<VV> Re: Retro

[Bill H.]

                                    B"H

Don't forget the bumper regs...new vehicles must meet
the 5 mph bumper standards as well.

It is, of course, completely possible to build a
MODIFIED version of an old car, like a '57 Bel Air or
'66 Corsa, using the original body panels and even the
frame components, as long as Fed standards are adhered
to.

Building a small block Chevy V8 is not a problem; GM
builds them today completely within Federal standards.
 One could be bored out to 265 or 283, or whatever.

The Corvair's 6 is another story; I don't know whether
this engine could be adapted for todays emissions and
fuel economy.  And even if they could, would it run as
well as the original?  Maybe, Subaru does it with a 4,
but it's water cooled and has sophisticated fuel and
electrical systems.

Bumpers would have to be modified, as would interiors.
 But if we can send men to the moon and probes to
Mars, I think it's within the scope of human
achievements to modify a classic car to meet modern
standards, even if it doesn't look exactly like the
original.

BTW, the Mustang isn't an exact copy of the original. 
Ford did an excellent job to evoke the look of the
original inside and out, but I bet not one part
anywhere on the car is compatible with the original,
and it certainly won't handle or ride the same (it
will of course be light years better than the
original).

In any case, the original Corvair drives so nicely
that a modern version won't be such a major
improvement anyway.

One reason to buy an older car is to be free of all
that complicated junk anyway; the "check engine" light
comes on and you fail inspection, get charged an arm
and a leg from a dealer, and have to put up with
perhaps having more problems coming from the same
system in the future.

If I can get 25 mpg in my Monza, and the same 25 mpg
with a 2006 Malibu, I'm happy.  Although I am all for
the environment, I know that 99.9 percent of Americans
want the Malibu over the Monza, so the impact of
driving my 69 Corvair on the environment is minimal.

If I get my car equipped with A/C, I won't use R-12. 
How's that for doing something about the environment?

Regards...Bill H.



 
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