Working on old Imperials

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

I don't know, I think there is a lot to be said for a car that can be made to 
run with a pocket knife, match book, and a nail file (i.e. my 1965 Imperial 
when it died on the freeway once a long long time ago), as opposed to one that 
has to be started over a modem after being towed 200 miles to the nearest 
qualified service technician (my parents 2003 Whatyamacallit).

Although, I would have to admit, you are probably right. Most mechanics these 
days would have no clue figuring out how or why one would use a pocket knife, 
matchbook, and a nail file to make a 1965 Imperial run.

Paul

In a message dated 11/4/2003 8:15:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, tenpalms@xxxxxxx 
writes:

> 
> 
> <<<<<<<<Bill '59 Crown wrote:
> What I can't understand is why mechanics would not want to work
> on these older cars. It is certainly much easier than working on today's
> cars
> with all that extra junk in the engine compartment.>>>>>>>>>>>
> 
> I think this was a sincere comment and
> as such deserves an answer.  Bill, as I'm
> sure you realize there's a lot more to the
> "junk" under the hood of a modern car
> than most of us ever think about. Current technology and design allows
> specific power output and  levels of reliability that could only be dreamed
> of
> in the days when our beloved Imps were
> built. Most importantly, for our health and the health of our children and
> grandchildren, the level of emissions is
> a miniscule fraction of what our Imps
> emit, even in the best of tune. And I mean literally, by a couple of orders
> of
> magnitude. Today's technicians use lab
> scopes and scanners as much as any other tools, along with an ability to do
> electronic troubleshooting at a gut level.
> Much as we love our Imperials, in some
> ways they have more in common with
> Model Ts than they do with todays cars.
> Not a bad thing, just how it is.
> 
> As for why mechanics would not want to work on the old cars, several reasons
> come to mind, in no particular order:
> 1) Unfamiliarity.  Many have never
> worked on cars like our Imps and there
> aren't enough left around to spend the
> time getting familiar with. There's a huge difference between hobbying and
> trying to earn a living.
> 2) The old mechanics who knew these
> old crates are mostly gone now, and the
> old service data long discarded in most shops. Technical specs and
> information
> are on the computer now, and they don't
> include stuff before '85 or so. Time marches on, as it always has.
> 3) Parts are unavailable through normal
> distribution channels, other than routine
> service items like ignition and such.
> 4) As we all know, what may be a simple
> job on a younger model can turn into a major kerfluffle on an old Imp,
> simply due to age, rust/corrosion, fragile old
> parts, etc.
> 5) Because of items 1 thru 4, an older
> car tends to wind up taking waaaay more
> time in the bay than a modern car of the
> type that the shop routinely services. Time is money.
> 6) Last but definitely not least, in many cases the owners of older cars are
> notoriously....... er, um, ....thrifty.
> Even worse, as a result they sometimes
> shop for a mechanic based on  price rather than quality, wind up with a less
> than satisfactory job, and then use that
> result to confirm their suspicion that
> mechanics are all incompetent and dishonest.
> 
> I have a number of customers who have
> collector cars like  Imperials along with their modern transportation, and
> want us to work on the old cars as well.
> We do it with the caveats that they may have to chase their own parts, that
> it's
> likely to take much longer than their
> '01 Chrysler, and that we won't lower our quality standards.  I think you
> can
> still easily find such a shop in your own town.
> And don't forget that part of the beauty of  these grand old ladies is that
> you CAN work on them yourself to a great extent. Part of the fun, too.
> Enjoy.
> 
> regards
> Michael
> 
> Roger and Michael in San Diego
> 67 Crown Convertible  "Moby"
> 73 LeBaron Coupe  "La Bomba Negra"
> 56 Sedan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>