebuilt the engine because the block had split across the welch plugs when they make that much power spinning to 7000rpm.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by mick taylor

My Father in law had a FB Grey motor with twin strombergs on it, I remember him saying that the body's were sleaved down from the std Grey throttle body's.

And my mate with the worked 202 had the 149 carby and throttle body's just like the X2 came with, stock fuel pump was fine. I remember once he put the pump in under the cam and she broke it off but had another pump in the shed. we had just rebuilt the engine because the block had split across the welch plugs when they make that much power spinning to 7000rpm.

I really liked the X2 set up but decided triples were better, later this set up was replaced with a 2 71 blower direct drive mounted in front of the crank, sticking out under twin radiators with a single side draft 45mm Weber.
Copied concept from the ol Supercharged Bentley. Front mounted direct drive blower.
Sorta worked but kept breaking blower drives due to constant flexing and misalignment.
Scrapped that idea and went back to stock.

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I really liked the X2 set up but decided triples were better, later this set up was replaced with a 2 71 blower direct drive mounted in front of the crank, sticking out under twin radiators with a single side draft 45mm Weber.
Copied concept from the ol Supercharged Bentley. Front mounted direct drive blower.
Sorta worked but kept breaking blower drives due to constant flexing and misalignment.
Scrapped that idea and went back to stock.

Box head put triple SU on his but it only gave more power right up to and that was worthless power, the response and low to mid range were king and key to fanging about on the street or 1/4 mile and good fuel economy, but triples chewed the juice.

[Fed]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

2 in would bog down a Holden 6 both grey and red, 1 3/4in was the norm with triples.
I ran triples on a 202 (208) it wouldn't run right until I installed a pressure switch and turned the fuel down to 1/2 pound. Normal mechanical 6 pack fuel pump of the day would supply around 4-5 pounds.

Yeah I had 1 3/4"s but other mates with 2" as well.
Never had a problem with fuel pumps.

I did have a firewall modification tool so the back carbie would fit in, 6' of 2" water pipe & a sledge hammer.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Fed

Yeah I had 1 3/4"s but other mates with 2" as well.
Never had a problem with fuel pumps.

I did have a firewall modification tool so the back carbie would fit in, 6' of 2" water pipe & a sledge hammer.

Yeah I remember the third triple would foul the heater box (HQ WB) unless some mods took place. Finding air cleaners for them was painful too.
Also found any SU's gave serious problems with vacuum if it ran an auto gearbox. Manual boxes were fine.

[arronm]

No , fuel injection RULES

[MrZ]

I would argue that modern cars last just as long, if not longer, than cars of the 60s/70s. Today's engines can easily go for beyond 250,000km, whereas decades ago it was rare for an engine to last that long. Today's car's require far less frequent servicing as well. Furthermore, it's a fact that the build quality of today's cars is far better than at any point in the past.

The facts speak for themselves: in 1976, only 13% of cars were over 12 years old, and 3% were over 17 years old. By 2001, over 40% of cars were over 12 years old, and about 20% were over 17 years old.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by MrZ

I would argue that modern cars last just as long, if not longer, than cars of the 70s and 80s. Today's engines can easily go for beyond 250,000km, whereas decades ago it was rare for an engine to last that long. Today's car's require far less frequent servicing as well. Furthermore, it's a fact that the build quality of today's cars is far better than at any point in the past.

You reckon. I've had old cars with 400 000km on them with just simple servicing (which I could do myself) They rusted out long before the drivetrain failed.

[mondeomatureguy]

I do have to admit my MC Ford Mondeo now has 290,000ks on the clock and still going strong.

It has the original Drive Belt on it still and I replaced the Battery six years ago and had an engine mount replaced, Brake Rotors and pads replaced and that's all apart from getting it serviced.

[XR Martin]

Anyone think the purple/harlequin BFs will be worth anything?
Saw one the other day and thought about getting one.
It's not like I don't have enough cars already...

[ford71V8]

1974 Landau - one in particular that was almost mine

[arronm]

[Fed]

We used to run our triple SUs with no oil in them could that be why we never had vacuum problems?

I started with Warren Armour manifolds but finished up with a one piece Lynx manifold which was a very neat setup with little W clips linking the carbies.

My memory's a little vague now but I distinctly remember having to pull the seats down & wedging 1/4" nuts under each one to hold it in the winter because they were almost impossible to start without 'choking' them.

For a couple of years it was the cycle of life, "work on car go to beefies & brickies on Thursday night" repeat, repeat, repeat.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Fed

We used to run our triple SUs with no oil in them could that be why we never had vacuum problems?
.

Never heard of that one before, I remember they had to have auto transmission fluid in them for the pistons to work. I modified a second hand choke system for them from a wrecked double six Daimler. (V12 Jag)

As Mick states they were better for chasing torque with a mild cam. From memory I used a 28 68 cam with hyd lifters. Wasn't chasing horsepower.

Bent 8 that horse truck wasn't a Mercury by any chance.