[DMCForum] Re: Village Idiot Returns (Josh)

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In the US, there was a wholesale shift in automotive engineering
philosophy in the 1980s. From the 1950s through the 1970s, most
vehicles retained the same fundamental design principles. You can
transport a mechanic from 1955 to 1975 in a time machine, and he'll
have absolutely no trouble repairing the next car off an assembly
line. Transport him another 20 years (or even 10 years), and he'll
need to do some significant learning before repairing a contemporary
vehicle.

Major innovating was completed by the mid 1950s -- single piece engine
castings, overhead valves, unit body construction (for some
manufacturers), automatic transmissions, hydraulic brakes & steering
(and in some cases even windshield wipers and door lock actuators),
safety glass, etc. From that point forward, automotive design was
basically variations on a similar theme. Some manufacturers did
experiment with things common today -- aluminum engine castings, fuel
injection, turbocharging, composite body materials -- and some of
those did make it into limited production, but an overwhelming
majority of the vehicles on the road were fundamentally the same.

There were two significant refinements of existing systems that come
to mind in the 1960s: disc brakes and breakerless ignition. The 1960s
did see introduction of a multitude of new engine platforms.

The 1970s saw very little original engineering. The first compacts
(Gremlin, Pinto, Chevette) were simply full size cars built on a
smaller scale. They even retained rear wheel drive. Almost all engine
development in the 1970s was continuation of 1960s designs with bolt
on accessories to meet ever tighter government pollution and fuel
economy restrictions. Each of the Big 3 only introduced about one
wholly new engine platform apiece.

Back to your comments: pre 1980s domestic automobile design was very
simple, and all the bugs had been worked out. With no weight or space
penalty, parts tended to be massive (compared to their equivalents
today). Plastic technology didn't come into its own until the late
1970s, so there were more metal components. The net result is vehicles
that just seem to hold up better than products of the 1980s and 1990s.
And I simply can't imagine a 2005 model anything becoming collectible.

My AMC is a Spirit, which is really just a reskinned Gremlin (which
itself inherited a lot of AMX engineering). From 1970 forward, AMC
only made one car of consequence. Built on a 96 inch floorpan it was
known as Gremlin/Spirit/Eagle SX-4. Built on a 108 in floorpan it was
known as Hornet/Concord/other Eagles. But they're all the same basic
car. AMC built a gazillion Pacers (354,228), but that design
unfortunately couldn't morph into anything else (by contrast,
2,327,230 Gremlin/Hornet to Eagle were built). Where AMC lost their
shirts were the redesigned Matador and Javelin.

My Spirit is a gas crisis model. The car is really too heavy for a 4
cylinder engine (2,700 lbs), but that's what a major segment of the
buying public wanted, my parents included. Think of the prototype DeLo
with its Citroen engine -- that's what I'm up against. Of course these
days that little engine is looking better & better. AMC didn't have a
4 cylinder of its own at that time (lopped off 258 didn't debut until
1983), so I've got GM's 151 "Iron Duke" (basically the Vega 140 made
out of cast iron). Prior to that AMC was importing a little 121 inch
unit from Audi that is really miserable. I'd much prefer a proper AMC
150, but the original engine is still tight and I'm still unemployed
(moneyless). I'd REALLY like a 258 inline 6, after the gas prices go
back down.

I've uploaded a pic of my AMC to #5939's photo album so you can see
what it looks like. All that bling has been added by me (my parents
bought it with nothing more than a gawd awful decal set). I like the
spoiler, especially knowing what's really under the hood. Oh well, at
least it LOOKS fast. I do have a set of DL hubcaps for the thing
should I ever get around to repainting them (are plastic, not aluminum).

Bill Robertson
#5939

>--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Josh Porter" <joshp1986@xxxx> wrote:
> Ahhhh. Pre 1980's is the key. That would explain why it was so much 
> easier to work on my '66 Beetle than the Gutlass, DeLorean and the 
> numuorus Chevys that I have worked on. The nice thing about the 
> Chevrolet is that there was enough space for a short person to sit 
> againest the engine, the DeLorean I'm lucky to fit my finger in 
> there. What kind of AMC do you have again? You've told me but I have 
> fforgotten.
> 
> You sound like my grandpa. He never really retired. After he worked 
> his way up the chain at the electric company he worked for the church 
> until he died. That's great that you are involved in the church! For 
> me church isn't like a blob monster, I love giving my time and tithe 
> and offering to God.
> 
> Josh

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